When is the Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026?

Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 2026. October 23 is the opening night (yasumaku), October 24 is the first main day, and October 25 is the final day with the river plunge. A shrine ceremony is held at Imari Shrine on October 19 (official site, checked 2026-10-13).

What time is the river plunge (kawa-otoshi)?

On Sunday, October 25. The official route map has the fighting team arriving at the river-plunge site at 5:32pm, and the Saga Shimbun reports it is planned from just after 5:30pm. Times can shift with the weather and the pace of the clashes (checked 2026-10-13).

Where can I watch the river plunge?

The river-plunge site is on the Imari River between Matsushima Bridge and Funaya Bridge (official route map). Funaya Bridge is closed to pedestrians from 3pm to 8pm on October 25, except for the 100 people given a viewing permit; permits are handed out from 3:30pm on October 25 near the bridge entrance on the Saga Bank side. Matsushima Bridge is closed even to pedestrians from 5pm to 6pm (Imari City, checked 2026-10-13).

Does it cost anything to watch?

No. Watching is free and there is no official paid seating. Only the Funaya Bridge viewing spot is limited, to 100 people with a viewing permit (checked 2026-10-13).

Go to JR / Matsuura Railway Imari Station — the station-front plaza is one of the clash sites. Imari City runs a free shuttle bus between City Hall and the festival area in front of the station (the official route map marks it "weekends only", i.e. October 24–25), and asks drivers not to park at nearby shops (checked 2026-10-13).

Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026: Oct 23–25, River Plunge 5:32pm

Highlights

The river plunge at about 5:32pm on Sun Oct 25, when the ara-mikoshi and danjiri tumble into the Imari River (official route map, checked 2026-10-13)
Three days: opening night Fri Oct 23, then main days Sat Oct 24 and Sun Oct 25 (official site, checked 2026-10-13)
Fierce 'gassen' clashes of the danjiri drum-float and mikoshi, starting at Hamamachi crossing at 6:30pm on Oct 23 (official route map, checked 2026-10-13)
The relentless 'ton-ten-ton' drum-and-gong rhythm (checked 2026-10-13)

Background & story

The autumn festival of Imari Shrine, it stages ritual battles between a drum-float and a mikoshi and is counted among Japan's three great fighting festivals.

The Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026 — the autumn procession festival of Imari Shrine in Imari, Saga — runs for three days: the opening night (yasumaku) on Friday, October 23, then the main festival on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25. On the official 2026 route map, the fighting team (the ara-mikoshi and the danjiri) reaches the river-plunge site at 5:32pm on October 25 for the finale, the kawa-otoshi. Watching is free (checked 2026-10-13).

At a glance


Dates	Oct 19 (Mon) shrine ceremony / Oct 23 (Fri) opening night / Oct 24 (Sat) main day 1 / Oct 25 (Sun) final day and river plunge
River plunge	Oct 25 (Sun). Fighting team arrives at the river-plunge site at 5:32pm (official route map); the Saga Shimbun reports it is planned "from just after 5:30pm"
Where	Central Imari — around Imari Shrine, the plaza in front of JR / Matsuura Railway Imari Station, Hamamachi crossing and the Imari River
Cost	Free. Only the Funaya Bridge viewing spot is limited to 100 people with a viewing permit
Alongside	Imari Autumn Festival 2026 (eve event on Oct 23; stage events Oct 24–25)
Official info	Tonten-ton official site — 2026 details (Japanese) / Imari City — Imari Autumn Festival 2026 (Japanese)

Clash times and places (2026, fighting team)

These times come from the departure and arrival table on the official 2026 route map, published on the festival site in September 2026. They match the schedule reported by the Saga Shimbun on October 6, 2026 (which gives Tachimachi crossing as "5pm"). Checked 2026-10-13.

Day	Time	Place
Fri Oct 23 (opening night)	5:00pm	Leaves Imari Shrine
	6:30pm	Hamamachi crossing (evening clash)
	8:41pm	Back at Imari Shrine
Sat Oct 24	12:00pm	Leaves Imari Shrine
	12:26pm	Otsubo Community Center
	1:36pm	Minamigaoka Fureai Hiroba
	3:54pm	Station-front plaza
	4:28pm	Hamamachi crossing
	5:01pm	Tachimachi crossing
	5:40pm	Back at Imari Shrine
Sun Oct 25	1:15pm	Leaves Imari Shrine
	2:07pm	Ekidori shopping street clash site
	2:31pm	Station-front plaza
	3:14pm	Hamamachi crossing
	5:32pm	River-plunge site (kawa-otoshi)
	7:39pm	Back at Imari Shrine

All times are planned. The route map notes that the route may change because of the weather, and the clashes themselves can run early or late.

Watching the river plunge (Oct 25)

In the river plunge, the ara-mikoshi and the danjiri tumble into the Imari River still locked together; the side pulled back onto land first is said to win (official site). The official map places the river-plunge site on the Imari River between Matsushima Bridge and Funaya Bridge.

Funaya Bridge: closed to pedestrians from 3pm to 8pm on Oct 25; the only people allowed to watch from the bridge are the 100 holders of a viewing permit. Permits are handed out from 3:30pm on Oct 25 near the bridge entrance on the Saga Bank side (Imari City, checked 2026-10-13).
Matsushima Bridge: pedestrians only from 3pm to 8pm on Oct 25, and closed even to pedestrians from 5pm to 6pm (Imari City, checked 2026-10-13).
The clashes are genuinely violent and the crowd is dense at the collision points — keep back from the floats with children.

Getting there and road closures

The plaza in front of Imari Station (JR / Matsuura Railway) is itself a clash site (3:54pm on Oct 24, 2:31pm on Oct 25). Imari City runs a free shuttle bus between City Hall and the festival area in front of JR Imari Station (the official route map marks it "weekends only"); check the timetable on the city page. The city asks drivers not to park at nearby shops. Central streets — the Honmachi bypass and Ekidori — become pedestrian-only on Oct 23–25, and the streets around the river-plunge site become pedestrian-only from 3pm to 8pm on Oct 25 (Imari City, checked 2026-10-13).

Good to know for visitors

Getting there: Imari Station (JR / Matsuura Railway): the station-front plaza is one of the clash sites. Imari City runs a free shuttle bus between City Hall and the festival area in front of the station; the official route map marks it "weekends only" (Oct 24–25) (checked 2026-10-13).　Open directions in Google Maps ↗
Booking & entry: Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
Language: Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
Good for: culture seekers, music fans

Good to know

The river plunge is on Sun Oct 25; the official route map has the fighting team at the river-plunge site at 5:32pm. Funaya Bridge viewing is limited to 100 people with a permit (handed out from 3:30pm on Oct 25 near the Saga Bank side of the bridge), and Matsushima Bridge closes even to pedestrians from 5pm to 6pm. Use the free shuttle between City Hall and JR Imari Station (weekends only — Oct 24–25 — per the official route map) rather than parking at nearby shops. The clashes are genuinely violent and the crowd is dense at the collision points — keep back from the floats with children. Times are planned and can shift; check the official site on the day (checked 2026-10-13).

Frequently asked questions

When is the Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026?: Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 2026. October 23 is the opening night (yasumaku), October 24 is the first main day, and October 25 is the final day with the river plunge. A shrine ceremony is held at Imari Shrine on October 19 (official site, checked 2026-10-13).
What time is the river plunge (kawa-otoshi)?: On Sunday, October 25. The official route map has the fighting team arriving at the river-plunge site at 5:32pm, and the Saga Shimbun reports it is planned from just after 5:30pm. Times can shift with the weather and the pace of the clashes (checked 2026-10-13).
Where can I watch the river plunge?: The river-plunge site is on the Imari River between Matsushima Bridge and Funaya Bridge (official route map). Funaya Bridge is closed to pedestrians from 3pm to 8pm on October 25, except for the 100 people given a viewing permit; permits are handed out from 3:30pm on October 25 near the bridge entrance on the Saga Bank side. Matsushima Bridge is closed even to pedestrians from 5pm to 6pm (Imari City, checked 2026-10-13).
Does it cost anything to watch?: No. Watching is free and there is no official paid seating. Only the Funaya Bridge viewing spot is limited, to 100 people with a viewing permit (checked 2026-10-13).
How do I get there?: Go to JR / Matsuura Railway Imari Station — the station-front plaza is one of the clash sites. Imari City runs a free shuttle bus between City Hall and the festival area in front of the station (the official route map marks it "weekends only", i.e. October 24–25), and asks drivers not to park at nearby shops (checked 2026-10-13).

Getting there

Central Imari City around Imari Shrine — Imari City, Saga

Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026 (Oct 23–25, Saga)