Ishioka Festival 2026: Floats & Lion Dances of Kanto's Big 3 Festivals!
One of Kanto's Big Three Festivals! Ishioka Festival runs Sep 19-21 in Ibaraki featuring 30+ giant Horojishi lion floats, 12 heroic doll floats, and a 1-ton mikoshi.
As refreshing autumn breezes sweep across the historic Hitachi plain, Ibaraki Prefecture gears up for one of Eastern Japan's most thrilling spectacles. Celebrated alongside Kawagoe Matsuri (Saitama) and Sawara Grand Festival (Chiba) as one of the Kanto Big Three Festivals, the Hitachi no Kuni Soshagu Grand Festival (commonly known as the Ishioka Festival) will take place over three days from September 19 (Sat) to September 21 (Mon/Holiday), 2026. Originating over 300 years ago during the Edo period at the ancient provincial headquarters shrine of Hitachi Province, this festival attracts over 500,000 visitors. Featuring more than 30 unique giant mobile lion dance structures called "Horojishi," 12 magnificent three-tiered festival floats carrying historical hero statues, and a 1-ton golden portable shrine (mikoshi), here is your complete guide to the schedule, highlights, and visitor tips for 2026.
Schedule & Program: Ishioka Festival 2026#
| Date & Rite | Key Events & Processions | Highlights & Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 15 (Tue) [Reisai Sacred Rite] |
Solemn annual ritual conducted strictly inside the main sanctuary of Hitachi no Kuni Soshagu Shrine. | Priests and elders only (no public street parades). |
| Sep 19 (Sat) [Jinkosai (Day 1)] |
The 1-ton main mikoshi departs the shrine led by the Sasara lion vanguard to the temporary pavilion (Okariden) in Morikicho. | Grand procession begins around 14:00. Evening float and Horojishi parades across town. |
| Sep 20 (Sun) [Hoshukusai (Day 2)] |
Celebration rituals at the temporary pavilion and sacred Someya Kagura dance at the main shrine. | 14:00–16:00 Station Avenue Grand Parade with all Horojishi lions and 12 floats gathered together (Festival Climax). |
| Sep 21 (Mon/Hol) [Kankosai (Day 3)] |
The grand mikoshi returns from the temporary pavilion back to the main shrine sanctuary. | Procession departs at 14:00. Emotional handover ceremony to next year's presiding district late at night. |
The 3 Unmissable Highlights of Ishioka#
| Highlight | Scale & Features | Viewing Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Horojishi Lion Floats [Approx. 30 Units] |
Unique 2m-wide, 5m-long wheeled huts carrying giant carved wooden lion heads weighing dozens of kilograms. | Musicians play inside the moving hut while strong youths fiercely manipulate and dance the giant lion head at the front. |
| Magnificent Dashi Floats [12 Floats] |
Three-tiered floats over 5m tall topped with statues of historic heroes (Benkei, Yamato Takeru, Kusunoki Masashige, etc.). | Dancers perform energetic Okame, Hyottoko, and Fox dances to dynamic Ishioka Hayashi festival rhythms. |
| 1-Ton Main Mikoshi & Sasara | Gilded portable shrine carried by hundreds of white-robed parishioners led by the ancient Sasara three-lion dance. | Solemn spiritual dignity combined with vibrant civic energy. |
Visitor Tips & Access#
- Direct Access via JR Ishioka Station: The festival area begins right outside JR Ishioka Station West Exit (approx. 1 hour from Tokyo via JR Joban Line Tokiwa/Hitachi Limited Express).
- Don't Miss Sunday's Grand Parade (Sep 20): The gathering of all Horojishi lions and 12 floats along Station Avenue from 14:00 to 16:00 is the ultimate photo opportunity.
- Night Musical Battles (Hikkawase): After sunset, lantern-lit floats clash musical rhythms at crossroads in an electrifying display.