What kind of festival will the Kuwana IshidoriFestival be in 2024? We will explain the highlights of the festival from a local perspective. We will also provide information on food stalls and parking lots!

▼Table of contents

• What is the Kuwana IshidoriFestival? When will it be held?
• What is the Kuwana IshidoriFestival?
• When will it be held in 2024?
• History of Kuwana IshidoriFestival
• Kuwana IshidoriFestival 2024 schedule
• Introducing the highlights of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival
• The festival begins with a ringing sound late at night! Knock it out
• Highlights of each group! Shingaku
• A long procession of festival cars! Infeed
• The biggest highlight! Watari festival
• Enjoy 360°! farewell
• A hidden gem! Tamachi intersection/Kyomachi intersection
• Directly told from Kuwana! Three points to enjoy the Kuwana IshidoriFestival
• ①If you listen carefully, you will understand! rhythm
• ② Gorgeous! festival car decoration
• ③ Oraga Town uniform! Hanten (hanten)
• (Bonus) Enjoy the first ever Stamp Walk!
• About access, parking, and traffic regulations
• Access by public transportation
• About access by car and parking lot
• About traffic regulations
• Will there be food stalls?
• I want to tour together! KuwanaCity 's famous gourmet food

What is the Kuwana IshidoriFestival? When will it be held?

What is the Kuwana IshidoriFestival?

The Kuwana IshidoriFestival is the largest festival KuwanaCity, located in the Hokusei district of Mie Prefecture. The total number of festival floats (Saisha, so-called floats) is 43 (40 floats participate in the festival), making it the largest festival in Japan to bring together so many floats at a single shrine and ritual. is extremely rare.

The festival is said to be ``Japan's Noisiest Festival'' due to the parade and the sound of gongs and drums!

The 2024 Kuwana IshidoriFestival will be one of the few years in which 40 festival floats will be gathered, just like last year. This is your chance to experience the "noisiest festival in Japan" to the fullest!

In March 2007, it was designated as a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and in 2016, it was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage along with 33 other "Yama, Hoko, and Float Festivals" nationwide. I did.

Kuwana IshidoriFestival is one of Japan's representative festivals!

When will it be held in 2024?

The main events of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival are the Hongaku, which is held on the first Sunday in August, and the Shingaku, which is held on the Saturday the day before. There are several Shinto rituals before and after this, but the procession of festival cars takes place over these two days.

Dates for the 2024 Kuwana IshidoriFestival

August 3 (Saturday) Shingaku (trial run) → Parade within a group (a group formed within a nearby town)

August 4th (Sunday) Hongaku: Participating neighborhoods line up at Kasuga Shrine and hold a festival in front of the shrine.

(The detailed schedule for the day will be explained later!)

By the way, the "Kuwana Suigo Fireworks Festival" is held one week before IshidoriFestival making it the time when KuwanaCity 's summer is at its most exciting!

Click here for the article about Kuwana Suigo Fireworks Festival 👇

What is the Kuwana Suigo Fireworks Festival? When will it be held in 2024? Are tickets available for purchase? We will explain the highlights, access, parking information, and more.

https://www.kankomie.or.jp/report/1484

History of Kuwana IshidoriFestival

The Kuwana IshidoriFestival was one of the Shinto rituals of the early Kuwana Festival (Hiyori Festival), which was a major festival at Kuwana Shrine, but was divided in the Horeki era (1750s). Hiyori is said to have originated from people who went to the Machiya River in the southern suburbs KuwanaCity to hold this festival, and while they were selecting stones, they played a flute and sang hyori hyori, which eventually became the name hiyori festival. It is considered.

When the stones were transported from Machiya River to Kuwana Shrine, they were carried on small carts, but later drums and gongs were struck. This was the beginning of IshidoriFestival Float. As the eras progressed through the Edo, Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras, the festival floats evolved into larger, more beautiful, and more luxurious floats. Many of the festival floats were burned during the Kuwana air raid in 1945, but shortly after the war, with the help of citizens who love the Kuwana IshidoriFestival new festival floats were built one after another, and they have continued to this day.

The history of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival is a history of “festival vehicles and people”!

Kuwana IshidoriFestival 2024 schedule

The Kuwana IshidoriFestival 's ritual car parade takes place over two days.

Saturday, August 3rd 0:00 Start

Around 18:00 Rehearsal (by group)

August 4th (Sun) 13:00～ Minami Market Lineup

16:30～ Flower float (first float) Kyomachi intersection

18:30~ Hanagurumato Festival

21:00～ Farewell

From here, we will introduce the highlights of each!

Introducing the highlights of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival

The festival begins with a ringing sound late at night! Knock it out

The Kuwana IshidoriFestival,” begins with the “takidashi” ceremony at 0:00.

We will wait for that moment at the point closest to Kasuga Shrine among each group. With Kasuga Shrine's Kagura Taiko as the signal, the sound spreads from areas near the shrine to areas far away.

The participants of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival have been waiting for a year for this moment. The tension from around 23:45 and the relaxation at 0:00, the gap between them is truly moving and gives me goosebumps.

After that, they will go around the group and the beating will be over in about 1 to 2 hours.

Highlights of each district! Shingaku

On the trial day, you should basically move in groups. From around 18:00, you can see the festival car parade around KuwanaCity. There are 11 groups, but I will introduce some of them.

・Two groups will meet at around 8:30pm in front of the bronze torii gate of Kasuga Shrine (a perfect collaboration of three towns!)

・Jugumi → Around 9pm, Watari Matsuri at Tatezaka Shrine (A Watari Matsuri just like the real thing, close to the station!)

・Group 11 → Line up in front of Kuwana Station around 7:00 p.m. (You can experience IshidoriFestival right near the station!)

Since you basically move in groups, you can enjoy the performance more slowly than in the main performance.

*Movements in each town are subject to change without schedule.

The map below shows the locations where each group will start, the start times of the rehearsals, and highlights!

A long procession of festival cars! Infeed

After the enthusiastic trial performance, it was time for the main performance. Honraku usually starts to move around noon.

The floats are lined up towards Kasuga Shrine in the order of the festival procession for that year (※). The way they are lined up changes every other year, and this year they are lined up in the Minamiichiba line. It is the old-fashioned style of line-up of floats lined up along the old Tokaido from Kajimachi. It is a magnificent picture scroll of floats straddling National Route 1. The last stop of Kitaichiba is about a 5-minute walk from Masuo Station, which is one stop away from Kintetsu Kuwana Station, so we recommend using the Kintetsu train (express and above trains do not stop there).

*The order of the festival will be determined by lottery at Kasuga Shrine on the first Sunday in June. Along with the joys and sorrows of each festival, it is also the moment when you feel that this year's IshidoriFestival is finally approaching.

By the way, the "Kitaichiba" line is lined up along Yamandori. This line is also charming, and each line has its own merits.

The children play a central role in this process of passing on the Ishidori Hayashi. Adults wear yukata and pull the festival car. It's like a cut from a picture scroll.

Once the line-up is complete, we take a short break and prepare for the festival. It is recommended because you can take your time to admire IshidoriFestival cars lined up in rows!

[Note] The festival car is a treasure of KuwanaCity. Please do not touch or get too close to the ritual vehicle, and follow the instructions of those involved.

The map below shows the route from the lineup to the festival. Please use it as a reference for viewing the festival floats.

The biggest highlight! Tosai Festival

After lining up, we take a short break, and from 4:30 p.m., we head to Kasuga Shrine via the Tamachi intersection (only in Kitaichiba year) and Kyomachi intersection, with the flower carriage (first in the order of passing).

The flower cart arrived in front of Kasuga Shrine around 18:00. The ceremony will be held, and at 18:30 the 8-minute parade of flower carts will begin. This is a great opportunity for the young people who are the main actors of the festival to show off their skills! There is no doubt that you will fall in love with listening to the Ishitori Hayashi with all your heart!

All of the participating festival cars pass the festival every 8 minutes, and by the time the last turn is over, it can be nearly 0:00. I was looking at it for so long that I missed the last train! Please be careful not to let this happen.

Enjoy 360°! Hikiwakare (Parting of the Floating Boats)

The highlight of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival is what happens after the festival. At the Tamachi intersection, four floats are pulled out together. At each intersection, one float is placed back to back, and from 9 p.m. (Minamiichiba no Tonen) the floats perform Ishitori music for 20 minutes. After that, they head back to their respective towns.

The 360° view of being surrounded by IshidoriFestival car is an impressive experience that can only be experienced at this time!

A hidden gem! Tamachi intersection/Kyomachi intersection

The Honraku festival is packed with highlights such as the "Watari Festival" and the "Hikiwakare", but the Watari Festival is the highlight and attracts many people. The Hikiwakare starts at 21:00 (22:00 in Minamiichiba), so people are worried about catching the last train.

For such people, we recommend the ``Tamachi Intersection'' (don't pass if you are in line with Minami Market) and the ``Kyomachi Intersection''. As you head towards Kasuga Shrine from the line-up location, you will pass through these two intersections in order. Young people join the festival at the timing of the passage, and get excited for the festival.

Personally, I think it's a little-known spot because there aren't too many people, even though it's a popular spot that's comparable to the Watari Festival and the Hiki-fare.

Directly told from Kuwana! Three points to enjoy the Kuwana IshidoriFestival

As a Kuwana native who has never missed the Kuwana IshidoriFestival in my life, I would like to introduce three points to help you enjoy the Kuwana IshidoriFestival.

If you listen carefully, you'll know the difference! The world of Ishitori Hayashi♪

The most distinctive feature of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival is the sound produced by the ``Japan's loudest drums'' and gongs. The roar was so loud that when I got home I was left with ringing in my ears!

In fact, these drums and gongs have a rhythm (Ishitori Hayashi) that is unique to IshidoriFestival, and is divided into three types: five-beat, seven-beat, and five-seven-beat. Even within this, there are approximately 10 types of Ishidori Hayashi, each roughly divided into areas.

Furthermore, the size of the drums and gongs differs slightly from town to town, so you can enjoy the Ishidori Hayashi of ``40 towns and 40 different styles'' rather than just 3 different types! Like Ototetsu, there are several Ishidori Hayashi that I recommend. It may be noisy, but why not try looking for a recommendation...?

Gorgeous and luxurious! The decoration of the festival car is like a “moving museum”

Most IshidoriFestival chariots have carvings, decorative metal fittings, maki-e, and lacquer! Some of the sculptures are by Koun Takamura, who was active during the Meiji and Taisho periods, and some call it a ``moving museum'' due to its gorgeousness.

The decorations of the entire ritual car often have a unified theme, but their individuality varies.

There is also a ritual car with cloisonné ware decorated with "golden shachihoko" inside! Please look for it!

Hint: The festival car in that town is full of seafood, so it might be easy to understand!

Among the gorgeous decorations on IshidoriFestival car, I especially recommend the tent.

It is the face of the ritual vehicle, so to speak, placed on top of the drum. During normal times, it is hidden and its pattern cannot be seen unless you look into it. The ``tent'' faces forward and reveals its true form at special moments such as the festival, the parade, and the farewell ceremony.

There are a variety of tents, including those with motifs of imaginary beings such as dragons, thunder gods, and phoenixes, and those with animal motifs such as horses and tigers. In some towns, it is used for both trial and main music, which is another important factor.

Oraga town uniform! Hanten (hanten)

Many of the participants in the Kuwana IshidoriFestival wear jikatabi (Japanese socks), a crotch puller and a breastplate, and a hanten (happy coat) on top of that. The hanten signifies that one is from this town, and each town has its own individuality. There are various types of decorations, such as those decorated with the pattern of a tent or those with the correct letters of the town name written on them, and minor changes are made every few years, so in a sense, they are one of the rarest elements of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival.

Designs vary from town to town and from era to era. I think you can enjoy finding your favorite even in hanten!

Come enjoy the first ever Stamp Walk!

On the main festival day, Sunday, August 4th, we will be holding the "IshidoriFestival Stamp Walk." If you collect stamps while looking at the festival floats lined up along Tokaido, you can enter a lottery to win a wonderful prize!

Please see the map in the next section for the location of the stamps. If you depart from Kintetsu Masuyo Station after lining up in the afternoon, you can collect stamps while enjoying the tour of the festival floats, starting from the last float, so it is recommended.

Date and time: Sunday, August 4th, 9:00-18:00

Eligibility: Those who have purchased the Kuwana IshidoriFestival Guidebook (Guidebooks are available KuwanaSosha, Ishitori Hall, KuwanaCity Tourism Association, and some convenience stores in the area where IshidoriFestival is held in the city)

Stamp locations: 5 locations: kambe Shrine, Ichimokuren Shrine, Tenmu Tenno Shrine, Awasuzaki Hachiman Shrine, and Kasuga Shrine.

Where to apply: Sunday, August 4th, 9:00-22:00 at Kasuga Shrine or the Ishitori IshidoriFestival Booth at Tamachi intersection (winners will be notified when the prize is shipped)

About access, parking, and traffic regulations

Traffic restrictions will be in place around the venue, so congestion is expected. We recommend that you come by public transportation.

Access by public transportation

・20 minutes walk from JR/Kintetsu/Yoro Railway "Kuwana Station" (to Kasuga Shrine)

About access by car and parking lot

・About 15 minutes from Higashi-Meihan Expressway "Kuwana IC" and "Kuwana Higashi IC"

Parking lots are located throughout the city. Avoid areas with restricted traffic and be cautious of pedestrians.

Please refer to the above drawing for the parking lot.
・City Hall North, East and South Parking Lots (paid): 24 hours
・Kakiyasu City Hall Parking Lot (paid): 24 hours
・Kakinan Community Park Parking Lot (paid): 9:00am - 10:00pm
・ Rokkaen No. 1 Parking Lot (free): 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
・ Rokkaen No. 2 Parking Lot (free): 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
・D Parking Sunfare Kuwana (paid): 24 hours
Rikkyo Elementary School (free): August 3rd at noon to August 4th (24 hours)

About traffic regulations

・On the day of the festival, festival cars are moving around the city. Please follow the instructions of the police and festival officials holding lanterns.

・Traffic restrictions on the day of the main festival are shown on the map above. These restrictions include Kasuga Shrine and Yamandori. Please be sure to check in advance.

Will there be food stalls?

​There will be food stalls at the 2024 Kuwana IshidoriFestival.

For both Shiraku and Honraku, stalls will be set up mainly on Hachigen-dori.

*Please take your trash home with you or throw it away in the trash cans located at various locations.

I want to tour together! KuwanaCity 's famous gourmet food

clam

Kuwana's clams have been famous throughout the country since the Edo period, so much so that there is a saying, ``That hand is Kuwana's grilled clams.'' It's large and soft, and when you put it in your mouth, it has a subtle sweetness and a unique flavor. Its deliciousness has earned it the nickname ``hama chestnut,'' and soup is an auspicious delicacy used at peach festivals and weddings.

We also have shigureni, so please try it as a Kuwana souvenir♪

ice cream bun

In KuwanaCity, there is a Japanese sweet called "Ice Manju" made with milk and azuki beans that is perfect for summer! The packaging is retro and cute, making it the perfect summer souvenir!

It's hot on the day of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival, so it's a great way to cool off!

Check this article for more details👇

[Summer Japanese sweets in Kuwana] I visited 3 stores famous for “Iced Manju” and will report on them!

How was it

Up to this point, we have thoroughly explained the appeal of the Kuwana IshidoriFestival. We hope that this article will help you enjoy the Kuwana IshidoriFestival from a different perspective, not only for first-timers, but also for those who have come to see it several times in the past!

The hot days continue, but I hope you can listen to Ishitori Hayashi and blow away the heat even just a little.