Gobo Matsuri (Shino Hachiman Shrine Festival)

About

On October 4 and 5, Gobo's Shino Hachiman Shrine holds its autumn festival, the Gobo Matsuri, which draws bigger crowds than any other in the Hidaka region; locals have long said that if you want to see people, you go to Gobo. The sight to catch is the yotsu-daiko: young men hoist a drum platform while the drummers riding on it bend far backward as they pound away. Ten parish groups each contribute their own offerings, from banner raising and lion dances to several traditional festival dances. October 4 is the eve, with rites at the shrine. On October 5 the portable shrine heads to its resting place in neighboring Mihama, pausing at Enjugahama Beach for a seawater rite, and from the afternoon the groups perform at the shrine until late at night. The festival is a Wakayama Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Sources

• OfficialGobo City www.city.gobo.lg.jp
• OfficialWakayama Prefecture Hidaka Regional Office www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp
• Reference日高地方最大の御坊祭 勇壮に「サイテクリョー」（日高新報 2026年10月6日） hidakashimpo.co.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

• Senda Matsuri (Susa Shrine)
• Nyu Matsuri (Warai Matsuri, the Laughing Festival)
• Mifune Matsuri (Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Festival)
• Inamura no Hi Matsuri (Rice Sheaf Fire Festival)