Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival 2024

The Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival is the annual grand festival of the Yasaka Shrine in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture. It takes place over five days from July 19th to 23rd, with the public festivities occurring over the three days from the 20th to the 22nd.

The festival got its name from the practice during the Meiji era when sturdy fans called “shibu uchiwa” (fans coated with persimmon tannin) were distributed during the festival. Another notable tradition is the “Kumagaya Red Rice Distribution,” where red rice is offered as a symbolic gesture to ward off epidemics. Over time, this practice evolved, and instead of red rice, fans (uchiwa) began to be distributed, gaining popularity and leading to the festival being known as the “Kumagaya Uchiwa Festival.”

This festival is renowned for having the largest number of floats and portable shrines (yatai) in the Kanto region, with a total of 12 floats and yatai. Due to its scale and splendor, it is often referred to as the “Gion of Kanto.” The climax of the festival occurs on the third night, where the floats and yatai gather in the festival square after parading through the city streets, featuring lively interactions and performances along the way.

 

 

 

 

Outline of the event

Location Kamakura-machi, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture

Date July 19-23, 2024

Official Web：Click Here