Highlights
- The Owatari-shiki costume procession, leaving the Nara Prefectural Office at noon on Dec 17
- Sengyo-no-gi at midnight on Dec 17, moving the deity to the Otabisho in total darkness
- Kagura, Azuma-asobi, dengaku, saino, sarugaku and bugaku at the Otabisho-sai (from 2:30 pm, Dec 17)
- Begun in 1136 and held without a break for nearly 900 years; a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property
Background & story
Held continuously for around 890 years, the festival is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property whose midday procession recreates costumes spanning the Heian to Edo periods.
Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri is the festival of Wakamiya, an auxiliary shrine of Kasuga Taisha in Nara. It began in 1136 and has continued without a break for nearly 900 years (the Nara City Tourism Association counts 2025 as the 890th). The procession and its sacred performances are a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. It is held every year on December 15–18, so in 2026 it runs Tuesday, Dec 15 to Friday, Dec 18, with the main events on Thursday, Dec 17. This page sets out what happens when and where, and how to watch.
The official site has not yet posted a 2026-specific notice (paid seats, road closures; checked 2026-10-13). The times below are the regular schedule published by Kasuga Taisha and the official festival site.
Thursday, December 17
| Time | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Sengyo-no-gi (deity moved to the Otabisho) | Wakamiya shrine → Otabisho |
| 1:00–2:00 | Akatsuki-sai | Otabisho |
| 9:00 | Honden-sai and Wakamiya O-rusugoto | Kasuga Taisha main shrine and Otabisho |
| 12:00 | Owatari-shiki procession sets off | Nara Prefectural Office plaza |
| c. 12:50 | Nandaimon Kyomyo-no-gi (roll call) | Site of Kofukuji's former Nandaimon (South Gate) |
| c. 13:00 | Matsu-no-shita-shiki | Yogo pine, inside the first torii |
| c. 13:00 | Horse race (keiba) | — |
| c. 14:30 | Child horseback archery | — |
| 14:30 | Otabisho-sai (performances c. 15:30–22:30) | Otabisho |
| c. 23:00 | Kanko-no-gi (deity returns) | Otabisho → Wakamiya shrine |
Main events over the four days
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 15 | 13:00 | Oshukusho-mode |
| Tue, Dec 15 | 17:00 | Oshukusho-sai (Miyutate at 14:30, 16:30 and 18:00) |
| Wed, Dec 16 | 16:00 | Yoimiya-sai (eve ritual) |
| Thu, Dec 17 | 0:00 to c. 23:00 | Sengyo-no-gi, procession, Otabisho-sai, Kanko-no-gi (above) |
| Fri, Dec 18 | 13:00 | Ceremonial sumo |
| Fri, Dec 18 | 14:00 | Goen-no-No (noh) |
Procession route and where to watch
The Owatari-shiki leaves the Nara Prefectural Office plaza at noon and goes Prefectural Office plaza → Noborioji → Kintetsu Nara Station → Aburasaka → JR Nara Station → east along Sanjo-dori → site of Kofukuji's former Nandaimon (South Gate) → first torii → Otabisho. At the former South Gate there is a roll-call rite before the monks lined up on the steps, then the Matsu-no-shita-shiki under the Yogo pine just inside the first torii. It is free to watch from the roadside. The official route map (PDF) was published for a past year, so check the official site for the 2026 map once it is out.
Etiquette for the night rituals
- Sengyo-no-gi (midnight) and Kanko-no-gi (around 11 pm) take place in total darkness. Photography and lights are strictly forbidden, flashlights included.
- Viewing spots are limited. Follow the staff's directions.
- The approach is very cold late at night in December. Bring gloves, a hat and heat packs.
Getting there
- From JR Nara or Kintetsu Nara Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus bound for Kasuga Taisha Honden and get off at Kasuga Taisha Honden, next to the shrine
- Or take the city loop bus (outer loop) to Kasuga Taisha Omotesando and walk about 10 minutes
- The procession passes Kintetsu Nara Station, JR Nara Station and Sanjo-dori, so you can walk to the route from either station
- Bus times vary by season; check before you ride
Related
- A lantern-lit rite at the same shrine → Kasuga Taisha Mandoro
- A January event in Nara → Wakakusa Yamayaki
Checked 2026-10-13. Times and routes can change. For the latest, see the official On-Matsuri site and Kasuga Taisha's December calendar.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- From JR Nara or Kintetsu Nara Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus bound for Kasuga Taisha Honden and get off at Kasuga Taisha Honden, or the city loop bus (outer loop) to Kasuga Taisha Omotesando and walk about 10 minutes. The procession starts at the Nara Prefectural Office and passes Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station before climbing east along Sanjo-dori to the Otabisho, so you can walk to the route from either station. Bus times vary by season. 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
Dec 17 is the big day. The midnight Sengyo-no-gi is held in total darkness: photography and any light, even a flashlight, are forbidden and viewing spots are limited. Watch the noon procession from Sanjo-dori for free, then follow it to the Otabisho inside the first torii, where performances run into the night. Nara is cold after dark in December, so dress warmly.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri 2026?
- It is held every year from December 15 to 18, so in 2026 it runs from Tuesday, December 15 to Friday, December 18. The main day is Thursday, December 17: Sengyo-no-gi at midnight, the Owatari-shiki procession at noon, the Otabisho-sai at 2:30 pm and Kanko-no-gi around 11 pm. The official site has not yet posted its 2026 notice (checked 2026-10-13; its latest news is for 2025), so check it again just before you go.
- What time does the procession start, and what is the route?
- The Owatari-shiki leaves the Nara Prefectural Office plaza at noon on December 17. It heads west down Noborioji, passes Kintetsu Nara Station, goes via Aburasaka to JR Nara Station, then climbs east along Sanjo-dori to the Otabisho. Around 12:50 pm there is a roll-call rite at the site of Kofukuji's former Nandaimon (South Gate), and around 1 pm the Matsu-no-shita-shiki under the Yogo pine just inside the first torii. The route map (PDF) on the official site was published for a past year, so check for the 2026 map once it is out.
- Can I watch the midnight Sengyo-no-gi? Can I take photos?
- Sengyo-no-gi, at midnight on December 17 (late on the night of the 16th), carries the deity from the Wakamiya shrine to the Otabisho. It takes place in total darkness: all lights on the approach are turned off, and the shrine states that photography and lights are strictly forbidden, including flashlights. Viewing spots are limited. The return rite, Kanko-no-gi, at around 11 pm follows the same rules.
- Is it free? Are there paid seats?
- You can watch the procession from the roadside for free. For viewing conditions at the Otabisho (including the Otabisho-sai), check the official site (onmatsuri.kasugataisha.or.jp). In some years the Nara City Tourism Association sells paid roadside seats, but nothing had been announced for 2026 (checked 2026-10-13).
- What happens at the Otabisho-sai?
- It begins at 2:30 pm on December 17, and performances run from about 3:30 pm to about 10:30 pm at the Otabisho inside the first torii: shrine kagura, Azuma-asobi danced by boys, dengaku, saino, sarugaku (the root of noh), Yamato-mai and bugaku. The procession and these sacred performances are designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
- How do I get there, and what is on December 18?
- From JR Nara or Kintetsu Nara Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus bound for Kasuga Taisha Honden, or the city loop bus (outer loop) to Kasuga Taisha Omotesando and walk about 10 minutes. On December 18 there is ceremonial sumo at 1 pm and the Goen-no-No noh performance at 2 pm.
Getting there
Kasuga Taisha and central Nara — 160 Kasugano-cho, Nara City, Nara