Highlights
- Mikoshi (portable shrine) parades and taiko drumming fill the streets around both the east and west station exits
- Mass Kashiwa Odori dancing draws hundreds of participants to the station plazas each evening
- One of the Kanto region's largest annual street festivals, drawing roughly 700,000-800,000 visitors combined over the two days in recent editions
Background & story
Kashiwa Matsuri is Kashiwa City's largest annual event, organized by the Kashiwa Matsuri Executive Committee with the Kashiwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For 2026, the chamber and city moved the festival for the first time from its traditional late-July weekend to September, citing the risk of heatstroke to visitors, performers, and staff during recent record-hot summers.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Directly around JR Kashiwa Station (Jōban Line) and Tobu Urban Park Line Kashiwa Station -- both the east and west station plazas are festival grounds, so no further transfer is needed once you arrive.
- 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
Good to know
Road traffic control runs 12:00-20:00 both days around the station -- expect closures if you're arriving by car. Check the official site the week of the event, since timing for individual stage programs can still change.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Kashiwa Matsuri 2026?
- Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, roughly 13:00-19:00 each day, around Kashiwa Station in Chiba Prefecture.
- Why did Kashiwa Matsuri move to September?
- The festival was traditionally held on the last weekend of July, but the city and the Kashiwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry moved the 2026 edition to September, citing heatstroke risk from Japan's increasingly severe summer heat.
- Is Kashiwa Matsuri free to attend?
- Yes. It's an open street festival with no admission fee -- you can walk in and watch the mikoshi parade and Kashiwa Odori dancing for free.
- How do I get to Kashiwa Matsuri?
- The festival takes place directly around Kashiwa Station, served by both JR East's Jōban Line and the Tobu Urban Park Line -- both the east and west station plazas are festival grounds.