Ise Festival: Autumn Festival Handed Down in the Sacred City of Ise

The time when the town of Ise, home of "Oise-san," is at its most brilliant of the whole year — that is the "Ise Festival." Woven from numerous events connected with Ise Jingu, the festival of Ise combines the solemnity unique to the sacred city with the liveliness of a festival that the local people come together to enliven. On the stage of the historic temple-gate town, traditional dances, parades, and mikoshi unfold, and the whole town is wrapped in a festive mood. Many people visit Ise to worship at the shrine, but at festival time you can meet a different, energetic face of the town.

Autumn Festival of the Sacred City

The Ise Festival is a major autumn event combined with Ise Jingu-related events including the national fireworks festival dedicated to the shrine and special autumn exhibitions at Jingu Nogyokan. Parades and traditional performing arts dedications take place throughout the city.

National Fireworks Festival Dedicated to Jingu

The national fireworks festival dedicated to Jingu held annually in autumn is staged for dedication to Ise Jingu. Fireworks launched from the Miyagawa riverbed beautifully color the sacred city sky.

Oshirashimochi Event

The "Oshirashimochi" ceremony related to Shikinen Sengu is a traditional event where citizens dedicate white stones to the shrine. The sight of volunteers in white robes carrying gravel is moving.

A Wide Variety of Events Coloring the Town

The appeal of the Ise Festival lies above all in the variety of its events. Presentations of traditional performing arts including the Ise Ondo, gorgeous parades by local groups, and troupes of dancers parading through the streets are well worth seeing. The solemn atmosphere befitting the sacred city of Ise and the enthusiastic liveliness of the participants coexist, drawing in even the onlookers. Many spectators gather along the route, and the sight of the whole town enjoying the festival as one conveys the affection and pride the people of Ise feel for their home.

The Bustle of the Temple-Gate Town and Oharai-machi

Something to enjoy along with the festival is a stroll through "Oharai-machi," the temple-gate town spreading before the Inner Shrine, and "Okage Yokocho." Along the retro streets, which recreate the townscape of the Edo period, famous food shops line up serving Ise specialties such as Ise udon, tekone-zushi, and Akafuku. If you enjoy street food along with the festival bustle, your trip to Ise will become all the more memorable. Being able to savor at once the atmosphere of the historic sacred city and a lively gourmet tour is a charm unique to Ise.

Ise Ondo

"Ise Ondo," a folk song continuing since the Edo period, spread nationwide along with Ise pilgrimage. At the Ise Festival, Ise Ondo dances are performed, continuing the transmission of traditional culture.

Best Season and Access

It is recommended to visit the Ise Festival during the festival period when the town is at its most brilliant. If you also plan to worship at the shrine, the comfortable seasons of fresh greenery and autumn foliage are pleasant. For access, Kintetsu or JR "Iseshi Station" is the gateway, and the Inner Shrine and the temple-gate town can be reached by bus. Traffic restrictions and crowds are expected during the festival, so using public transport is reassuring. Along with worship at Ise Jingu, you can enjoy a trip that takes in the festive bustle unique to the sacred city and the food of the temple-gate town.

Practical Information (2026)

• Dates and hours: Saturday, October 10, 2026 (Reiwa 8), 9:40-21:00 / Sunday, October 11, 2026, 9:40-17:00
• Venue: From around the Takayanagi shopping street to the prefectural road Toba-Matsusaka line (Ichinoki intersection) to the area around Iseshi Station (Ise City, Mie Prefecture)
• Parade: The parade proceeds about 600 m along the prefectural road
• Event squares: Ichinoki intersection and Amatsuji intersection
• Nearest station: The venue includes the area around Iseshi Station
• Food stalls: Exhibition and vendor tents line the route. Ise City also introduces them, saying, "The exhibition and vendor tents lining the route are a signature sight of the Ise Festival." The vendor areas are shown on a map in the official materials
• In case of rain: Held in rain; no postponement. However, it may be cancelled in cases such as the issuance of a storm warning
• Inquiries: Ise Festival Executive Committee Secretariat (Ise City, Citizens' Exchange Division, Citizens' Exchange Section) 0596-21-5549

*Parking, traffic restrictions, paid viewing seats, and toilets have not been officially announced.*

📚 Sources

• Ise City official website

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Getting to the venue: In a typical year, the venue is about a 5-minute walk from Iseshi Station on the JR and Kintetsu lines. The surrounding roads become extremely congested, so use of public transport is recommended
• Temporary parking and shuttle buses: In a typical year, temporary parking is set up at Miyagawa Shinsui Park and Miyagawa Tsutsumi Park on the west side of the venue, with shuttle buses running to the site (according to information from the Ise-Shima Tourism and Convention Organization)
• The usual program: In addition to the Ise Ondo dance and marching parades, there are performances of Yosakoi dance, Okinawan Eisa and kiyari work songs, musical performances, tezutsu handheld fireworks, sales of local products and more
• Scale of participation: It is a festival planned and run mainly by local residents, and Ise City has announced that a cumulative total of about 210 groups are expected to take part in 2025 (Reiwa 7)
• Official information: Ise City official website "Ise Matsuri," Ise-Shima Kanko Navi (official website of the Ise-Shima Tourism and Convention Organization)

* The above are guidelines based on information published by each facility and local government. Times and prices are subject to change, so please check official information before you set out.