Onbashira Festival of Suwa Taisha諏訪大社式年造営御柱大祭（御柱祭）

Suwa Taisha's greatest rite, held in the Years of the Tiger and the Monkey: great fir trunks are hauled down from the mountains and raised at the four corners of each of the shrine's four sanctuaries.

Formally called the Shikinen Zoei Mihashira Taisai, the festival rebuilds the treasure halls and renews the sacred furnishings, and raises onbashira — great fir trunks — at the four corners of each of the four sanctuaries of the Upper and Lower Shrines, sixteen pillars in all. In the April Yamadashi the logs are hauled from the mountains toward the villages; about a month later, in the May Satobiki, they are drawn into the precincts and raised, by human strength alone, in the Tatemihashira.

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 Suwa Taisha, from 804, in the reign of Emperor Kanmu, the whole province of Shinano was mobilised to serve the rite. The City of Suwa describes it as a tradition handed down unbroken for more than 1,200 years.

Source: 諏訪大社(external site, opens in a new tab) / 諏訪市(external site, opens in a new tab)

Onbashira is a festival of the shrine's parishioners (ujiko), served by those of the six municipalities of the Suwa region. The Upper Shrine's pillars come some 25 km from shrine forest on Mt. Okoya at the foot of the Yatsugatake range, and the Lower Shrine's some 20 km from the Higashimata national forest near Kirigamine. Hauling them down steep slopes and across rivers is itself part of the rite.

1. 01

   Yamadashi

   In April, the pillars are hauled out of the mountains toward the villages.

2. 02

   Kiotoshi and Kawagoshi

   During the Yamadashi the pillars are sent down steep slopes and hauled across rivers.

3. 03

   Satobiki

   In May, the pillars are drawn into the precincts of each shrine.

4. 04

   Tatemihashira

   The pillars are raised at the four corners of each precinct by human strength alone.

It is served by parishioners from the six municipalities of the Suwa region.

• Onbashira Festival of Suwa Taisha令和4年御柱祭プロモーション動画

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Only parishioners from the responsible districts may haul the pillars; the general public cannot take part. Typically the Kiotoshi takes place on the second and third days of the Upper Shrine's Yamadashi and on all three days of the Lower Shrine's. The festival is said never to have been called off for rain or snow. The next festival is scheduled for 2028 (Reiwa 10, a Year of the Monkey).

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

Official website — suwataisha.or.jp(external site, opens in a new tab)

• Respect that this is the parishioners' rite and do not join the hauling
• Follow stewards' directions and any restrictions

1. 1.式年造営御柱大祭 - 信濃國一之宮 諏訪大社(external site, opens in a new tab)諏訪大社 · Accessed 2026-09-26
2. 2.御柱祭 - 諏訪市公式ホームページ(external site, opens in a new tab)諏訪市 · Accessed 2026-09-26
3. 3.次回御柱祭について | 御柱祭 ONBASHIRA in SUWA(external site, opens in a new tab)諏訪地方観光連盟 御柱祭観光情報センター · Accessed 2026-09-26
4. 4.よくある質問 | 御柱祭 ONBASHIRA in SUWA(external site, opens in a new tab)諏訪地方観光連盟 御柱祭観光情報センター · Accessed 2026-09-26
5. 5.御柱祭 ONBASHIRA in SUWA(external site, opens in a new tab)諏訪地方観光連盟 御柱祭観光情報センター · Accessed 2026-09-26

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  Men ride a massive fir log down the steep Kiotoshi slope at the Onbashira Festival

  Photographer

  C1815

  Source

  Onbasira Kiotoshi.JPG(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  Public domain

• 

  Red-coated parishioners cling to an Onbashira log on the slope beneath Kamisha Maemiya banners

  Photographer

  gundam2345

  Source

  御柱祭 (長野県茅野市宮川) - panoramio.jpg(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

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

• 

  Crowds haul the sacred pillar across the Miyagawa River during the Kawagoshi rite of the Onbashira Festival

  Photographer

  C1815

  Source

  Suwataisya kamisya kawagoshi.JPG(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

  Public domain

• 

  A freshly felled sacred fir log for the Onbashira Festival resting on snow with its wooden name tag

  Photographer

  C1815

  Source

  ONBASIRA GOSINNBOKU.JPG(external site, opens in a new tab)

  Licence

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