Highlights
- Nov 22 (Sun) from 6 PM and Nov 23, 2026 (Mon, holiday) from 10 AM: all 33 dances over two days at the Shinwa no Takachiho Yokagura Matsuri (free, come and go)
- Every night 8-9 PM: four representative dances in Takachiho Shrine's kagura hall (¥1,000; free up to elementary-school age)
- Mid-November to early February: all-night, 33-dance yokagura in kagura houses across about 20 villages (2026-27 dates not yet posted as of Oct 13)
- Iwato Goban around dawn: the closing highlight, based on the myth of the sun goddess hiding in the cave
Background & story
Takachiho Yokagura reenacts the Amaterasu cave myth through 33 dances traditionally dated to around the late Heian-to-Kamakura era. They were originally performed by Takachiho Shrine's priests through the end of the Edo period, after which custody passed to individual hamlets, who now hand the dances down community by community. The tradition was designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1978.
The 2026 Shinwa no Takachiho Yokagura Matsuri runs on Sunday, November 22 (eve festival from 6:00 PM) and Monday, November 23 (main festival from 10:00 AM, a national holiday). All 33 yokagura dances are performed over the two days in the kagura hall of Takachiho Shrine, and entry is free, and you can come and go. It is the one time each year the shrine shows the full cycle; on every other night it shows four dances in an hour.
2026 schedule (official announcement)
| Date | Time | What | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Nov 22 | 6:00 PM to about 10:30 PM | Yokagura Matsuri, eve festival | Free, come and go |
| Mon, Nov 23 (holiday) | 10:00 AM to about 11:30 PM | Yokagura Matsuri, main festival | Free, come and go |
| Every night (not Dec 31-Jan 1 or Nov 22-23*) | 8:00-9:00 PM | Takachiho Kagura (four dances) | ¥1,000 (free up to elementary-school age) |
| Mid-Nov to early Feb | Set by each village | Village yokagura in kagura houses | Offering at the reception |
Finishing times can shift on the day. The nightly Takachiho Kagura is cancelled on both festival days. *Closure days are as stated on the Takachiho Tourist Association's kagura information page.
Sources: Takachiho Tourist Association, announcement posted October 3, 2026 (https://takachiho-kanko.info/news/239/); Miyazaki Prefecture Tourism Association, Miyazaki Kanko Navi (https://www.kanko-miyazaki.jp/event/1991). Both checked 2026-10-13.
The nightly Takachiho Kagura (year-round)
Outside the yokagura season, the easiest way to see the dances is the Takachiho Kagura: every night from 8:00 PM for one hour in the kagura hall of Takachiho Shrine. Dancers from the villages take turns performing four of the 33 dances: Tajikarao, Uzume, Totori and Goshintai. Admission is ¥1,000 per person (free up to elementary-school age; ¥900 per person for groups of 20 or more). According to the tourist association, online booking opens at 10 AM 30 days before the show and closes at 5 PM on the day (credit card only), and some same-day seats are also sold. The hall is a tatami room with no chairs to borrow. Details and booking: https://takachiho-kanko.info/kagura/information/
Village yokagura (2026-27 season)
The original yokagura takes place from mid-November to early February in about 20 villages around Takachiho. Each village invites its guardian deity to a kagura house (a private home or community hall) and performs all 33 dances through the night. The Iwato Goban, based on the myth of the sun goddess Amaterasu hiding in a cave, comes around dawn.
The 2026-27 dates had not been posted as of October 13, 2026. The tourist association's schedule page still shows last season, and the association says the dates are set around October each year and then published on its website. Only villages that agree to be listed are published. For reference, last season 15 yokagura were published, from November 15, 2025 to February 7, 2026, all on Saturdays. Check https://takachiho-kanko.info/kagura/yokagura/schedule/ once this season's dates are up. Questions about the schedule go to the town office's planning and tourism section (0982-73-1212).
Etiquette
- Visitors are welcome at the yokagura listed in the schedule, and no reservation is needed (Takachiho Town).
- As a courtesy to the ritual, hand an offering at the reception: shochu with a noshi wrapper, or money in an envelope.
- Food and drink offered to guests are part of the ritual. The offering is a thank-you to the gods, the dancers and the host house, not payment for the meal.
- It lasts all night, so bring warm clothes, drinks and a snack. Some kagura houses have no parking, so check the schedule first.
Getting there
Takachiho Shrine (1037 Mitai, Takachiho-cho, Nishiusuki-gun, Miyazaki) is about 15 minutes on foot from Takachiho Bus Center. By public transport, the local bus from JR Nobeoka Station to Takachiho takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. The shrine car park holds about 100 cars and is free.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- About 15 minutes on foot from Takachiho Bus Center. The local bus from JR Nobeoka Station to Takachiho takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. The shrine car park holds about 100 cars (free).
- 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
The matsuri's finishing time can shift on the day, so arrange your ride back or lodging with time to spare; the nightly Takachiho Kagura is cancelled on both festival days. As of October 13, 2026 the 2026-27 village yokagura dates have not been posted; the tourist association says they are set around October each year and will appear on its schedule page (https://takachiho-kanko.info/kagura/yokagura/schedule/). The association advises asking about places and dates about two weeks ahead. Online booking for the nightly show opens at 10 AM 30 days ahead and closes at 5 PM on the day.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Takachiho Yokagura Matsuri in 2026, and what time does it start?
- The Shinwa no Takachiho Yokagura Matsuri runs on Sunday, November 22, 2026 (eve festival, 6:00 PM to about 10:30 PM) and Monday, November 23, 2026, a national holiday (main festival, 10:00 AM to about 11:30 PM). All 33 dances are performed over the two days in the kagura hall of Takachiho Shrine. Entry is free and you can come and go as you like; the finishing time can shift on the day (Takachiho Tourist Association announcement, checked 2026-10-13).
- What is the 2026-27 Takachiho Yokagura schedule for the village (hamlet) performances?
- As of October 13, 2026, the Takachiho Tourist Association's yokagura schedule page still shows last season (fiscal 2025); the 2026-27 village dates have not been posted yet. The association says the dates are set around October each year and then published on its website, and only villages that agree to be listed are published. Last season, 15 all-night yokagura were published, running from November 15, 2025 to February 7, 2026. For questions about the schedule, the town office's planning and tourism section is on 0982-73-1212.
- What are the times, price and booking rules for the nightly Takachiho Kagura?
- Every night from 8:00 to 9:00 PM in the kagura hall of Takachiho Shrine, four of the 33 dances are performed: Tajikarao, Uzume, Totori and Goshintai. Admission is ¥1,000 per person (free up to elementary-school age; ¥900 per person for groups of 20 or more). According to the tourist association, online booking opens at 10 AM 30 days before the performance and closes at 5 PM on the day (credit card only), and some same-day seats are also sold. The association also says there are no shows on December 31, January 1, or on November 22-23, when the yokagura matsuri is held instead.
- Can visitors watch a village yokagura, and what is the etiquette?
- Yes. Takachiho Town says visitors are welcome at the yokagura listed in its schedule and no reservation is needed. As a courtesy to the ritual, you hand an offering (gojinzen / hatsuhoryo) to the reception: a bottle of shochu with a noshi wrapper, or money in an envelope. It lasts through the night, so bring warm clothes, drinks and a snack. Some kagura houses have no parking, so check the schedule first.
- How do I get to Takachiho Shrine, and is there parking?
- Takachiho Shrine is about 15 minutes on foot from Takachiho Bus Center. By public transport, the local bus from JR Nobeoka Station to Takachiho takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. The shrine car park holds about 100 cars and is free.