Gorgeous festival floats color the town, and "karakuri" marionettes put on a breathtaking performance!

Thought to be around 400 years old, the Takayama Festival is counted as one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan and was registered as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in late 2016. It is held every spring and autumn, and it shows-off what is great about the Hida region. The festival has continued to be protected and cherished by the local people, who demonstrate their traditional folk arts during the event.

Perhaps more than anything else, the focal point and must-see attraction of the Takayama Festival is the beautiful festival floats, which are products of the fabulous craftsmanship of the Hida masters. With elaborate, artistic ornaments, masterfully designed marionettes who exhibit incredibly dexterous movements, and clever contraptions for maneuvering them around town, the floats are really masterpieces in their own right! At nighttime, the floats are covered with lanterns, and the parade of these floats creates a beautiful fanatasy world completely different from the daytime procession.

  • Tradition & History
  • Autumn

Basic Information

Date

October 9th and 10th every year

Time

・Oct 9: 9:00am - 9:00pm
・Oct 10: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Venue

Around Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine

Address

178 Sakura-machi, Takayama City, Gifu

Access

20-minute walk from JR Takayama Station

Telephone Number 0577-32-3333
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