murmurInamura no Hi Matsuri (Rice Sheaf Fire Festival)
Hirogawa Town · From Inamura no Hi Square (in front of Hirogawa Town Hall) to Hiro Hachimangu Shrine
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Hirogawa Town · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sat, Oct 24, 2026 From 17:00 (Oct 25 from 17:00 in stormy weather)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually late October
- How the date is set
- The 4th Saturday of October Moved to the fourth Saturday of October from 2026; held the next day in stormy weather
- Venue
- From Inamura no Hi Square (in front of Hirogawa Town Hall) to Hiro Hachimangu Shrine
- City
- Hirogawa Town, Wakayama
About
In Hirogawa, a procession of torches winds through town at dusk in memory of a famous act of disaster response. When a tsunami struck the village of Hiro after the Ansei earthquake of 1854, Hamaguchi Goryo set rice sheaves (inamura) on fire to lead villagers to safety. Since 2003 this festival has honored him and encouraged people to think about earthquake and tsunami readiness. It starts in the evening with a ceremony and the lighting of the "inamura fire" at Inamura no Hi Square, in front of the town hall. Torchbearers then walk to Hiro Hachimangu Shrine, where villagers took refuge from the tsunami, setting straw alight on the way; at the shrine the torches are offered and the Heian no Mai dance is performed. The ribbon of flame is a beautiful and sobering sight.
Sources
- OfficialHirogawa Town www.town.hirogawa.wakayama.jp
- OfficialWakayama Prefecture Tourism Federation www.wakayama-kanko.or.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.