murmurOgano Spring Festival (Oshika Shrine Grand Festival)
Ogano Town · Oshika Shrine and central Ogano
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Ogano Town (Community Development Division, Ogano Relocation Support Site) · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Apr 17–18, 2026 （Ended）
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid April
- How the date is set
- The 3rd Friday of April Held on the third Friday of April and the Saturday that follows
- Venue
- Oshika Shrine and central Ogano
- City
- Ogano Town, Saitama
About
The grand festival of Oshika Shrine is one of the busiest events in Ogano, in the Chichibu district. Two yatai and two kasaboko floats are pulled through town, headed by kanabo-tsuki, girls and others in dazzling costumes. The yatai are designed for kabuki: on the first evening, the eve festival, a projecting stage is fitted and the railings opened out to give nearly 4 times the floor space, and yatai kabuki is performed on top. Ogano's float kabuki is said to come from Edo kabuki that reached the area in the late Edo period, and locals handle not only the acting but also the backstage work, from shamisen to costumes and wig care; it is an intangible folk cultural property of Saitama Prefecture. On day two the shrine holds rites, kagura and a mikoshi procession, the floats line up together, and fireworks are offered at night.
Sources
- OfficialOgano Town (Community Development Division, Ogano Relocation Support Site) ogano-iju.com
- OfficialChichibu Tourism Association www.chichibuji.gr.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.