Tsuwano Information

27/06/2026

"Sagimai" egret dance - 20th and 17th July: Timeline is updated!

●Sagimai
Sagimai shares the same root with the Gion festival of Kyoto, both of which are closely linked to Gion worshiping at Yasaka jinja shrine. In the afternoon of July every year, after a set of solemn rituals, a beautiful procession slowly passes through the town centre from Yasaka jinja shrine to the Otabisho, a deity's sacred lodge. A week later, another procession takes the deity back from the Otabisho to the shrine.

●History
Sagimai first arrived in Tsuwano from Yamaguchi in 1542 when the Yoshimi of Tsuwano established kinship with the Ouchi of Yamaguchi. Sagimai didn't seem very popular with the clan of the next feudal lord Sakazaki, with no records from during their rule (1601-1616). Two men were dispatched to Kyoto's Yasaka (then Gion) shrine in 1643 to accurately revive the rituals and the dance. Tsuwano's Sagimai has never been interrupted since then, whereas in other places the tradition was gradually lost over time. Nowadays, many groups from all over Japan, including Kyoto where Sagimai originated, come to Tsuwano to learn Sagimai since Tsuwano is the only place where the dance has been kept in its ancient style.

●Where and When
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Xih6JBjr1z2mek1pckB110hoVq8jl0A&usp=sharing

27/06/2026

The Sagimai ritual is held on the 20th and 27th of July every year.
The procession routes can be viewed via the link below:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Xih6JBjr1z2mek1pckB110hoVq8jl0A&usp=sharing

It's tomorrow and it'll be another hot day. get prepared for hot and humid weather and dehydration.
20th and 27th July every year.

sagimai procession routes
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Xih6JBjr1z2mek1pckB110hoVq8jl0A&usp=sharing

14/06/2026

Shobu iris at Tonimachi on Friday night.
Hydrangea looks great after the rain as well.

02/06/2026

Shobu iris season has come, they look so great under the blue sky! It's getting hotter day by day, be ready for the humid summer everybody!

06/05/2026

Beautiful sunshine, beautiful smiles!

The Steam Locomotive "Yamaguchi" runs between Shin-Yamaguchi and Tsuwano on weekends. It's a reserved-seat-only service, but it's worth taking the trouble!

01/02/2026

Big thank yous to all of you visiting Taikodani Inari Jinja Shrine today for the “Hatsu'uma” festival under cold rain!

Hatsu'uma is the day to worship the Inari deity, and foxes are believed to be her messengers. A Tsuwano folktale says the deity once saved a samurai by finding his missing key to the Tsuwano castle. Today, a pair of foxes visited the shrine and presented the key to the shrine.

28/12/2025

The end of 2025 is approaching. Thank you so much for your attention and support for us.

●●●Notice for Hatsumode visitors●●●
Be ready for the cold weather. Tsuwano usually has some snow during the winter holiday season. There can be a long queue to the Inari Jinja Shrine.
Fill up your car before entering Tsuwano, and winter tyres are a must. The fuel stations in Tsuwano will be closed on the 1st and 2nd of January.

01/12/2025

Autumn colours at their peak and winter is gradually getting close.
We had recently had a sub-zero temperature night.
Wrap up yourselves and enjoy the misty morning walk!

The chairlift to the Tsuwano Castle Ruins will stop operating until spring, but the site remains accessible by footpath.

29/11/2025

Autumn colours in Tsuwano!
Thank you Explore Japan יפן חוויה אחרת members for your big smiles and even bigger hearts. We had a great time with you.

31/10/2025

There's a lot to do in Autumn Tsuwano.

In the mornings, you can walk on the misty roads of Tsuwano as the morning fog fills up the entire valley. As the sun comes up, you can see the mountains are ablaze with Autumn Colours!

There are some events and campaigns as well.
Come and see!