Why You Should Visit
An outdoor yosakoi dance festival held against the backdrop of UNESCO World Heritage Himeji Castle. Built around the idea of 'a festival made by, joined by, and lit up by the citizens of Himeji,' it places a strong emphasis on connection between dancers and audiences.
The main stage is Otemae Park, with the castle in full view, and performances also spread to Shiromidai Park, Aimesse, Nishi-Nikaimachi Shopping Street and Eagle-mae across the city center. The pre-festival is a short evening program on Sat May 23, while the main day on Sun May 24 runs from morning until evening. Each team performs within six minutes (including entrance and intro), so the program moves at a lively pace.
Easy to combine with a visit to Himeji Castle, and approachable for families or first-time yosakoi viewers.
Essentials
- location
- Otemae Park and around Himeji Castle (Shiromidai Park, Aimesse, Nishi-Nikaimachi Shopping Street, Eagle-mae)
- period
- May 23, 2026 (Sat) - May 24, 2026 (Sun)
- Time
- Pre-festival: Sat May 23, 16:00–17:30 / Main day: Sun May 24, 10:00–18:00 (held in light rain)
- cost
- Free to watch
- access
- 10–15 min walk from JR / Sanyo Electric Railway Himeji Station toward Himeji Castle (Otemae Park)
- NOTE
Schedule
- Pre-festival: Sat May 23, 2026, 16:00–17:30
- Main day: Sun May 24, 2026, 10:00–18:00
Venues
- Otemae Park (main stage)
- Shiromidai Park
- Aimesse
- Nishi-Nikaimachi Shopping Street
- Eagle-mae
Timetable
- Per-venue performance schedule: official PDF
Hosts
- Organized by Himeji Yosakoi Matsuri Executive Committee
- Supported (planned) by Hyogo Prefecture / Himeji City / Himeji Chamber of Commerce / Himeji Shopping Street Association
Contact
- 435-3 Nobosue, Himeji 670-0966 (inside Phiten Shop, Aeon Town Himeji 1F)
- Tel: 080-3980-8948 / Fax: 079-280-3814
- Email: hym4183@gmail.com
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/himejiyosakoi/
The main day is held in light rain.