The Furukawa Matsuri is an annual festival at the Ketawakamiya Jinja (Shrine) in Furukawa City. The festival is designated as an important, national, ethnic, cultural, heritage event. The festival consists of two events called Okoshi Daiko, which is a parade of drummers through the town, and the street parade of beautifully decorated, festival floats.

Okoshi Daiko, also known as "the naked festival", takes place on the evening of April 19th. Men wearing loincloths storm through the streets and compete to place small drums atop the main drum called “Okoshi Daiko”. The “Okoshi Daiko” , measuring 80cm/31.5 inches in diameter, is on a stage.

Related video

< Okoshi Daiko Schedule>

19th April

21:00 Matsuri Hiroba(square) A starting ceremony
21:30 Matsuri-Hiroba(square) Departure
22:30 Suzaku Kaikan
23:10 Shinsyu-ji Temple

20th April

00:00 Sakae Kaikan
00:40 Honko-ji Temple
01:10 Matsuri Hiroba(square)　Finish(Disbandment)

The main attraction of this festival is the nine, enormous, handmade floats called "Yatai" that are displayed on both April 19th and 20th. Each float is a masterpiece of art with wood carved decorations and beautiful paintings called "Miokuri". Two floats have Karakuri which are marionettes that perform amazing tricks. There is one float that has children’s Kabuki performances.

< Yatai Display Schedule >

The First Day(19th April)

17:00 All Yatai gathers at the western part of Ninomachi-dori(street)
Around 19:00 The Yatai move to Shinjyu-ji Temple
Around 19:30 Finish(Disbandment)

The second day(20th April)

08:00 All Yatai gather at Matsuri-Hiroba(square)
Around 11:00
The Yatai start a parade
Around 12:00
The Yatai make a stop at Ooyokocho-dori(street)
Around 16:30
The parade is restarted toward Imamiya bridge
Around 17:30
Finish(Disbandment)

※This schedule would be changed due to the weather
condition.
※In case of rain, the parade will be canceled.

Kodomo Kabuki


Karakuri(Seiryu)


Karakuri(Kirin)

Lion Dance,Karakuri and Kodomo Kabuki Schedule
(Karakuri ：Kirin Tai ・Seiryu Tai、Kodomo Kabuki ：Byakko Tai）
【19th】　MAP

Kodomo Kabuki（ByakkoTaigumi）	Place
1st performance	AM	10:30～	Sannomachi st.
2nd performance	PM	00:30～	see map

Karakuri（SeiryuTaigumi）	Place
1st performance	AM	08:00～	see map
2nd performance	AM	09:00～	Hashiba shop
3rd performance	AM	10:10～	Furukawa junior high school
4th performance	AM	11:00～	JR Hida Furukawa station
５th performance	PM	01:00～	Enko-ji Temple

Karakuri（KirinTaigumi）	Place
１st performance	AM	08:20～	Mishima candle shop
２nd performance	AM	09:00～	Watanabe sake brewery
３rd performance	AM	09:45～	see map
４th performance	AM	11:00～	back steet of Hida city hall
５th performance		00:40～	see map

【April 20th】

１st	Matsuri Hiroba
Kagura Tai	AM	09:10～	09:20
Kirin Tai	AM	09:20～	09:40
Byakko Tai	AM	09:40～	10:00
Seiryu Tai	AM	10:00～	10:20

2nd	Oyokocho street
Kagura Tai	PM	00:10～	00:20
Kirin Tai	PM	00:20～	00:40
Byakko Tai	PM	00:40～	01:00
Seiryu Tai	PM	01:10～	01:30

３rd	Oyokocho street
Kagura Tai	PM	02:10～	02:20
Seiryu Tai	PM	02:20～	02:40
Kirin Tai	PM	02:50～	03:10

Lion Dance at Yatai Procession

Night Festival on 19th Ninomachi St.
① Ryuteki Tai Yatai Storehouse
② Takayama Shinyo Kinko(Bank)
③ Tajika shop

20th
① Matsuri Hiroba
② in front of Ajidokoro Furukawa
③ in front of Asahi Kan(cuisine)
④ Sannomachi street
⑤ in front of Yamashita family house

※The time will be changed due to the progress.
※In case of rain, the performance will be held in the storehouses for Yatai floats.

• Transportation


• • JR TAKAYAMA LINE : This timeble is valid at 19th April 2009
    *Special Train
    
  
  【Takayama→Inotani】
  

  Takayama	17:52	18:41	19:21	20:23	*20:45	22:13
  Hozue	17:57	18:46	19:26	20:28	20:50	22:18
  Hida-Kokufu	18:04	18:53	19:33	20:35	20:56	22:24
  Hida-Furukawa	18:09	18:57	19:38	20:39	21:01	22:29
  Tsunogawa	18:26	-	19:52	20:53	-	22:42
  Sakagami	18:32	-	19:58	20:58	-	22:47
  Inotani	18:57	-	20:23	21:27	-	-

  
  【Hida-Furukawa→Takayama】
  

  Hida-Furukawa	*22:06	*22:30	*22:42	*23:00	*23:20	*23:40	*00:10
  Hida-Kokufu	21:10	-	22:46	23:04	23:24	23:44	00:14
  Hozue	22:18	-	22:53	23:11	23:31	23:51	00:21
  Takayama	22:23	22:43	22:58	23:16	23:36	23:56	00:26

  
  
  • NOHI BUS Timetable : This timetable is valid at 19th April,2009
    *Midnight Fare　　getting on and off at the bus parking area in back of JR Hida Furukawa Station
    
  
  【Takayama→Furukawa→Kamioka】
  

  Takayama	17:40	18:10	18:40	19:10	19:40	20:40	21:40	*22:40	*23:40
  Furukawa	18:17	18:50	19:15	19:45	20:10	21:10	22:10	*23:10	*24:10
  kamioka	-	19:35	-	20:30	-	-	-	-	-

  
  【kamioka→Furukawa→Takayama】
  

  kamioka	-	-	18:25	-	-	-	-	-	-
  Furukawa	18:10	18:40	19:10	19:40	20:40	21:10	22:10	*23:10	*24:10
  Takayama	18:47	19:17	19:45	20:10	21:10	21:40	22:40	23:40	24:40

The Rousing Drum
Scott Schnell

Hida Tourism Association
Tel : 0577-74-1192
Mail : info@hida-tourism.com