Handa Spring Festival | Handa City | Aichi Prefecture | Official Site | Sightseeing Information | Directions | Parking | Details | AichiNow-OFFICIAL SITE FOR TOURISM AICHI

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Handa-City Handa Spring Festival

Date : Mid-March–May 3 and 4


  • Handa Spring Festival
  • Handa Spring Festival
  • Handa Spring Festival
  • Handa Spring Festival
  • Handa Spring Festival

The tradition of the festival; the spirit of the people

Spring is officially in the city of Handa when its float parades begin. From mid-March to May 3 and 4, the various areas around the city hold their annual festivals in a tradition with more than 300 years. Thirty-one parade floats of traditional construction make their appearance one after another and parade all around in a valiant display.
Exquisite arts, such as the operation of mechanized puppets and lion dance performances, add to the festival's wonder and captivate onlookers.

Areas performing floats festivals

Okkawa area
• Dates: Sat, Mar 16–Sun, Mar 17
• Description: Four floats protecting a portable shrine, ascension and descension of the steep slope along Okkawa Hachimansha Shrine, theatrical dance performance, mechanized puppet performance, festival eve vigil, Mukaiyama Shinto lion ritual, and Mukaiyama taiko drum performance

Yanabe area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, Nankichi Festival (fireworks), and rice cake giveaway

Yanabe Shinden area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Kami-Handa area (Lantern Festival)
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, display of two lantern boats, fireworks, children's theatrical dance performance, festival eve vigil, and return of floats into the Handa Red Brick Building

Kyowa area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, ascension and descension of the steep slope along Hakusan Jinja Shrine, theatrical dance performance, female shaman and lion dance performances, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Narawa area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, procession down the road to and entry into Narawa Jinja Shrine, female shaman dance performance, song and theatrical dance performances, large and small lion dance performance (prefectural intangible folk cultural property), and festival eve vigil

Nishi-Narawa area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, ascension of the steep slope to the east of and entry into Narawa Jinja Shrine, theatrical dance performance, mechanized puppet performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Itayama area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 13–Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, congregation of four floats at Hachiman Jinja Shrine; female shaman dance performance, theatrical dance performance, and rice cake giveaway at Itayama Jinja Shrine; and theatrical dance performance at Hachiman Jinja Shrine

Shimo-Handa area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 20–Sun, Apr 20
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, mechanized puppet performance and display, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and procession by four floats along Handa Canal

Kamezaki area (Shiohi Festival)
• Dates: Fri, May 3 (national holiday)–Sat, May 4 (national holiday) (Held until Sun, May 5 [national holiday] should rainy weather occur.)
• Description: Procession around town by five floats, mechanized puppet performance, entry of floats into the low tidal area outside the shrine, and guardian parade into Owari Sansha Shrine (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, national important intangible folk cultural property, and prefectural tangible folk cultural property)

Handa Spring Festival

Areas with other festivities

Mukaiyama area
• Dates: Sat, Mar 16–Sun, Mar 17
• Description: Procession around town by three children's portable shrines and public showing of lion costumes, lion dance, and Mukaiyama taiko drum performance at Ichikishima Jinja Shrine

Ariwaki area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 6–Sun, Apr 7
• Description: Procession around town by special cart during the rehearsal festival on the 6th as well as fireworks, female shaman dance performance, and rice cake giveaway during the main festival on the 7th

Hirachi area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 6–Sun, Apr 7
• Description: Procession around town by four children's portable shrines, festival eve vigil, ornately decorated horse display, horse run, female shaman dance performance, lion dance, and rice cake giveaway at Hirachi Shimmeisha Shrine

Karasune area
• Date: Sun, Apr 7
• Description: Procession around town by four children's portable shrines, entry into Karasune Inari Jinja Shrine, and rice cake giveaway

Oyachi area
• Date: Sun, Apr 14
• Description: Procession around town by adults' and children's portable shrines, entry into Oyachi Jinja Shrine, and rice cake giveaway

Oike area
• Date: Sun, Apr 28
• Description: Procession around town by two children's portable shrines, entry into Oike Jinja Shrine, and lottery drawing at Oike Community Hall

Arai area
• Date: Fri, May 3 (national holiday)
• Description: Procession around town by two children's portable shrines and female shaman dance performance, lion dance, and parade at Atago Jinja Shrine

EVENT OVERVIEW

Date : Sat, Mar 16–Sun, Mar 17; Sat, Apr 6–Sun, Apr 7; Sat, Mar 13–Sun, Mar 14; Sat, Mar 20–Sun, Mar 21; Sun, Mar 28; and Fri, May 3 (national holiday)–Sat, May 4 (national holiday) (Kamezaki area's Shiohi Festival is held until Sun, May 5 [national holiday] should rainy weather occur), 2024
Location : 〒475-0023
2-92 Kamezaki-cho, Handa-shi, Aichi (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine and other locations)

Note:
• The Access Map shows the location of Kamisaki Jinja Shrine.
Fee : Viewing free of charge

Note:
• Prices are subject to change. Check the official site, etc. for the most up-to-date information.
Phone number : 0569-32-3264 (Handa City Tourism Association)
Parade route : • Once the route is decided, it will be available (in Japanese) on the Handa City Tourism Association's 2024 Handa Spring Festival page.
• Note that parade float plans may change or be canceled due to weather and other conditions.

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
    12-min. (1 km) walk east from Kamezaki Station on the JR Taketoyo Line (board the train bound for Taketoyo from Nagoya Station).

    Note:
    • Directions to the Kamezaki area (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine). Search on your own for other locations.
  • Access by car
    Access by car
    Approx. 15 min. (7.6 km) southeast from Agui Interchange on Chitahanto Road via Route 46.

    Note:
    • Directions to the Kamezaki area (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine). Search on your own for other locations.

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KeywordKeyword
#Handa Spring Festival
#parade float
#dashi
#UNESCO
#Intangible Cultural Heritage
#Kamezaki Shiohi Festival
#Mikawa
#Western Mikawa
#Handa

INFORMATION ON THE SURROUNDING AREA

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