murmurMatsue Festival Do Drum Parade
Matsue City · From the Otemae gate of Matsue Castle via Tonomachi and Matsue Ohashi Bridge to Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Shimane Tourism Association · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sun, Oct 18, 2026 Eve festival on Saturday, Oct 17
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid October
- How the date is set
- The 3rd Sunday of October
- Venue
- From the Otemae gate of Matsue Castle via Tonomachi and Matsue Ohashi Bridge to Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine
- City
- Matsue City, Shimane
About
On the third Sunday of October every year, roofed floats loaded with huge drums roll through Matsue's old castle town to celebrate the city's founding. In the Izumo region a drum is called a "do," and each float carries two or three of them, 1.2 to 1.8 meters across; children in matching happi coats pull the ropes while drummers take turns at the beat, joined by flutes and small cymbals. The parade sets off in front of Matsue Castle and goes through Tonomachi and across Matsue Ohashi Bridge to Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine. It is timed to the annual festival of Matsue Shrine. The drumming grew out of New Year fire rituals in the castle town; today's parade dates from 1915, when each district built a float for the enthronement of Emperor Taisho, and it has been held on the third Sunday of October since 2006.
Sources
- OfficialShimane Tourism Association www.kankou-shimane.com
- OfficialMatsue Tourism Association www.kankou-matsue.jp
- OfficialShimane Tourism Association www.kankou-shimane.com
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.