Highlights
- 2027 dates not yet announced (first Sat/Sun of April, so April 3-4 expected)
- Thirteen three-tiered karakuri floats plus three neri-mono through the castle town
- In 2026 the floats lit their lanterns from 17:00 (April 4) and 18:00 (April 5)
- Centered on Haritsuna Shrine, about 20 minutes on foot from Meitetsu Inuyama Station
Background & story
Said to date from 1635, the Inuyama Festival is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event whose karakuri-puppet floats parade beneath the castle.
Dates for Inuyama Festival 2027 had not been officially announced as of September 18, 2026. The festival is held every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of April (Inuyama Tourism Navi), which points to April 3-4, 2027.
The Inuyama Festival Preservation Society's site posted on April 7, 2026 that "the 392nd Inuyama Festival (April 4-5, Reiwa 8) has concluded," and no 2027 (393rd) date has been published yet.
Dates
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (392nd) | Sat April 4 and Sun April 5 | Finished (Preservation Society) |
| 2027 | Expected Sat April 3 and Sun April 4 | Not yet announced |
Sources: Inuyama Festival Preservation Society and Inuyama Tourism Navi, both checked September 18, 2026. "Every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of April" is from the tourism page's fact box; the first Saturday of April 2027 is April 3.
How 2026 ran (for reference; 2027 times are not announced)
| Day | Time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| April 4 (Shingaku-sai) | from 8:00 | All 13 floats leave their storehouses and tour the castle town |
| April 4 (Shingaku-sai) | from 13:45 | Karakuri puppet performances at the plaza below Inuyama Castle |
| April 4 (Shingaku-sai) | from 17:00 | The 13 floats light their lanterns and set off in turn |
| April 5 (Hongaku-sai) | from 9:20 | Karakuri puppets and neri-mono offered before Haritsuna Shrine |
| April 5 (Hongaku-sai) | from 18:00 | Floats light lanterns in the Sotomachi and Yozaka districts |
| Both days | 21:45 | Floats return to their neighborhoods |
Venue and access
The festival centers on the area in front of Haritsuna Shrine (65-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama, Aichi), running 8:00-21:45. From Meitetsu Inuyama Station's west exit, the main site at the plaza below Inuyama Castle is about a 20-minute walk (Inuyama Tourism Navi). Roads around the route are closed while the floats are moving, so the organizers ask visitors to come by train. Thirteen three-tiered floats (an Aichi Prefecture tangible folk cultural property) and three neri-mono are pulled through the old castle town.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- About a 20-minute walk from the west exit of Meitetsu Inuyama Station to the plaza below Inuyama Castle (Inuyama Tourism Navi). Roads on the float route are closed while the floats move. 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, families, solo-goers
Good to know
The 2027 dates were not announced as of September 18, 2026. The festival falls on the first Saturday and Sunday of April, so April 3-4, 2027 is the expectation -- but confirm on the Preservation Society's site (inuyama-matsuri.com) before locking in travel. The lantern-lit night procession is the signature scene.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Inuyama Festival 2027?
- Not announced as of September 18, 2026. The festival is held every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of April (Inuyama Tourism Navi), which points to April 3-4, 2027.
- When was the 2026 festival?
- April 4 (Sat) and 5 (Sun), 2026 -- the 392nd edition. The Preservation Society announced its conclusion on April 7, 2026.
- What time do the lantern-lit floats start at night?
- In 2026 the 13 floats lit their lanterns from 17:00 on April 4 and, on April 5, from 18:00 in the Sotomachi and Yozaka districts (Inuyama Tourism Navi). The 2027 times are not announced.
- How many floats are there?
- Thirteen three-tiered floats (an Aichi Prefecture tangible folk cultural property), plus three neri-mono (Inuyama Tourism Navi).
Getting there
Around Haritsuna Shrine, below Inuyama Castle — 65-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama, Aichi