Published October 20, 2026 at 2:55 PM JST

Every May, Ogaki in Gifu brings out thirteen yama floats that blend puppet performances from the east with dance traditions from the west, in a castle town known for its clear spring water.

Quick answer: The Ogaki Festival is the annual festival of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine in Gifu Prefecture, typically held on the weekend before May 15. Thirteen yama floats, three given by the local lord and ten built by townspeople, perform and parade through the old castle town, with lantern-lit night events at the shrine. Organizers set the exact days each year, so check the official Ogaki tourism information.

The Festival at a Glance

Ogaki is a city in the southwest part of Gifu Prefecture, about thirty minutes from Nagoya by JR train according to a visitor guide, and its big annual celebration arrives in spring. The Ogaki Festival, called Ogaki Matsuri in Japanese, is the festival of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine, the guardian shrine of the old castle town. Tourism information says it is held on the Saturday and Sunday before May 15, and the 2026 festival was listed for May 9 and 10. Because the days shift with the calendar, organizers publish the dates each year and it is best to confirm them in advance.

Thirteen floats called yama are the centerpiece. Each yama is a richly decorated wheeled platform that carries performers and is pulled through the streets. What makes Ogaki special is the mix of styles on display, which the festival offers in the form of mechanical puppets, dance and music, all presented to the shrine and to the people of the town.

The festival is free to watch. Many food and goods stalls line the venue each year, and the city center is close enough to Ogaki Station that visitors can walk to the main sights.

History and Origins

According to city tourism information, the festival began in 1648, when ten yama were built and pulled through town to celebrate the rebuilding of Ogaki Hachiman Shrine during the time of the local lord, Toda Ujikane. That gives the tradition a history of more than 370 years, and it is one of the reasons the festival is so valued today.

A history column from a local poster museum adds that the earliest written record of yama in the festival is found in a shrine history document from 1669, and that the yama were reorganized and richly decorated with lacquer, metal fittings, sculptures, puppets and karakuri, or mechanical devices, in 1679. A 2015 festival introduction says three yama were given to the town by the lord that year, which is why the festival has both lord-given floats and floats made by townspeople.

This combination is described as a rare pattern in Japan. Ten of the yama belong to townspeople, and three came as gifts, so the two groups of floats stand side by side in the parade. Ogaki's festival was designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 2015, and it is part of the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals recognized by UNESCO.

The Thirteen Yama

The yama are tall, ornate floats with carved and lacquered details, fine metalwork and curtains, and each one has its own identity. One of them, the Kagura yama, is said to have a history of about 370 years and is known for a custom of spraying water and blowing fire, which the poster museum links to the old community's experience of fires, floods and droughts.

In the festival's early days, the poster museum explains, the floats were simple wheeled carts with a doll and decorations. Over the years they developed into the elaborate yama of today, as lacquer, metal fittings, sculptures, puppets and karakuri were added.

A festival introduction notes that the mix of lord-commissioned and townsperson-owned floats is a sign of the town's history, where a castle town's leaders and merchants both took part in shaping the celebration.

What Happens During the Festival

The festival runs for two days. National tourism information explains that the first day, a Saturday, is called the trial day, or shigaku, and the second day, Sunday, is the main day, or hongaku. On both days, performances called hogei are offered in front of the shrine, and in the case of the trial day also in front of city hall. After the performance on the first day the floats travel freely through the city.

On the Sunday, the performances are offered again at the shrine, and then all thirteen yama take part in a procession through the old castle town. A 2015 festival introduction gives example times of about 10:00 to 17:15 for the full procession, but these times are only a guide and may have changed.

In the evening both days, the yama gather at Ogaki Hachiman Shrine for a night event. The floats are decorated with paper lanterns, and a movement called mawashi is performed, in which the floats are tilted forward and turned around. The same festival introduction says that on the main night the floats circle the shrine twice. Seeing the lantern-lit yama turn in front of the shrine is a highlight for many visitors.

Karakuri, Dance and Music

The Ogaki Festival is often described as a meeting of east and west. According to the national listing and the city's tourism page, it blends karakuri puppetry from the Chukyo region, around Nagoya, with the performing arts of the Kinki region around Kyoto and Osaka. In other words, mechanical puppets that perform on the floats appear alongside dance styles associated with the west of Japan.

The mechanical marionettes perform during the dedication to the shrine, and at night the karakuri and dance are presented again at the shrine, according to the national tourism listing.

Dance and festival music are part of the performances, as in many Japanese float festivals, so the sound of the festival fills the shrine grounds and the streets as much as the sight of the floats does.

How to Enjoy It as a Visitor

A tourism page says the shrine is about a six-minute walk from the south exit of JR Ogaki Station, and another festival introduction gives a figure of about ten minutes. Both suggest that visitors can reach the festival easily on foot. For drivers, the tourism page notes free temporary parking at a nearby wholesale market with a free shuttle bus, though arrangements can change, so check the details before you go.

Arrive early if you want a good view of the performances in front of the shrine, since crowds grow around the time of the main events. Keep a respectful distance from the yama as they are pulled and turned, follow staff instructions, and avoid blocking the route. Wear comfortable shoes, as the day involves a lot of walking, and bring a hat or umbrella for sun or rain.

If you want to explore at your own pace, the trial day on Saturday is a good chance to see the floats traveling freely through the streets, and the Sunday offers the full procession of all thirteen.

Water Town Highlights and the UNESCO Listing

Ogaki calls itself a city of water, and a visitor guide explains that springs, moats and canals remain from its castle-town past, with the Suimon River running through the city. The same guide mentions Ogaki Castle, a reconstruction that includes a museum, and local treats such as miso-flavored rice crackers, called miso-iri senbei, and mizu manju, a soft sweet made with spring water. It also notes that the poet Matsuo Basho reached Ogaki in 1689 at the end of his famous journey described in Oku no Hosomichi, and the city celebrates this connection with a memorial hall and a festival in November.

The Ogaki Festival belongs to the Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO describes the festivals as prayers for peace and protection from natural disasters, carried out through the cooperation of people of all ages and genders and passed on from experienced members to newcomers. In Ogaki, that spirit appears every May as thirteen yama gather before the shrine for the town's festival.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Ogaki Festival held?

It is typically held on the Saturday and Sunday before May 15, and the 2026 festival was listed for May 9 and 10. Organizers set the exact days and times each year, so check the official Ogaki tourism information.

How many yama floats take part?

Thirteen. According to tourism information, three were given by the local lord and ten were made by townspeople, and all thirteen join the procession on the main day.

How do visitors get to the festival?

Ogaki Station is on the JR Tokaido Main Line, about thirty minutes from Nagoya by local train according to a visitor guide. The shrine is a short walk from the station's south exit.

Further reading: the national tourism listing for the Ogaki Festival, the Gifu tourism page for the Ogaki Festival, a poster museum column on the history of the festival and its yama and a visitor guide to Ogaki, the city of water.

Keep exploring: Nagahama Hikiyama Festival: Children's Kabuki on Golden Floats; Inuyama Festival: Lantern-Lit Floats and Puppets in a Castle Town; Takayama Festival: Twice-a-Year Floats in a Preserved Mountain Town; Chiryu Festival: Puppet Plays Performed on Towering Floats.