Yase Shamenchi Odori 2026｜10/11(Sun) Access & Fees

Why You Should Visit

A night-time dance offering at Akimoto Shrine in Yase, in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, held on the Sunday before Sports Day. It began when the villagers enshrined Akimoto Shrine in gratitude to the shogunate elder Akimoto Tajima-no-kami, who ruled in Yase's favor in a Hoei-era (Edo period) boundary dispute with Mt. Hiei, and it is a registered Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kyoto City. Boys aged 13 to 14 dressed in women's clothing, called torogi, carry red paper kiriko lanterns about 70 cm tall with openwork warrior and animal designs on their heads and process to the singers' songs and drum, while girls perform the Shiokumi and Hanatsumi dances and kyogen is also offered. The highlight is the glow of lanterns climbing the stone steps in the dark.

Essentials

location

Yase Akimoto Shrine (Yase Elementary School gym if it rains)

period

October 11, 2026 (Sun)

Time

From around 19:00

cost

No fee information published

Links

Official Website

Kobe · Gluten-free

Basque cheesecakeBaked with rice flour, no wheat. Whole 12cm, serves 2-3¥4,700 incl. shipping (Japan only)

access

About 5 minutes on foot from the Kyoto Bus stop Furusato-mae (routes 17/18 from Kyoto Station, route 19 from Kokusaikaikan Station).

NOTE

Order of events

Starts around 19:00 at the signal of the jūnin-gashira (ten young men who run the festival)
Lantern bearers and escorts gather from each neighborhood with the singers and process to the shrine
On the stone steps the singers perform the michi-uta as the lanterns slowly climb
On stage: Sanbaso, the girls' Shiokumi and Hanatsumi dances, and kyogen
At the Kariba-odori song the lanterns run back to their home bases and the festival ends

Lanterns

Kiriko lanterns about 70 cm tall, red paper with openwork warriors, animals and scenery

If it rains

Held in the gym of Yase Elementary School

*The preservation society site says an extra bus is not yet decided

FAQ

When is it held each year?

On the Sunday before Sports Day. In 2026 that is Sunday, October 11.

What time should I arrive to see the dance?

It begins around 19:00 at the signal of the jūnin-gashira. The lanterns climb the stone steps after dark.

What happens if it rains?

If it rains, the event is held in the gym of Kyoto Municipal Yase Elementary School.

Calendar

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