On the second day the floats leave the streets, cross the sand of Ohama Beach and are driven straight into the surf.
Overview
Hiwasa Hachiman Shrine’s autumn grand festival is the largest of its kind in Tokushima Prefecture. Eight chosa – drum floats carried on the shoulders of large teams – tour the Hiwasa district on the first day, then head for the beach on the second.
Ohama Beach is better known internationally as a loggerhead turtle nesting site. Seeing heavy wooden floats hauled across it and into the waves, with the crews soaked to the waist, is one of the more unusual festival sights in Japan.
When and where
The town has confirmed 2026 dates of Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October. On 10 October the rites begin at 07:30, the mikoshi sets out at 09:00 and the floats start their tour of the town at noon, returning to the shrine around 18:00, with dedicatory fireworks at 21:00. On 11 October the floats head out to Ohama Beach at about 09:50 and return to the shrine from around 13:30.
Nearest station: JR Hiwasa, on the Mugi line.
Getting there
JR Hiwasa is about 90 minutes from Tokushima Station on the Mugi line; the shrine and the beach are both within walking distance of the station. From Tokushima Awaodori Airport, allow around two and a half hours in total.
If you drive, the town ground on the site of the former Hiwasa junior high school is used as a temporary car park – street parking is not permitted. The prefectural road in front of the town hall closes to traffic on the evening of 10 October.
What to expect
The two days are structured quite differently, so it is worth seeing both if you can.
- Eight chosa drum floats plus a danjiri from the Teragomi district
- The o-hama-ide, when the floats are taken onto Ohama Beach and into the waves
- Miko dances, a children’s sumo tournament and dedicatory performances on the eve
- Fireworks over the shrine at 21:00 on 10 October
- A closing teuchi-shiki ceremony and three cheers at the shrine on the final evening
Tickets and admission
Free. There is no ticketing or paid seating. The beach is open, but the floats move at speed across the sand and the water is genuinely rough in October, so keep well clear of the crews.
Tips for visitors
Sunday 11 October is the day to prioritise – the beach run is the reason people come. Arrive before 09:50 and stand well back from the waterline. Yakuo-ji, one of the best-known temples on the Shikoku pilgrimage, is a five-minute walk from the shrine and worth building into the same trip. Bring shoes you do not mind getting sandy.
Access and map
| Dates | 10-11 October 2026 (beach run on 11 October) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Hiwasa Hachiman Shrine and Ohama Beach, Minami, Tokushima |
| Access | JR Hiwasa station, then on foot |
| Admission | Free |
| Official site | Minami Town |
Source: Minami Town official website
Image: Photo: Kameuminami / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
