Tanba-Sasayama Dekansho Festival 2026

Dates & time: August 15, 2026 (Sat) - August 16, 2026 (Sun) Aug 15 (Sat) 15:00–21:15 & Aug 16 (Sun) 16:45–21:00 (fireworks both nights 20:15–20:30)
cost: Watching from around the grounds is free; food and drink at the stalls are paid separately. Details for 2026, including whether paid seating is offered, will be announced on the official site.
Venue & access: Sannomaru Plaza, Sasayama Castle Ruins From Sasayamaguchi Station (JR Fukuchiyama Line), take a Shinki Bus to Nikaimachi, then walk about 5 min.
By car, about 10 min from the Tanba-Sasayama IC on the Maizuru-Wakasa Expressway. Traffic restrictions and temporary car parks are in place during the festival.

There are 1 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Sannomaru Plaza, Sasayama Castle Ruins, and 4 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.

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Why You Should Visit

For two nights a huge wooden yagura tower rises in the grounds of Sasayama Castle, and dancers circle it to the folk song "Dekansho-bushi." Billed as western Japan's largest folk-song festival, it has run for over 70 years and draws around 70,000 people annually. Alongside the dance competitions, junior showcases and performances of the old-style Dekansho-bushi, roughly 1,000 fireworks are launched over the castle ruins across the two days. Some 180 food stalls fill the grounds, so you can come to dance, to watch, or simply to eat your way along the rows.

Programs

Timetable & Map

NOTE

Main programme

Mass dance around the yagura (one of Japan's largest wooden dance towers)
Dance competition and junior showcase
Performance of the old-style Dekansho-bushi
Dance workshops
Fireworks (about 1,000 shells over two nights, above the castle ruins)
Stall village and night-market street (about 180 stalls)
Andon lantern festival and decoration contest

Schedule (2026, city tourism site)

Aug 15 (Sat) 15:00–21:15
Aug 16 (Sun) 16:45–21:00
Fireworks both nights 20:15–20:30
Night stalls until around 21:45 (west side of Ninomaru Plaza)

※Traffic restrictions run Aug 6–18; the area changes each year, so check the Tanba-Sasayama tourism site before the event

Events Festivals Fireworks Culture Art Food Walk Full Day

出典: デカンショ祭公式サイト

Kobe · Gluten-free

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FAQ

Can visitors join the dancing?

Anyone can join the circle for the mass dance around the yagura. Dance workshops are held during the festival, so you don't need to know the steps beforehand.

When are the fireworks?

About 1,000 shells in total are launched over the castle ruins across the two nights. In 2026 the fireworks go up 20:15–20:30 on both nights.

Can I drive there?

Traffic restrictions come into force around the venue during the festival and temporary car parks are opened. The restricted area changes each year, so check the Tanba-Sasayama tourism site shortly before you go.