Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri岸和田だんじり祭

A danjiri (festival cart) festival with more than 300 years of history, which began with an Inari festival held by the lord of Kishiwada in the mid-Edo period to pray for abundant harvests.

Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is an autumn festival in which each neighbourhood's danjiri is hauled through the streets, held as a September festival and an October festival. The yarimawashi, when a danjiri swings sharply around a corner, and the daikugata dancing rhythmically on its great roof, are its defining images. Trial runs precede the main days, and hauling continues across the Yoimiya and Honmiya.

This is a religious rite rooted in a shrine or temple. Please follow the guidance of the organizers and clergy, and take care not to disrupt the ceremonies.

According to the City of Kishiwada, the festival is said to have begun in 1703 (Genroku 16), when Okabe Nagayasu, lord of the Kishiwada domain, enshrined the deity of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari in the castle's third bailey and held an Inari festival to pray for a rich harvest of the five grains. In its early form, townspeople performed niwaka and comic skits as they made their way to the Sannomaru shrine and Kishiki Shrine.

Source: 岸和田市(external site, opens in a new tab)

The City of Kishiwada describes a spirit that binds each community together, carried unbroken through changing times. The festival includes miyairi — the ceremonial entry of the danjiri into shrines such as Kishiki Shrine and Kishiwada Tenjingu.

1. 01

   Yarimawashi

   The signature manoeuvre in which a danjiri swings sharply around a corner.

2. 02

   Daikugata

   The dancer atop the great roof, regarded as the flower of the festival.

3. 03

   Miyairi

   The danjiri are hauled into the shrine precincts.

4. 04

   Shiken-biki (trial runs)

   Trial hauling held before the main days.

• Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri平成24年だんじり祭　こなから坂（9月16日中町）

• Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri岸和田のだんじり祭－そのロマンと郷愁－ （昭和55年祭礼）

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The City of Kishiwada publishes each year's hauling dates and times, along with routes and the order of miyairi. Check the city's official pages before visiting.

Traffic controls, seating and fees change every year. Always check the official website for the latest information.

Official website — city.kishiwada.lg.jp(external site, opens in a new tab)

• Keep off the hauling route and follow stewards' directions
• Respect that this is a community's own festival

1. 1.岸和田だんじり祭 - 岸和田市公式ウェブサイト(external site, opens in a new tab)岸和田市 · Accessed 2026-09-26
2. 2.だんじり祭の歴史 - 岸和田だんじり祭 - 岸和田市公式ウェブサイト(external site, opens in a new tab)岸和田市 · Accessed 2026-09-26
3. 3.だんじり豆知識 - 岸和田だんじり祭 - 岸和田市公式ウェブサイト(external site, opens in a new tab)岸和田市 · Accessed 2026-09-26

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  A carved Kishiwada danjiri float surrounded by white-coated haulers with a leader dancing on its roof

  Photographer

  Kounosu

  Source

  Kishiwada-Danjiri-Matsuri Osaka Japan.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 3.0(external site, opens in a new tab)

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  Kishiwada danjiri floats hung with glowing lanterns moving through the crowd at night

  Photographer

  Kounosu

  Source

  Kishiwada-Danjiri-Matsuri in the night Osaka Japan.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 3.0(external site, opens in a new tab)

• 

  A Kishiwada danjiri float dressed with rows of glowing red paper lanterns

  Photographer

  663highland

  Source

  120513 Kishiwada Danjiri Kaikan Kishiwada Osaka pref Japan05s.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  CC BY-SA 4.0(external site, opens in a new tab)

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  Headband-wearing haulers run with a danjiri as a leader waves fans on the roof

  Photographer

  Peter 111 at French Wikipedia

  Source

  Kishiwada danjiri.JPG(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  Public domain