murmurSawara Hinabune Spring Festival (Doll Boat Parade)
Katori City · Along the Ono River in Sawara's historic district
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Chiba Prefectural Tourism & Local Products Association (Maruchiba) · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sat, Mar 7, 2026 （Ended） From 11:00 and from 14:00 (planned)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early March
- How the date is set
- Changes from year to year Usually a Saturday in early March; dates announced each year
- Venue
- Along the Ono River in Sawara's historic district
- City
- Katori City, Chiba
About
Each spring, the Ono River, which runs through Sawara's streets with their Edo-period atmosphere, hosts a gentle parade on the water. The Sawara Hinabune boats carry people costumed as the emperor and empress of a hina doll display along with their attendants, gliding along the river to gagaku court music. Two sailings are scheduled for the day. Around the same time, local shops put their hina dolls on show, so you can pair the parade with a walk past spots such as the Machinami Koryukan and the Ino Tadataka Museum. The river is a 1–10 minute walk from JR Sawara Station, and highway buses run from Tokyo Station.
Sources
- OfficialChiba Prefectural Tourism & Local Products Association (Maruchiba) maruchiba.jp
Last checked: Oct 11, 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.