murmurIshioka Spring Lion Dance Festival
Ishioka City · Ishioka Event Plaza
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Spring Lion Festival Organizing Committee · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Wed, Apr 29, 2026 （Ended） 9:30–17:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually late April
- How the date is set
- Announced each year 2026 was the second edition. Held in light rain; cancelled in stormy weather
- Venue
- Ishioka Event Plaza
- City
- Ishioka City, Ibaraki
About
Lion dancing takes centre stage at this spring event at the Ishioka Event Plaza, which held its second edition in 2026. Neighbourhoods and districts from all over Ishioka bring their prized horo-jishi lions, and the moment when the neighbourhood lions dance all at once is well worth seeing. There is a contest for selected teams of school students and adults, and an open contest that anyone can enter with their own lion. Hands-on corners, free of charge, let you dress in lion-dance costume or try dancing with a small lion head. With food trucks, fair games and festival goods for sale, it is an easy way to get a taste of Ishioka's festival culture. It is run by the Spring Lion Festival committee and the Ishioka Tourism Association.
Sources
- OfficialSpring Lion Festival Organizing Committee www.shishimatsuri.com
- OfficialIbaraki Prefecture Tourism (Kanko Ibaraki) www.ibarakiguide.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.