4 Selected Festivals in the Nakano Area! Let’s Go to the Hikawa Shrine Grand Festival!

Nakano in Tokyo is famous for Nakano Broadway and Nakano Sunplaza. It is a rapidly rising area that ranks high in the “Most Desirable Places to Live” rankings. Here, we will introduce festivals held in the Nakano area. Nakano is a place where the old and new mix, and there are many historical festivals that you can enjoy together with the locals.

1. Nakano Hikawa Shrine Grand Festival

The southern area of Nakano Ward was once called Nakano Village. The general guardian of the area is this Hikawa Shrine. Its head shrine is the Hikawa Shrine in Ōmiya, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, and Nakano Hikawa Shrine was founded in the mid-Heian period. Every year in mid-September, the grand festival is held here, attracting large crowds.
It has as many as 36 parishioner associations, and during the grand festival, these associations gather to carry portable shrines (mikoshi) and floats (dashi). Many stalls are also set up along the streets and within the shrine grounds, so you can fully enjoy the festival atmosphere. Be sure to check the date and join in.

2. Ekoda Hikawa Shrine Grand Festival

There is also a Hikawa Shrine in Ekoda, Nakano Ward. Known as "Ekoda Hikawa Shrine," its grand festival is held every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of October. The intangible folk cultural asset designated by Nakano Ward, the "Shishimai (Three Lions Dance)," is performed late into the night. The lion dance of Ekoda has a history of over 700 years and was once under the protection of the Edo Shogunate, which granted permission to use "Goyō" (official business) wooden plaques and tall lanterns.
Before that, the "Oneri Parade" takes place along Shin-Ōme Kaidō. Over a distance of about 1.5 km, taking about an hour and a half, a procession including a drum float, children's mikoshi, adult mikoshi, priests and attendants, and lion dance proceeds, ending with the hanamandō musical float. This grand festival is bustling all day long. Let’s enjoy it together with the locals.

3. Nakano Nigiwai Festa

The "Nakano Nigiwai Festa" is a festival hosted by the Nakano City Tourism Association and others. Since 2009, it has been held every October around Nakano Station. With family-friendly attractions and live performances by skilled artists, it attracts over 170,000 visitors and is a lively event.
The festival is characterized by many events for children, such as riddle quiz rallies, inflatable trampolines, skateboarding experiences, and pot painting workshops with paint. Workshops by university students are also held. Live performances by local groups and student bands also bring great excitement.

4. Numabukuro Hikawa Shrine Grand Festival

There is also a Hikawa Shrine in Numabukuro, Nakano Ward. It enshrines Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the hero of the myth who defeated the Yamata no Orochi, and is famous for warding off evil. The grand festival is held every year on the third Saturday and Sunday of August.
Many stalls are set up, making it very lively. On the Kaguraden stage, dedicatory dances and performances are offered, and mikoshi and floats parade through the streets. This grand festival is loved by locals as a summer tradition. The shrine is also famous for prayers for safe childbirth and as a power spot, so it’s worth visiting for sightseeing as well.

◎ Summary

We have introduced recommended festivals in the Nakano area. Nakano is known as a sacred place for subculture. Nakano Broadway offers goods from all genres, the shopping streets in front of Nakano Station are full of cheap and delicious gourmet spots, and Nakano ZERO has a planetarium. The Nakano area draws a lot of attention, so be sure to take part in the festivals while enjoying sightseeing.

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4 Selected Festivals in the Nakano Area! Let’s Go to the Hikawa Shrine Grand Festival!