Sado Okesa Festival (Kozan Matsuri) 2026
Sado Island's 140th Kozan Matsuri (Jul 25-26) pairs a gold-mine shrine ritual with a town-wide Okesa dance through Aikawa and fireworks over the harbor.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/07/25 10:00 – 2026/07/26
- Where
- Aikawa townscape & Aikawa Beach Park, Sado Island
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- Sado Kisen ferry from Niigata Port to Ryotsu Port, then bus or car to Aikawa on Sado's west coast.
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Kozan Matsuri Executive Committee / Sado City
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Sado Kisen ferry from Niigata Port to Ryotsu Port, then bus or car to Aikawa on Sado's west coast.
- 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, music fans
Highlights
- Shrine rites at Oyamazumi Shrine for the old Sado gold mine
- Town-wide Okesa dance parade through Aikawa
- Fireworks over Aikawa Beach Park, Jul 26, 20:00-20:30
Background & story
Sado Okesa descends from Kyushu's Haiya-bushi sea shanty, carried here by Edo-era kitamae-bune traders; the miners' work song 'Senko-bushi' became 'Aikawa Okesa' in 1906 and was first presented nationally as 'Sado Okesa' in 1921.
Good to know
Day-1 shrine and parade timing can shift year to year -- check the Sado tourism event calendar closer to the date; the fireworks time (Jul 26, 20:00-20:30) is fixed.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Sado Okesa Festival in 2026?
- The festival (officially the Kozan Matsuri) runs July 25-26, 2026, in the Aikawa district on the west coast of Sado Island. The closing fireworks are on July 26, 20:00-20:30, at Aikawa Beach Park.
- Is the Sado Okesa Festival free to attend?
- Yes. The shrine rites, the town-wide Okesa dance parade, and fireworks viewing from the Aikawa waterfront are all free.
- How do I get to Aikawa for the festival?
- Take the Sado Kisen ferry from Niigata Port to Ryotsu Port, then a bus or car across the island to Aikawa on Sado's west coast.