Handa-City 2026 Handa Spring Festival

Date : Mid-Mar – May 3/4, 2026

Get directions on Google Maps

A picturesque scene of gorgeous, gallant parade floats

Spring is official in the city of Handa when its float parades begins. From mid-March to May 3 and 4, the various areas around the city hold their annual festivals in a tradition with more than 300 years. Thirty-one parade floats of traditional construction make their appearance one after another and parade all around in a valiant display.
Exquisite arts, such as the operation of mechanized puppets and lion dance performances, add to the festival's wonder and captivate onlookers.

Event schedule

Areas marked with a "★" symbol bring out their parade floats.

Okkawa area ★
• Dates: Sat, Mar 21–Sun, Mar 22, 2026
• Description: Four floats protecting a portable shrine, ascension and descension of the steep slope along Okkawa Hachimansha Shrine, theatrical dance performance, mechanized puppet performance, festival eve vigil, Mukaiyama Shinto lion ritual, and Mukaiyama taiko drum performance

Mukaiyama area
• Date: Sun, Mar 22, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by three children's portable shrines and public showing of lion costumes, lion dance, Mukaiyama taiko drum performance at Ichikishima Jinja Shrine, and free sweets

Ariwaki area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 4–Sun, Apr 5, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by special cart during the rehearsal festival on the 4th as well as fireworks, female shaman dance performance, and rice cake giveaway during the main festival on the 5th

Hirachi area
• Dates: Sat, Apr 4–Sun, Apr 5, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by four children's portable shrines, festival eve vigil, ornately decorated horse display, horse run, female shaman dance performance, lion dance, and rice cake giveaway at Hirachi Jinja Shrine

Oyachi area
• Date: Sun, Apr 5, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by children's portable shrine, entry into Oyachi Jinja Shrine, and rice cake giveaway

Karasune area
• Date: Sun, Apr 5, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by four children's portable shrines, entry into Karasune Inari Jinja Shrine, and rice cake giveaway

Yanabe area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, Nankichi Festival (fireworks), and rice cake giveaway

Yanabe Shinden area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Kami-Handa (Lantern Festival) ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, theatrical dance performance, display of two lantern boats, fireworks, children's theatrical dance performance, festival eve vigil, and return of floats into the Handa Red Brick Building

Kyowa area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, ascension and descension of the steep slope along Hakusan Jinja Shrine, theatrical dance performance, female shaman dance performances, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Narawa area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, procession down the road to and entry into Narawa Jinja Shrine, female shaman dance performance, song and theatrical dance performances, large and small lion dance performance (prefectural intangible folk cultural property), and festival eve vigil

Nishi-Narawa area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two floats, ascension of the steep slope to the east of and entry into Narawa Jinja Shrine, theatrical dance performance, mechanized puppet performance, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and rice cake giveaway

Itayama area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, congregation of four floats at Itayama Community Center; female shaman dance performance, theatrical dance performance, and rice cake giveaway at Itayama Jinja Shrine; and theatrical dance performance at Hachiman Jinja Shrine

Shimo-Handa area ★
• Dates: Sat, Apr 18–Sun, Apr 19, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by four floats, mechanized puppet performance and display, female shaman dance performance, festival eve vigil, and fireworks by four communities

Oike area
• Date: Sun, Apr 26, 2026
• Description: Procession around town by two children's portable shrines, entry into Oike Jinja Shrine, and lottery drawing at Oike Community Hall

Kamezaki area (Shiohi Festival) ★
• Dates: Sun, May 3 (national holiday)–Mon, May 4 (national holiday), 2026
• Description: Procession around town by five floats, mechanized puppet performance, entry of floats into the low tidal area outside the shrine, and guardian parade into Owari Sansha Shrine (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, national important intangible folk cultural property, and prefectural tangible folk cultural property)

Handa Spring Festival

> 2026 Handa Spring Festival flyer (Frontside. Japanese only.) (PDF File：2.06MB)

> 2026 Handa Spring Festival flyer (Backside. Japanese only.) (PDF File：2.67MB)

EVENT OVERVIEW

Date	: Sat, Mar 21–Sun, Mar 22; Sat, Apr 4–Sun, Apr 5; Sat, Apr 11–Sun, Apr 12; Sat, Apr 18–Sun, Apr 19; Sun, Apr 26; and Sun, May 3 (national holiday)–Mon, May 4 (national holiday), 2026
Place	: Areas around Handa City (ten areas with parade floats and six areas with other events)
Location	: 〒475-0023 2-92 Kamezaki-cho, Handa-shi, Aichi (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine and other locations) Note: • The Access Map shows the location of Kamisaki Jinja Shrine.
Fee	: Free of charge to view Note: • Prices are subject to change. Check the official site, etc. for the most up-to-date information.

Phone number	: 0569-32-3264 (Handa City Tourism Association)
Parade route	: • Routes are available (in Japanese) on the Handa City Tourism Association's 2026 Handa Spring Festival page once decided. • Note that parade float plans may change or be canceled due to weather and other conditions.

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

LINK

ACCESS

Access by public transport

12-min. (1 km) walk east from Kamezaki Station on the JR Taketoyo Line (board the train bound for Taketoyo from Nagoya Station).

Note:
• Directions to the Kamezaki area (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine). Search on your own for other locations.
Access by car

Approx. 15 min. (7.6 km) southeast from Agui Interchange on Chitahanto Road via Route 46.

Note:
• These are directions to the Kamezaki area (Kamisaki Jinja Shrine). Search on your own for other locations.

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ACCESS MAP

Get directions on Google Maps

Keyword: #Handa Spring Festival; #parade float; #dashi; #UNESCO; #Intangible Cultural Heritage; #Kamezaki Shiohi Festival; #Mikawa; #Western Mikawa; #Handa

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