🏮 Yamashiro Shobuyu Matsuri

山代菖蒲湯祭り

Kaga, Ishikawa (山代温泉) · Every year on 4 June

Summer festivalMikoshi

263 days to go
Rooms around Kaga, Ishikawa fill up while the festival is on.

The Yamashiro Shobuyu Festival is held in Yamashiro Onsen in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, over two days every year on June 4 and 5. It is a traditional event praying for good health, and is organized by the Yamashiro Onsen Shobuyu Festival Executive Committee, with venues around Yakuoin Onsenji Temple and the former public bathhouse Kosoyu. The festival derives from the shobuyu (iris bath), expressing gratitude to the hot springs for the year and a wish for good health. On June 4, similar events are held at each of the hot springs in the Kaga Onsen area, and at Yamashiro Onsen especially, brave Shinto rituals are performed. The highlight of the first day is the shobu mikoshi (iris portable shrine), in which young people carry a mikoshi (portable shrine) packed with irises and parade through the hot spring town. The irises attached to the mikoshi are thrown into Kosoyu, with prayers for household safety. On the second day, the Yamashiro Ondo Do Nagashi is held, and during this period, iris baths can be enjoyed at each hot spring inn.

Getting there

From Kaga Onsen Station, take the Kaga Shuyu Bus CANBUS Yama Mawari Line and get off at the 20a Yamashiro Onsen Minamiguchi bus stop, about 550 m from there; or take the Hokutetsu Kaga Bus Onsen Yamanaka Line and get off at the Yamashiro Higashiguchi temporary bus stop, about 500 m from there. By car, about 7.3 km from Kaga IC on the Hokuriku Expressway. There are traffic restrictions on surrounding roads.