[May 2026] Come to Ogaki Festival, the representative festival of Nishimino, Gifu Prefecture!

Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture, is a castle town with excellent access, just 30 minutes by train from Nagoya. The Ogaki Festival heralds the arrival of early summer in Ogaki. The sight of 13 brightly decorated floats parading through the castle town is truly breathtaking! We'll introduce you to the highlights of the Ogaki Festival.

Written by

Ogaki Tourism Association

Located in the center of Nishi Mino in the western part of Gifu Prefecture, Ogaki is blessed with an abundance of groundwater, so much so that it has long been known as the "City of Water." Known as the birthplace of haiku poet Matsuo Basho's travelogue "The Narrow Road to the Deep North," the town is also home to Ogaki Castle, which served as the base of Ishida Mitsunari's Western Army during the Battle of Sekigahara, and Sunomata Ichiya Castle, said to have been built in one night by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. From late March to May, the town is home to boat rides, tub boats, and the Ogaki Festival, which was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site in 2016.

This service includes sponsored advertisements.

Table of Contents
What is Ogaki Festival, the representative festival of the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture?
[Shrine performance on Saturday, May 9th] Keep an eye out for the hanging performance in front of City Hall!
[Sunday, May 10th - Honraku] 13 Yamas parade through the castle town
schedule
Access information
summary

What is Ogaki Festival, the representative festival of the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture?

The Ogaki Festival is held every year on a weekend in mid-May, centered around Ogaki Hachiman Shrine.

This festival is unique in that it combines the festival cultures of both eastern and western Japan, with yama given by the lord of Ogaki Domain and yama belonging to the townspeople, and is a fusion of eastern and western Japanese mechanical arts.

In 2015, it was designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and in 2016 it was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

With stalls lined up and people from the local area participating, from children to adults, it is a seasonal event that heralds the beginning of summer in the castle town of Ogaki.

[Shrine performance on Saturday, May 9th] Keep an eye out for the hanging performance in front of City Hall!

The highlight of the first day is the performance of the Kakei in front of Ogaki City Hall. This originated from the fact that the lord of Ogaki Domain used to perform the Kakei in the castle, but now the mayor plays that role.

There are seats available for spectators, so you can sit and enjoy the mechanical performances and festival music of each float. Each float has its own elaborate performance, so it's recommended to compare them while watching.

Night Palace is also a must-see!

At night, floats adorned with lanterns parade in front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine in the "Yomiya" festival. The sight of them all lit up at once at 7pm is fantastical, enveloping the castle town in a warm glow.

[Sunday, May 10th - Honraku] 13 Yamas parade through the castle town

On the second day, the main festival, 13 floats perform a performance in front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine, then parade through the castle town, lit up by the fresh greenery of the spring. The parade route alternates between "eastbound" and "westbound" every other year, and this year it will be the westbound route. The entire town is enveloped in the excitement of the floats and spectators along the 8.8km course.

At night, the "Yomiya" festival is held again, allowing you to enjoy a fantastical atmosphere that is different from the daytime.

schedule

May 9th (Sat) Rehearsal

Time	place	Content
8:15 - 8:30	In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Shinto ritual: Praying for the safety of the festival
8:30 - 10:45	In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Performance: Each float takes turns performing tricks, dances, and other performances.
9:30 to 12:00	Ogaki City Hall	Kakegei: Each float takes turns performing tricks, dances, and other performances.
12:00 - 18:00	Around the city	Each float will parade freely around the city.
19:00 - 21:00	In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Night Festival: At 7:00 PM, the lanterns of each float are lit up all at once. After performances and the rotation of the floats in front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine, the first day comes to a close.

May 10th (Sun)

Time	place	Content
8:30 - 10:35	In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Performance: Each float takes turns performing tricks, dances, and other performances.
10:35 - 16:00	Around the city	Demoto Procession: 13 floats parade together through the castle town, covered in fresh greenery. The route alternates between east and west each year, covering a distance of 2.2 ri (approximately 8.8 km).
16:30 - 17:20	Shin-Ohashi Intersection ~ Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Ogaki Festival Procession: The Ogaki Festival Procession will be held with a portable shrine and 13 floats.
19:00 - 21:00	In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine	Night Festival: At 7:00 PM, the lanterns of each float are lit all at once. In front of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine, the floats are spun around and the procession is farewelled.

Access information

Ogaki Hachiman Shrine, the center of the Ogaki Festival, is a 10-minute walk from JR Ogaki Station and is easily accessible by public transportation.

From Nagoya Station, take the JR Tokaido Main Line for a direct train that takes about 30 minutes and costs 780 yen.

We also have a free temporary parking lot for those who come by car. A shuttle bus will take you from the free temporary parking lot, so please feel free to use it.

summary

At the Ogaki Festival, you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of a castle town and the bustle of early summer.

In 2026, the festival will be held on Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th. Come experience the spring in Ogaki, a city steeped in history and tradition.

For more information, please visit the official Ogaki Tourism Association website.

https://www.ogakikanko.jp/ogaki-fes/index.html

Written by

Ogaki Tourism Association

Gifu

The information presented in this article is based on the time it was written. Note that there may be changes in the merchandise, services, and prices that have occurred after this article was published. Please contact the facility or facilities in this article directly before visiting. Some of our articles contain affiliate links. We kindly ask our readers to exercise careful judgement when making a purchase or booking a service online.

The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.