Annual Festivals

① Donto-yaki Fire Festival (Hirata and Kirio) Around January 14
② Spring Festival at Oikube Byobu-jinja Shrine (Yakuoji) May 3
③ Yakushi Matsuri at Shozen-ji Temple (Kurio) Early July
④ Main Festival at Atago-jinja Shrine (Kubata) The Sunday closest to July 24
⑤ Bon-odori Dance Festival (Hirata, Kurio, Kubata) Around August 14
⑥ Shichifukujin Festival at Gakuon-ji Temple (Ogouchi) Early September
⑦ Main Festival at Kasuga-jinja Shrine (Hirata) 2nd Sunday in October
⑧ Autumn Festival at Hidach-i, Atago- and Kiyotaki-jinja Shrines (Kurio) 2nd Sunday in October
⑨ Autumn Festival at Ichinomiya-jinja Shrine (Sada, Kubata) 2nd Sunday in October
⑩ Autumn Festival at Shingu-jinja Shrine (Higashinaka, Kozako)  2nd Sunday in October

Spring Festival at Oikube Byobu-jinja Shrine (Yakuoji)

In this annual festival held on March 3, chief priest of the shrine, shrine parishioners of the surrounding areas and representatives of each sub district hold Shinto rituals, and the ritual dance performance called “Urayasu-no Mai” and the ritual music performance called “Nerikomi Daiko” are dedicated to the deity. In Nerikomi Daiko, taiko (Japanese drum) and other instruments are played to pray for the good harvests, academic development, well-being of the family and business prosperities.

Children in Hirata sub district carry a portable shrine.

Nerikomi Daiko at the Kurio festival

Nerikomi Daiko at the Kubata festival

Dondo-yaki in Hirata

Dondo-yaki in Kurio

Nerikomi Daiko Higasinaka and Kozako