Niihama Taiko Festival 2026
Fifty-four golden, 5.5-metre taiko-dai floats are hoisted by 150-strong crews in one of Shikoku's three great festivals.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/10/15 23:00 – 2026/10/18
- Where
- Throughout Niihama City, Ehime (Shikoku)（Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture）
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- Events spread across the city from around JR Niihama Station.
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Niihama Taiko Festival Committee
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Events spread across the city from around JR Niihama Station. 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, groups of friends, music fans
Highlights
- 54 taiko-dai floats, ~3 tonnes and 5.5m tall
- Gold-thread embroidery hoisted by 150+ men
- Kakikurabe lifting showdowns
Background & story
With roots said to go back about 1,000 years as an autumn harvest thanksgiving, it is one of Shikoku's three great festivals.
Good to know
The Kakikurabe float-lifting contests are the climax — check the daily, district-by-district schedule.