Matsuri Festival continues through Aug. 24, 2025. (Yoshihito Morita, Stripes Japan)
Cool off from the ongoing summer heat with a fun festival coming to Misawa City, home of Misawa Air Base.
Misawa Matsuri will feature dashi floats, food and game booths. The event will run through the city center and has a history dating back to 1923.
According to the Misawa Tourism Association, in September 1923, locals attempted to thwart fire disasters that were plaguing Furumagi district, by carrying the gods of Fudo Jinja and Gongen Jinja to Yakushi Jinja for a two-night meeting. This tradition continues today as Misawa Matsuri every year in August and locals dress up in traditional festival attire and parade handmade dashi mounts through the streets.
This year, Misawa City celebrates its 101st festival with 13 colorful dashi mounts and a lot of mikoshi portable shrines participating in the traditional processions. Besides the processions, there are various costume parades and live performances of not only traditional festival music, dances, but also special stages by famous singers and idols.
While around 30 people pull each dashi float made up of human figures and flowers in the parade, you can enjoy the sights as well as many food and game booths set up for this three-day festival.
Don’t miss, but enjoy Misawa’s summer in a traditional way, by joining the spectacular three-day festival!
Misawa Matsuri (festival)
Location: Center of Misawa City
Period: Aug. 21 (festival eve), 22 – 24 (see flier for times and locations of processions, and stage events)
Tel: 0176-53-2175 (Misawa City Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
Note: The Main Gate of Misawa Air Base is closed from Aug. 22, 11 a.m. - Aug. 24, 7 p.m.
