Odate Shinmeisha Festival— Vibrant Tradition & History

The beautiful ladies and gentlemen of Iseiko journey the farthest to join our exciting festival. Keep your eyes peeled for us!

Main Shrine

Our float was completed in 1990 and is 7.5m long, 5m high and weighs 5 metric tons. The hexagonal pavilion on the back of the float symbolizes the harmony of our neighborhood. Our talented musicians, beautiful dancers, and strong float-pullers combine forces to present the best Odate has to offer. Give us a cheer when you see us!

Main Shrine

Seihoko is still going strong in the Reiwa Era! We'll charge up the Tanosaka Hill Climb and put on a lively performance on the 11th. See you out there!

Main Shrine

Thanks to overwhelming community support, Yonseiko can continue to participate in the new Reiwa Era. Just like our new neighborhood, Yonseiko is a new face on the scene. Just as the neighborhood is growing and changing, so is our festival group. The children continually improve thir dance skills and the adults work hard to put on the best possible performance!

Main Shrine

Our group is based in Tamachi where the Tanosaka Hill Climb that marks the beginning of the festival takes place. We carry on the traditions of our ancestors and strive to be the best! Our passionate spirit has been passed down to us through generations and as always we pray for the continued prosperity of Odate City during the festival. Please come and enjoy our powerful performance!

Main Shrine

Suehiroko first joined the Odate Shinmeisha Festival in 1964 and has participated in 44 of the past 55 years. The cheers of our young group will echo throughout the town. When we pass by your neighborhood, please come out and cheer us on!

Main Shrine

The brilliant Taihoko float shines dazzlingly under the starry autumn sky. During this year's festival, we look forward to displaying a graceful and refined performance for festival goers to enjoy. Please lend us your voice and sing along with us this year!

Main Shrine

"Make way, make way! The horse is coming though, our symbol proud on our backs. Refined seniors and passionate youths! Our music is the sound of angels. Rich meals made by loving mothers make steep hills nothing at all! With our heavy wooden float we part the crowds. The dragon rushing through! The heroic warrior atop the steed is our symbol! Make way, make way! The dashing and refined Baryuko is coming through!"

Main Shrine

Our float is modelled after a statue of the goddess of music, eloquence, and water found on an island in Lake Biwa. Our graceful dancers perform as our ancestors did before them and our powerful float-pullers guide us around the city. Come out to see us!

Main Shrine

Shinrenko is one of the original four neighborhoods that have participated in the festival since its beginning. Those four neighborhoods take turns providing lunch for the main Mikoshi portable shrine during the festival. The name Shinrenko comes from the merger of smaller neighborhoods near Odate Castle to form a large group for the festival. The original float was lost to a fire in the post war years, but with help from the community a smaller mikoshi shrine was built and used. In 1982 the current float was finished and has been in every festival since. We try to carry on the pride and history passed down through the generations. Please enjoy our traditional music and dance performances and give us a cheer!

Main Shrine

We bring passion and energy to the festival as we perform to the elegent and powerful music played by our musicians.

Main Shrine

We represent the nieghborhood south of Odate Shinmeisha Shrine. Our members come together to put on an amazing performance for spectators. Please come see us!

Main Shrine

We are members of the Odate Magewappa Taiko group that specialize in traditional Japanese drumming. The Odate Shinmeisha Festival is a great opportunity to learn about local history and culture. We have students from every class level performing during the festival. Our taiko drum performances will have you asking for more!

Main Shrine

Naganeko brings a children's mikoshi portable shrine to the festival each year. Around 10 children can perform on the shrine at once. On the first day of the festival, we bring the mikoshi to the center of town to perform for spectators. On the second day, we slowly work our way around the surrounding neighborhoods. Children are the main part of our group and around 70 to 80 join in the festivities everyday. At the end of the second day we hold a party with games for children at the group headquaters. Our group is not large, but the children are making fond memories which will be the seeds from which our group will grow!

Main Shrine