Otsu Matsuri 2026｜10/10〜10/11 Access & Fees

Dates & time: October 10, 2026 (Sat) - October 11, 2026 (Sun) ・Sat 10 Oct: Yoimiya (eve) from dusk to about 21:00
・Sun 11 Oct: Main festival 9:00 to about 17:30
Price & booking: Free to watch (paid seats available: morning seats ¥2,000; afternoon Ekimae Odori or Old Tokaido seats ¥5,000 each; goshuin-book set seats ¥11,000) Paid seats are sold online via the Biwako Otsu Tours booking page. Seats cannot be chosen, and bookings cannot be cancelled or changed. Exchange your booking for a seat ticket at the seating entrance on the day. Sold-out seats are sometimes released again later.
Venue & access: Tenson Shrine and around JR Otsu Station, Otsu (Shiga) The nearest stations are JR Otsu (Biwako Line) and Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu or Shimanoseki. Roads around the route are closed to traffic on the eve and main festival days.

There are 3 public restrooms within a 8-minute walk of Tenson Shrine and around JR Otsu Station, Otsu (Shiga). The map shows each with its walking time.

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

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Why You Should Visit

One of Shiga's three great festivals, the Otsu Matsuri has been held by Tenson Shrine since the early Edo period. It is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2025. The stars are 13 hikiyama floats, each topped by a karakuri mechanical puppet performance — and no two floats perform the same piece. On the eve (10 October) the floats stand decorated among lantern-lit townhouses to the sound of festival music. On the 11th they set off from Tenson Shrine and spend the whole day rolling through the streets around JR Otsu Station and the old Tokaido road, throwing good-luck chimaki charms to the crowd.

NOTE

Schedule

Float assembly (Yamatate): Sun 4 October, 8:30–15:00
Eve (Yoimiya): floats are decorated in the morning and pulled in the afternoon; karakuri puppets are displayed in the townhouses, with lanterns and festival music from dusk
Main day: all 13 floats gather in front of Tenson Shrine and set off. Processions run about 9:30–10:45 and 13:30–15:45

Paid seats

Morning seats: Old Tokaido (north car park of NHK Otsu). Entry from 9:00, viewing about 9:30–10:45. No karakuri performance (shomon) and no souvenir
Ekimae Odori seats: in front of Otsu Betsuin on the station avenue. Entry from 12:30, viewing about 13:30–14:45. Shomon included
Old Tokaido seats: north car park of NHK Otsu. Entry from 13:30, viewing about 14:30–15:45. Shomon included
Afternoon seats come with a good-luck chimaki and the official programme
Goshuin-book set seats add the eve's goshuin book with all seals already stamped

※Shomon is the karakuri performance each float gives at set points along the route

Related tours

Biwako Otsu Tours runs tours including float assembly with a first pull, townhouse (kaisho) visits on the eve, and viewing from a townhouse on the main day

Rain

Held rain or shine. Umbrellas and parasols are not allowed as they block the view; bring a full-length raincoat or similar
Seats are not refunded unless the procession is cancelled for severe weather

※Enquiries: Otsu Matsuri Hikiyama Federation, 077-525-0505

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出典: びわ湖大津観光協会

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FAQ

Is it free to watch?

Watching from the roadside is free. For a seat, there are paid options: ¥2,000 for the morning, or ¥5,000 for the afternoon Ekimae Odori or Old Tokaido seats.

How can I see the karakuri performances up close?

Each float performs its karakuri (shomon) at set points. The afternoon paid seats — Ekimae Odori and Old Tokaido — face these performances directly. The morning seats do not include a shomon.

What happens if it rains?

It goes ahead in the rain. Umbrellas and parasols are not allowed, so bring a full-length raincoat or other rain gear.

What is the difference between the eve and the main day?

The eve on 10 October is an evening stroll past floats and karakuri puppets displayed among lantern-lit townhouses. On the 11th, all 13 floats parade through town and perform karakuri along the way.