murmurInuyama Festival
Inuyama City · In front of Haritsuna Shrine (Inuyama Castle plaza) and the castle town
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Inuyama City Tourist Association · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Apr 4–5, 2026 （Ended） 8:00–21:45 both days (Shingakusai on Saturday, Hongakusai on Sunday)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early April
- How the date is set
- The 1st Saturday of April Held over the first Saturday and Sunday of April
- Venue
- In front of Haritsuna Shrine (Inuyama Castle plaza) and the castle town
- City
- Inuyama City, Aichi
About
On the first Saturday and Sunday of April, thirteen three-tiered floats called yama roll through the old castle town of Inuyama for the festival of Haritsuna Shrine. Each float carries its own set of karakuri puppets, which perform for the shrine to flute and drum music, and three neighborhoods add costumed processions of their own. Don't miss the donden, when the crew lifts a float of more than three tonnes and spins it around. As evening falls, lanterns light up on the floats and they move slowly under the cherry blossoms. The festival is said to date from 1635, is a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and in 2016 joined UNESCO's list as one of Japan's Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals. The route starts just outside the west exit of Meitetsu Inuyama Station; roads get jammed, so take the train.
Sources
- OfficialInuyama City Tourist Association inuyama.gr.jp
Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.