Mibu no Hana Taue 2026: Hiroshima’s UNESCO Rice-Planting Ritual

Chugoku · HiroshimaCultural

A UNESCO-listed rice-planting ritual turns a northern Hiroshima paddy into a pageant of decorated oxen, drums and song.

Overview

Mibu no Hana Taue is a traditional rice-planting ritual held on the first Sunday of June in Kitahiroshima, in the hills of northern Hiroshima Prefecture. Inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2011, it stages an everyday farming task as a colourful spectacle: elaborately decorated oxen till a sacred paddy while rows of women in matching dress plant seedlings to the beat of drums, flutes and call-and-response field songs. It is a rare chance to see a living folk performance rather than a stage recreation.

When & Where

Sunday 7 June 2026, at Mibu, Kitahiroshima Town, Yamagata District, Hiroshima. The main planting takes place in the afternoon.

Getting There

The site is rural, and a car is the easiest way in — about an hour from Hiroshima City. Buses run toward Chiyoda/Kitahiroshima from Hiroshima, but services are limited, so check timings carefully. Reserved-seat bus tours from Hiroshima are sometimes offered for the day.

What to Expect

A procession of ornately caparisoned oxen, the “flower” decorations that give the festival its name, and the synchronised planting accompanied by saibara field songs. The muddy paddy, bright costumes and steady drumming create a distinctive, deeply local atmosphere.

Tickets & Access

Watching is free. Because the venue is remote with limited parking and transport, plan travel in advance; an organised tour can remove the logistical hassle.

Access and Map

Source: Dive! Hiroshima (Hiroshima Tourism)
Image: Photo: Kuma83 (talk) / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain