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Inuyama-City 390th Inuyama Festival

Date : 04/06/2024, 04/07/2024


  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival
  • Inuyama Festival

Giant floats parade along a cherry tree-lined road in a scene right out of an ancient colored woodblock print

The customs of the Inuyama Festival have been handed down to the present since the festival's beginning in 1635. With the encouragement of Naruse Hayato no Sho Masatora, a chief retainer of the Owari Tokugawa family and lord of Inuyama Castle, the festival took off as an offering to Haritsuna Jinja Shrine—home of the local guardian deity.
Thirteen enormous and elaborately decorated yama parade floats proceed along to the melodies of flutes and drums before offering a mechanized doll performance in a custom carried out since the Edo period. Once night approaches, 365 lanterns adorn the floats for another spectacle as they light up the blooming cherry trees around the Inuyama Castle Town. The age-old tradition appears as if it has popped right out of an ancient colorful ukiyo-e woodblock print.

Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2016

Inuyama Festival

Japan's incredible yama, hoko, and yatai parade float festivals have been designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Of the 33 festivals spanning 18 prefectures recognized from the Tohoku region to the Kyushu region, Aichi Prefecture touts itself as having the most float parade festivals. Five of these incredible festivals and their distinct aspects are recognized with this prestigious title: the activities surrounding Inuyama Festival's floats, activities with Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival's decorative boats, Bunraku and Karakuri performances on Chiryu Festival's floats, activities with Kamezaki Shiohi Festival's floats, and activities with Sunari Festival's decorative boats and reed-laden boat.

Note:
• Find out more about the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages here.

EVENT OVERVIEW

  • Souvenirs
  • Restaurant
Date : Rehearsal Festival: Sat, Apr 6, 2024
Main Festival: Sun, Apr 7, 2024
Holding time : 9:00 am–9:30 pm (canceled should rainy weather occur)
Place : Plaza outside Inuyama Castle and around the Inuyama Castle Town
Location : 〒484-0081
14 Fujimi-cho, Inuyama, Inuyama-shi, Aichi (Inuyama Station Tourist Information Center)
Restrooms : Available
Phone number : 0568-61-6000 (Inuyama Station Tourist Information Center)
Notes on parking : Use public transportation whenever possible to help alleviate traffic congestion.

Inuyama Festival is a highly popular event that attracts huge crowds of visitors. The parking lot usually fills up fast, and it you should expect bumper-to-bumper traffic along the surrounding roads. Visitors may not be able to find a parking spot even after waiting for several hours.
For visitors coming by car : Please note that roads around the venue experience traffic restrictions. Details available from the official site.

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

ACCESS

  • Access by public transport
    Access by public transport
    15-min. walk west from either Inuyama Yuen Station or Inuyama Station, both on the Meitetsu Inuyama Line (board the train bound for Inuyama from Meitetsu Nagoya Station).
  • Access by car
    Access by car
    Use public transportation whenever possible in order to help alleviate traffic congestion.

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KeywordKeyword
#Inuyama Festival
#Japanese parade float
#UNESCO
#Intangible Cultural Heritage
#cherry blossoms
#sakura
#National Treasure Inuyama Castle
#karakuri
#mechanized puppets
#mechanized dolls
#Owari
#Inuyama

INFORMATION ON THE SURROUNDING AREA

Former Isobe ResidenceInuyama-City

Former Isobe Residence
The Former Isobe Residence is a traditional merchant’s family home (<i>machiya</i>) built ...

    Donden-kan Palace Inuyama Festival MuseumInuyama-City

    Donden-kan Palace Inuyama Festival Museum
    Donden-kan Palace allows you to witness at any time the incredible <i>yama</i> parade floa...
    • Multipurpose toilet
    • Parking
    • Wi-Fi

    Former Horibe ResidenceInuyama-City

    Former Horibe Residence
    The Former Horibe Residence offers visitors a glimpse of what samurai family houses in the...

      IMASEN Inuyama Karakuri Exhibition Museum (Inuyama Cultural History Museum)Inuyama-City

      IMASEN Inuyama Karakuri Exhibition Museum (Inuyama Cultural History Museum)
      Exhibition of a plethora of materials related to karakuri culture. See up close the Float ...
      • Multipurpose toilet
      • Parking
      • Wi-Fi

      Shirotomachi Museum (Inuyama Artifacts Museum)Inuyama-City

      Shirotomachi Museum (Inuyama Artifacts Museum)
      Inuyama is a land almost untouched by time with much of its castle, castle town, and town ...
      • Multipurpose toilet
      • Parking
      • Wi-Fi

      Sanko Inari Jinja ShrineInuyama-City

      Sanko Inari Jinja Shrine
      Located at the base of Inuyama Castle, Sanko Inari Shrine has a long, rich history. Sanko ...
      • Wi-Fi

      National Treasure Inuyama CastleInuyama-City

      National Treasure Inuyama Castle
      Only 12 original castles remain in original condition across Japan. Of those 12, only five...
      • Souvenirs
      • Parking
      • Wi-Fi

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