Mitakari Festival and Kami-sumo at Oharano Shrine 2026

Dates & time: September 13, 2026 (Sun) 10:00–16:00 (night concert from 18:00)
Price & booking: Free (no viewing fee is listed) No booking is needed to watch. To take part in the baby ring-entering, contact the Kasuga-cho community hall (075-331-0816, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 10:00–15:30, until 12:00 on the 1st and 3rd Thursday). For the shrine itself, call the office (075-331-0014, 9:00–17:00).
Venue & access: Oharano Shrine, main hall and sumo ring in the grounds From Hankyu Higashi-Muko or JR Mukomachi station, take the Hankyu bus bound for Minami-Kasuga-cho to the last stop, then walk about 8 minutes. By car, about 7 minutes from the Oharano IC on the Kyoto Daini-Gaikan expressway; paid parking in the shrine grounds.

There are 1 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Oharano Shrine, main hall and sumo ring in the grounds, and 2 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

Calendar

Add it to your calendar so you can check back on it later.

Google Calendar Apple Calendar (.ics)

We hope it gives you a reason to head out together.

X FB LINE

Why You Should Visit

Oharano Shrine, in the western hills of Kyoto, gives thanks for the autumn harvest on the second Sunday of September. After the rite in the main hall, the Kami-sumo — a ritual bout registered as an intangible folk cultural property of Kyoto City — is offered on the ring in the shrine grounds. Two wrestlers chosen from the parish, one from Kita-Kasuga-cho for the east side and one from Minami-Kasuga-cho for the west, meet twice: the east wins the first bout, the west wins the second, and the result is always one win apiece, a pledge before the gods that the community will live without quarrel and help one another. Records go back to 1717, so the rite is more than 300 years old. Local schoolchildren then perform a boy yokozuna ring-entering ceremony and a dedicatory sumo tournament, babies are carried onto the ring, and the parish youth association holds a night concert in the evening. Free to watch.

Programs

Timetable & Map

NOTE

How the Kami-sumo works:

One wrestler is chosen from Kita-Kasuga-cho for the east and one from Minami-Kasuga-cho for the west
They wear the mawashi belts conferred at the Mitakari rite and purify the four pillars of the ring with sacred sake before the bouts
Each holds a paper twist of salt in his mouth, replacing it with every ritual movement
The east pushes the west out in the first bout, the west pushes the east out in the second, ending one win apiece

Background:

Records from 1717 show the rite is more than 300 years old
Registered as an intangible folk cultural property of Kyoto City in March 2015
Oharano Shrine was the first branch of Kasuga Taisha in Nara and is known as Kyo-Kasuga

*Start times and running order may change on the day.

History Heritage Culture Art Free Cheap Family Half Day

出典: 大原野神社公式サイト「令和8年御田刈祭」

Kobe · Gluten-free

Events

Where to go next

View Recommended Events →

9/18 - 11/30

Hiraoka Hachimangu Flower Ceiling Autumn Viewing

Hiraoka Hachimangu Shrine, Umegahata, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto

11/7 - 11/8

Arashiyama Momiji Festival 2026

Oi River, upstream of Togetsukyo Bridge (Saga, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto)

9/12 - 11/29

Uzumasa Eigamura Kaikai YOKAI Festival 2026

Toei Kyoto Studio Park (Uzumasa Eigamura)

11/1 - 11/7

Jingoji Temple Daishido Special Opening

Daishido Hall, Jingoji Temple (Takao)

9/11 - 11/9

Art Rhizome KYOTO: Gekiryo Kyoto 3

Kyoto City Hall and 8 other venues across Kyoto

Next 11/7 +9 more

Kobe Port Weekend Fireworks 2026–27 | Weekend Fireworks off Meriken Park

Meriken Park

Today 10/31 +8 more

EAT LOCAL KOBE Farmers Market

Suma Beach, south of JR Suma Station, Suma-ku, Kobe

10/10 - 11/30

Moomin × Kobe Port Tower: a part of KOBE

Kobe Port Tower and 20+ locations across Kobe

FAQ

Is there a fee to watch?

Oharano Shrine is free to enter and no viewing fee is announced for the Kami-sumo or the sumo tournament. No booking is needed.

What time is the Kami-sumo?

It follows the 10:00 rite and starts around 10:45 on the ring in the grounds. The rite is short — just two bouts — so be at the ring by 10:30.

Is it good for families with children?

After the Kami-sumo, local schoolchildren perform the ring-entering and tournament and babies are carried onto the ring, so many families attend. Viewing around the ring is standing-room only, so claim a spot early if you have small children.

Does it go ahead in the rain?

The shrine does not publish a wet-weather policy. The Kami-sumo and tournament take place on an outdoor ring, so call the shrine office (075-331-0014, 9:00–17:00) beforehand if bad weather is forecast.