murmurShibukawa Heso Matsuri (Belly Button Festival)
Shibukawa City · Around the Shinmachi five-way intersection, Shibukawa
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Shibukawa City · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sat, Sep 5, 2026 （Ended） 13:00–21:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early September
- How the date is set
- Changes from year to year
- Venue
- Around the Shinmachi five-way intersection, Shibukawa
- City
- Shibukawa City, Gunma
About
Drawing a circle around the Japanese archipelago puts Shibukawa at its center, so the city calls itself the belly button of Japan, and in 1984 it launched this festival to bring life to the town. Its quirky trademark, dancing with pictures painted on your belly, has been featured by many media outlets. Anyone can jump into the main Heso Odori parade, choosing from three styles: the hara-odori, stepping along with a painted belly; the yukata dance, with matching summer kimono and moves; and a free dance with any outfit and choreography. Around the Shinmachi five-way intersection there are street performances and a fair selling specialties from other self-styled belly-button towns across Japan.
Sources
- OfficialShibukawa City www.city.shibukawa.lg.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.