When is the Onomichi Betcha Matsuri 2026?

Sunday, November 1 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (Culture Day, a national holiday). The festival is held on November 1–3 every year: the mikoshi procession on the evening of the 1st, the main rite on the 2nd and the demon parade on the 3rd (official 2026 schedule, checked 2026-10-13).

What time is the demon parade on November 3?

According to the official 2026 schedule map, the parade leaves the Otabisho (the temporary resting place of the mikoshi) on Honmachi Center-gai at 7:50, then reaches Kurihara-hondori around 9:00, Tenmancho to Nishigosho around 10:00, the Shimanami Koryukan plaza around 11:30, Honmachi Center-gai around 13:30, Kubo and Ozaki around 15:00, Nagae-dori around 16:10, Center-gai to the Fumiko statue around 17:30, and Ichinomiya Shrine around 18:30. All times are approximate; the text on the official website gives the start as 8:10 (checked 2026-10-13).

What happens on November 1 and 2?

On November 1 the mikoshi leaves Ichinomiya Shrine at 18:00 and reaches the Otabisho (its temporary resting place on Honmachi Center-gai) at 21:30. On November 2 the main rite is at 11:00, a lottery is held in the shrine grounds from 13:00, and the evening brings Urayasu-no-mai dance (18:20), a mini live set (18:50) and Betcha taiko drumming (20:00), per the official schedule map (checked 2026-10-13).

Yes. Watching from the street is free (listed as free in the 2026 Rurubu&more. listing; checked 2026-10-13).

Where is it and how do I get there?

The base is Kibitsuhiko Shrine (Ichinomiya Shrine), 9-16 Higashitsuchido-cho, Onomichi, about 10 minutes' walk east along National Route 2 from JR Onomichi Station. The official schedule lists no festival parking, so come by train (checked 2026-10-13).

The official schedule says the evening events on November 2 may be cancelled or changed in rain. It does not say what happens to the November 3 parade, so check the official website and the festival's X account (@BetchaOnomichi) on the day (checked 2026-10-13).

Is it OK to bring small children?

Yes — the demons chase and tap children for luck, and the official notice asks parents to keep hold of their children's hands, take care with strollers in crowds, and watch from a safe spot on the sidewalk rather than standing on the parade route.

Betcha Matsuri 2026 Onomichi: Nov 1–3 Times & Parade Route

Highlights

November 3: the three demons — Beta, Soba and Shoki — and a lion head parade through central Onomichi with the mikoshi
A tap from the sasara is said to make you clever; a poke from the iwai-bo is said to bring children and a year of good health
Mikoshi procession at 18:00 on Nov 1, evening dance and taiko on Nov 2, and the mikoshi spun on the shrine steps around 18:30 on Nov 3 (checked 2026-10-13)

Background & story

In 1807 (Bunka 4) an epidemic struck Onomichi, and the town magistrate, Nanbu Tozaemon, ordered the shrines and temples to drive the sickness away. Kibitsuhiko Shrine (Ichinomiya) held purification rites over three days and two nights, and on the day of the purification its mikoshi went out into the town led by a lion head and three demon masks — Beta (Buaku), Soba (Orochi, the serpent) and Shoki (Tengu). That procession is said to be the origin of the Betcha Matsuri, a designated folk cultural property of Onomichi City.

The Onomichi Betcha Matsuri 2026 runs Sunday, November 1 to Tuesday, November 3 (Culture Day, a national holiday). It is the grand festival of Kibitsuhiko Shrine (Ichinomiya Shrine), and the parade in which the demons Beta, Soba and Shoki chase children through town is on November 3: it leaves the Otabisho (the temporary resting place of the mikoshi) on Honmachi Center-gai in the morning and returns to the shrine around 18:30 (times from the official 2026 schedule, updated October 12, 2026; checked 2026-10-13). Free to watch (listed as free in the 2026 Rurubu&more. listing; checked 2026-10-13).

2026 schedule

Sunday, November 1 — mikoshi procession

Time	What happens
18:00	Mikoshi leaves Ichinomiya Shrine
18:15	West along Honmachi Center-gai, then via the seafront road and the shopping street to Kubo-shinkai
21:30	Arrives at the Otabisho

Monday, November 2 — main rite

Time	What happens
11:00	Main rite at the shrine
from 13:00	Lottery in the shrine grounds
18:20	Urayasu-no-mai dance offering
18:50	Mini live music set
20:00	Betcha taiko drumming offering

The evening events "may be cancelled or changed in case of rain" (official). The text on the official website groups the evening offerings as "from 18:00".

Tuesday, November 3 (holiday) — demon parade

Time (approx.)	Where
7:50	Leaves the Otabisho (Onomichi Hondori shopping street to Sangenya)
around 9:00	Kurihara-hondori
around 10:00	Tenmancho to Nishigosho
around 11:30	Shimanami Koryukan plaza (leaves 12:50)
around 13:30	Honmachi Center-gai (in front of Tengu Sushi); leaves around 13:45, east along Center-gai, then east along the seafront road
around 15:00	Kubo and Ozaki
around 16:10	Nagae-dori and Nagae-guchi
around 17:30	Back and forth along Honmachi Center-gai to the Fumiko statue, then to the shrine
from around 18:30	Mikoshi and mask drummers on the shrine steps; the mikoshi is spun and returned to the shrine

Times and route are from the official 2026 schedule map. The text on the official website gives the morning start as "8:10, Center-gai Otabisho to Sangenya", so arrive early if you want the start.

Where to watch

Honmachi Center-gai is your best bet: the parade passes in the early morning, around 13:30 and again around 17:30.
Shimanami Koryukan plaza, next to JR Onomichi Station, from about 11:30 to 12:50, if you want more room.
The finale at Ichinomiya Shrine around 18:30, when the mikoshi is spun on the steps.

Getting there and etiquette

Train: Kibitsuhiko Shrine (Ichinomiya Shrine, 9-16 Higashitsuchido-cho) is about 10 minutes' walk east along National Route 2 from JR Onomichi Station.
Car: the official schedule lists no festival parking.
Road closures: the official schedule and notice do not give closure sections or times (checked 2026-10-13). Follow the traffic staff on the day.
Etiquette (from the official notice): do not stop on the parade route; watch from a safe spot on the sidewalk; keep hold of small children; take care with strollers, umbrellas and selfie sticks in the crowd; do not grab or push back the mikoshi or the masked demons.

Sources (checked 2026-10-13)

Onomichi Betcha Matsuri official website (Kibitsuhiko Shrine), 2026 festival notice: https://onomichi.main.jp/betcha/
Official schedule page: https://onomichi.main.jp/betcha/event.html
Official 2026 schedule map (PDF): http://onomichi.main.jp/betcha/_userdata/betcha_map2026.pdf
Official notice to visitors (PDF): http://onomichi.main.jp/betcha/_userdata/chuijikou.pdf
Onomichi Tourism Association (Ononavi): https://www.ononavi.jp/spots/detail.html?detail_id=211
Rurubu&more. (JTB Publishing): https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/20000340
Dive! Hiroshima (Hiroshima Tourism Association), previous 2025 listing: https://dive-hiroshima.com/events/events-106997/

Good to know for visitors

Getting there: About 10 minutes' walk east along National Route 2 from JR Onomichi Station.
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, groups of friends

Good to know

Come on November 3 to see the demons. They leave the Otabisho (the temporary resting place of the mikoshi) on Honmachi Center-gai at about 7:50, pass the Shimanami Koryukan plaza near JR Onomichi Station around 11:30, and finish at Ichinomiya Shrine around 18:30 (all times approximate). The official notice asks visitors not to stop on the route, to watch from the sidewalk and to keep hold of small children. Check the official website or X (@BetchaOnomichi) for rain changes (checked 2026-10-13).

Frequently asked questions

When is the Onomichi Betcha Matsuri 2026?: Sunday, November 1 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (Culture Day, a national holiday). The festival is held on November 1–3 every year: the mikoshi procession on the evening of the 1st, the main rite on the 2nd and the demon parade on the 3rd (official 2026 schedule, checked 2026-10-13).
What time is the demon parade on November 3?: According to the official 2026 schedule map, the parade leaves the Otabisho (the temporary resting place of the mikoshi) on Honmachi Center-gai at 7:50, then reaches Kurihara-hondori around 9:00, Tenmancho to Nishigosho around 10:00, the Shimanami Koryukan plaza around 11:30, Honmachi Center-gai around 13:30, Kubo and Ozaki around 15:00, Nagae-dori around 16:10, Center-gai to the Fumiko statue around 17:30, and Ichinomiya Shrine around 18:30. All times are approximate; the text on the official website gives the start as 8:10 (checked 2026-10-13).
What happens on November 1 and 2?: On November 1 the mikoshi leaves Ichinomiya Shrine at 18:00 and reaches the Otabisho (its temporary resting place on Honmachi Center-gai) at 21:30. On November 2 the main rite is at 11:00, a lottery is held in the shrine grounds from 13:00, and the evening brings Urayasu-no-mai dance (18:20), a mini live set (18:50) and Betcha taiko drumming (20:00), per the official schedule map (checked 2026-10-13).
Is it free?: Yes. Watching from the street is free (listed as free in the 2026 Rurubu&more. listing; checked 2026-10-13).
Where is it and how do I get there?: The base is Kibitsuhiko Shrine (Ichinomiya Shrine), 9-16 Higashitsuchido-cho, Onomichi, about 10 minutes' walk east along National Route 2 from JR Onomichi Station. The official schedule lists no festival parking, so come by train (checked 2026-10-13).
What if it rains?: The official schedule says the evening events on November 2 may be cancelled or changed in rain. It does not say what happens to the November 3 parade, so check the official website and the festival's X account (@BetchaOnomichi) on the day (checked 2026-10-13).
Is it OK to bring small children?: Yes — the demons chase and tap children for luck, and the official notice asks parents to keep hold of their children's hands, take care with strollers in crowds, and watch from a safe spot on the sidewalk rather than standing on the parade route.