Hoze Festival

Boasting a tradition of over 300 years, this is the largest autumn festival in Wakasa

The Hoze Matsuri is an annual festival at Hachiman Shrine in Obama City that boasts a tradition of more than 300 years, and is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Asset by the prefecture.

For two days, portable shrines, large drums, kagura (Shinto music and dance), lions, floats, and other performances parade through the old Obama town, performing arts and musical instruments.

These performances are performed by the 24 wards that were the residential areas of Obama Castle during the Edo period, with 12 wards each coming out every other year.

Some of them have a history of more than 300 years, dating back to the Gion Festival of the Edo period. This festival is unique in Japan in that four different types of performances are held in one festival.

Last year, for the first time in three years, we managed to put on three different sections, and this year the festival will finally be held as usual.

Please come and see the gorgeous and spectacular Housho Festival, the largest autumn festival in the Wakasa region, which attracts many tourists from outside the prefecture.