Matsuri Guide

Name in Japanese and English

• 犬山祭（いぬやままつり）
• Inuyama Matsuri, Inuyama Spring Festival

History

The Inuyama Matsuri（犬山祭, Inuyama Matsuri）is the annual spring festival of the Haritsuna Shrine（針綱神社, Haritsuna Jinja）, located at the foot of Inuyama Castle（犬山城, Inuyama-jō）and within the castle town（城下町, jōkamachi）of Inuyama, in Aichi Prefecture. Local tradition traces the origin of the matsuri back to Kan’ei 12（寛永12年, Kan’ei jūni-nen, 1635), when city districts began parading floats and procession elements related to the shrine festival. In the 17th century, the event grew in scale and gradually organized around the merchant and artisan districts, eventually becoming the major spring event known today.

The festival’s identity is centered on its 13 “yama” floats（車山, yama, literally “floats”), famous for their theatrical automata（からくり人形, karakuri ningyō) offered to the shrine. The ritual setup combines festival music（お囃子, ohayashi), karakuri demonstrations, and spectacular maneuvers such as the “donden”（どんでん, donden, float pivot/turnover) and the “shagiri”（車切, shagiri, sharp turn). From a heritage perspective, the tradition is recognized as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property（重要無形民俗文化財, jūyō mukei minzoku bunkazai) in Japan, and it has also been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage（ユネスコ無形文化遺産, Yunesuko mukei bunkai isan) list as part of Japanese float festivals.

Location and Date of the Event

• Location: Haritsuna Shrine（針綱神社, Haritsuna Jinja）and the historic center of Inuyama（犬山市, Inuyama-shi）, around the “castle + castle town” area（犬山城・城下町周辺, Inuyama-jō / jōkamachi shūhen）.
• Address: 〒484-0081 愛知県犬山市犬山北古券65-1（Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi, Inuyama Kita-Koken 65-1）.
• Date: generally the first Saturday and Sunday of April.
• Date type: variable date (set on the first weekend of April, so it changes each year according to the calendar).

Schedule

The festival takes place over two days, with a typical castle town spring atmosphere: period streets, cherry blossoms, stalls, and especially the presence of the large district floats. Visitors come both for the ritual aspect (offerings at the shrine) and for the spectacle of the floats, their musicians, and the automata, not to mention the scenes of collective maneuvers in the narrow streets.

Saturday corresponds to Shingakusai（試楽祭, shingakusai, “trial festival”): the floats depart from the districts, converge at the shrine’s esplanade, then present the karakuri（からくり, karakuri, “automata”). In the late afternoon and evening, the most photographed moment occurs: the lighting of the lanterns（提灯, chōchin) during the nighttime float procession（夜車山, yoyama, “night floats”), when the procession passes through the town under the cherry blossoms.

Sunday is Hongakusai（本楽祭, hongakusai, “main festival”): key events take place (parades, gatherings, offerings), with the intensity of maneuvers such as the donden（どんでん, donden) and the shagiri（車切, shagiri). What makes the Inuyama Matsuri truly unique is the combination of multi-tiered floats and karakuri offerings, set against the backdrop of the castle and historic alleys, and the very distinct “day/night” shift between the two atmospheres.

Practical Tips

Photos

For action shots of the floats, aim for sharp turns (ideal for capturing a donden) and the esplanade in front of the shrine during the karakuri. The best visual “wow” moment remains the night passage（夜車山, yoyama): arrive before the lanterns are lit（提灯点燈, chōchin tentō) to secure your spot, then stay mobile. Bring a versatile zoom lens (equivalent to 24–70mm) plus a longer lens if you want to isolate details (gilding, dolls, musicians). Note: drones are prohibited in the festival area.

Weather

Early April can be mild during the day but significantly cooler in the evening, especially if you wait long periods still for the night procession. The festival is weather-sensitive (cancellations or reduced versions depending on conditions): monitor announcements on the day.

Transport

On festival days, the center is very crowded: prioritize train (Meitetsu) and then walking. Expect traffic restrictions around the castle and shrine, and late returns if you stay for the “yoyama.”

Visitor Tips

Crowd control plan: choose a first “fixed” spot (karakuri / gathering), then a second “mobile” spot along the float route. Keep in mind the program can be changed at the last minute (weather): check official announcements before heading out for the night part. Useful phrase: 「夜車山はどこですか」(Yoyama wa doko desu ka?, “Where do the night floats pass?”).

What to Bring

Cash (for small purchases), portable charger, warm layer for the evening, light raincoat (poncho), and a bag that stays close to your body (crowds).

Sources & References

• 犬山観光ナビ｜犬山祭（イベント詳細・スケジュール）

  Official Inuyama tourism page: presentation, highlights, access, and program (including 2025 schedule, guidelines, drone ban).

• 犬山祭保存会｜犬山祭の歴史

  Official preservation site: origin (1635), held on the “first weekend of April,” composition (floats, nerimono), heritage status and UNESCO.

• 針綱神社｜例祭(犬山祭)

  Shrine page: religious context, local origin story, and evolution of the festival around Inuyama districts.