2025 edition! What is the strange festival that heralds spring, the "Katsuyama Sagicho Festival"? What are the dates and times? What are the highlights? How to get there and where can I park?

• Table of Contents
• What is the Katsuyama Sagicho?
• Sagicho Festival Schedule (dates, times, locations)
• There's a lot to see during the festival! Enjoy the music and smiles!
• The festival finale is the "Dondoyaki"
• How about access and parking?
• summary

What is the Katsuyama Sagicho?

~ Katsuyama's seasonal winter event: Katsuyama Sagicho~

The Katsuyama Sagicho Festival is said to be a festival that brings spring to Okuetsu. It has been held for more than 300 years. It takes place over two days, on the last Saturday and Sunday of February every year. There are 12 turrets in the city, and performers play and dance all day long on the turrets to the accompaniment of shamisen, flutes and drums. On Sunday evening, a "Dondo Yaki" fire is held at Benten Ryokuchi in the city, where New Year decorations are lit to pray for the safe end of the festival, a bountiful harvest and the extinguishing of fires, and the two-day festival comes to a close as people watch the blazing flames.

Sagicho Festival Schedule (dates, times, locations)

Date : Saturday, February 22nd and Sunday, February 23rd, 2025

Time : Saturday, February 22nd, 13:00~ Ichiban Taiko (Kamigori Ward Yagura)

February 23rd (Sunday) 20:00~ Dondoyaki ignition (Benten Ryokuchi)

Location : Katsuyama city, Honmachi area

Please check the event page for information on the times for each region's music performances, break times, and the locations of the towers.

There's a lot to see during the festival! Enjoy the music and smiles!

Performers will perform on the floats of each district, using instruments such as UKIDAIKO, Levitating drums, shamisen, and flutes. You will be captivated by the sounds coming from all over the city. In addition to the performances, there will be a variety of events, including displays of crafts and a stamp rally. There will also be a children's drumming competition, where participants will compete in their drumming skills.

The performance on the tower is a must-see!

It's not just the music that's noteworthy. Pay attention to the red costumes worn by the performers. The color stands out beautifully against the winter sky of the Hokuriku region. It is said that the color resembles the flames of a Dondoyaki festival, or that it comes from the fact that young people in the entertainment district of the red-light district beat drums while wearing geisha clothes. In addition to wearing these gorgeous costumes, some performers also wear humorous masks while dancing, so be sure to check out the performance on the turret.

Don't miss the very cute displays of "tsukurimono" (art objects) and "eandon (picture lanterns)."

The crafts are made using everyday items such as farm equipment and kitchen utensils. Both the picture lanterns and the crafts are intricately made, so the more you look at them the more you'll be captivated. It's fascinating.

At Katsuyama Sagicho, people write senryu poems that satirize world topics and social conditions, and express them in a humorous and amusing way on picture lanterns. The pictures on the lanterns are carefully hand-painted by local residents. There is also a stamp rally. Get a stamp rally sheet at the headquarters in front of Katsuyama Post Office, and go around each district to get prizes.

The festival finale is the "Dondoyaki"

Starting at 8pm on Sunday, the sacred fire lit at Shinmei Shrine in the city's Benten Ryokuchi green space will be ignited on the sacred objects of each district. Everyone will watch and pray for a good harvest and for the fire to die down, and then the finale will begin. The blazing flames are impressive and well worth a look. If you can stay until the evening, please come and see the Dondoyaki.

How about access and parking?

access

By car: Approximately 10 minutes by car from Katsuyama IC on the Chubu Jukan Expressway

If coming by train, take the Echizen Railway Katsuyama-Eiheiji Line to Katsuyama Station and walk for about 10 minutes.

Shuttle bus service will be available from Katsuyama Station (Katsuyama Station - Post Office)

Saturday, February 22nd from 12:24 (12 flights), Sunday, February 23rd from 10:24 (16 flights)

parking

Around Katsuyama City Hall, Geo Arena, Okuetsu Special Needs School, Yume Ole Katsuyama, etc.

On the day of the festival, roads will be closed and traffic restrictions will be in place, so please follow the directions to get there safely.

summary

The Katsuyama Sagicho Festival, which colors Katsuyama Sagicho Echizen in winter, is held on the last Saturday and Sunday of February every year. Please come and join us at the unique festival that heralds spring, which has a history of over 300 years. We look forward to seeing you.