The Inuyama Festival

391 Years of Tradition

The Inuyama Festival, now in its 391st year, is one of Aichi's most remarkable cultural traditions, originating in 1635 during the Edo period. What started as a modest offering to the guardian deity at Haritsuna Jinja Shrine has transformed over nearly four centuries into a grand celebration of Inuyama's rich heritage. Recognizing its cultural significance, UNESCO designated the festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, highlighting its importance to both Japanese and global culture.

What Makes It Special
The heart of the Inuyama Festival is its thirteen enormous, elaborately decorated parade floats known as "yama." These towering structures are engineering and artistic marvels, each representing different neighborhoods of the historic castle town. During the daytime, these floats parade through cherry blossom-lined streets, accompanied by the sounds of traditional flutes and drums.

The festival truly transforms as night falls. Each float is adorned with 365 paper lanterns, creating a mesmerizing glow that illuminates the castle town. This magical scene against the backdrop of Inuyama Castle and blooming cherry trees looks like it's straight out of a traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print.

Ancient Mechanical Marvels
One of the most fascinating aspects of the festival is the mechanical doll performances known as "karakuri." These automated puppet shows have been performed on the floats since the Edo period. The tradition represents the technological ingenuity of historical Japan, using intricate mechanisms created centuries ago that still function today.

Festival Schedule

The festival spans two days, each offering unique experiences:
Saturday, April 5, 2025
"Shigaku-sai" (Rehearsal Festival)

8:00 – 11:00
Floats (yama) from each district parade through their respective neighborhoods, accompanied by traditional music.

11:50 – 13:50
All thirteen elaborately decorated floats gather at Haritsuna Shrine plaza near Inuyama Castle to perform their Karakuri puppet offerings.

18:00 – 22:00
As darkness falls, the floats are adorned with paper lanterns, illuminating the castle town as they parade through the streets, creating a magical nighttime atmosphere.

Sunday, April 6, 2025
"Hongaku-sai" (Main Festival)

8:00 – 15:00
Floats continue to parade through the town, with extended Karakuri puppet performances at various locations throughout the castle town. The shrine's deity is carried in a portable shrine (mikoshi) through the town, visiting subsidiary shrines.

18:00 – 22:00
Evening parades resume with illuminated floats, and the festival concludes with spectacular night displays. The floats parade in two groups through the castle town.

Which Day Should You Visit?
While both days offer spectacular Karakuri puppet performances and illuminated night parades, Sunday (the Main Festival - Hongaku Matsuri) features longer performances starting in the early morning, additional puppet displays around town, and more extensive celebrations.

For the fullest festival experience, Sunday, April 6, is highly recommended, though attending both days will give you the complete Inuyama Festival experience.

Parade Route and Viewing Spots
Floats parade through the castle town streets on both festival days, with the main gathering point at Haritsuna Shrine plaza in front of Inuyama Castle.

Important Note
The Inuyama Festival attracts large crowds. Consider arriving early to secure good viewing spots for the parades and puppet performances.

Pro Tips

Arrive Early:
This is an extremely popular festival that attracts huge crowds. Key viewing areas around Haritsuna Shrine fill up quickly, especially for the Karakuri performances.

Public Transportation:
Using public transport is strongly recommended as parking is limited (only 500 spaces) and traffic congestion is severe. Many visitors report waiting hours without finding parking.

Photography:
The evening lantern-lit processions provide spectacular photo opportunities, so bring your camera with night-shooting capabilities.

Comfortable Clothing:
Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be doing a lot of walking and standing throughout the day.

Weather Considerations:
The festival may be canceled in case of rain, so check the weather forecast beforehand.

Money-Saving Tip;
Consider the Inuyama Castle Town Ticket
The cost is ¥1,630 and includes:
• Round-trip train ticket from Nagoya
• Admission to Inuyama Castle
• Discount coupons for local shops

The Details

The 391st Inuyama Festival
Inuyama Castle Town
Haritsuna Jinja Shrine
Rehearsal Festival: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Main Festival: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Times: 8:00~21:45 each day
Note: The festival may be canceled in case of rain

Websites:

Inuyama Tourist Assosiation (English)

Inuyama Festival (Japanese)

Inuyama Stn. Tourist Info:
0568-61-6000

Access

By Train from Nagoya

Meitetsu Railway
From Meitetsu Nagoya Station take the Meitetsu Inuyama Line bound for Inuyama. Get off at Inuyama Station.

Travel time: 25-30 minutes
Fare: ¥630 one-way

Trains run frequently (every few minutes)

Walking Directions
From Inuyama Station, exit through the West Exit and go down the stairs to your right. Walk straight ahead until you reach the Inuyama Station West Intersection, then cross the street and continue walking straight. When you arrive at the Honmachi Intersection, turn right to enter the historic Inuyama Castle Town. Continue walking through the castle town, and you'll reach Inuyama Castle and Haritsuna Shrine, where the festival occurs. The entire walk takes approximately 15-20 minutes.