Festivals and Events

Traditional festivals and rituals are held at Fushimi Inari Taisha throughout the seasons. Open a month to discover its ceremonies.

Editorial illustration representing Saitan-sai

Saitan-sai

New Year's Day Festival

Date: January 1 at 6:00 a.m.

Saitan-sai welcomes the beginning of the new year with prayers for national peace, public safety, abundant harvests and economic prosperity. The main ceremony is held in the honden, or main sanctuary. Afterward, the head priest and other priests visit the subsidiary shrines throughout the grounds before taking part in a formal New Year greeting ceremony.

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Editorial illustration representing Ōyama-sai

Ōyama-sai

Great Festival of Mount Inari

Date: January 5 at 12:00 p.m.; mountaintop ceremony at 1:30 p.m.

Early in the morning, sacred shimenawa ropes are placed around the seven sacred sites of Mount Inari. After the main-sanctuary ceremony, priests and participants travel to Gozendani, where sake is offered upon the sacred Mikeshi-ishi stone before the group visits the seven sacred sites.

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Editorial illustration representing Seinen-sai

Seinen-sai

Coming-of-Age Festival

Date: Second Monday of January; January 12, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

Seinen-sai celebrates young people entering adulthood and asks for Inari Okami’s protection as they begin this new stage of life. Young adults connected to the shrine attend a ceremony in the main sanctuary, after which the head priest offers formal words of congratulations and encouragement.

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Editorial illustration representing Hōsha-sai

Hōsha-sai

Ceremonial Archery Festival

Date: January 12 at 2:00 p.m.

After a ceremony in the main sanctuary, a priest fires sacred arrows toward the four directions, heaven and earth. Two other priests then shoot real arrows at a large target. Traditionally, the way the arrows struck was interpreted as an omen for the year’s harvest.

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Editorial illustration representing Setsubun-sai

Setsubun-sai

Festival Marking the Change of Seasons

Date: February 3, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

Setsubun-sai marks the symbolic end of winter and the beginning of spring. After the religious service, selected fortunate men, fortunate women and fuku-musume throw roasted beans from the outer worship hall to expel misfortune and welcome happiness. Bean throwing normally follows at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

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Editorial illustration representing Hatsuuma Taisai

Hatsuuma Taisai

Great Festival of the First Day of the Horse

Date: February 1, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.

The shrine buildings are decorated with cedar and chinquapin branches known as Aoyama-kazari. Worshippers pray for commercial prosperity and household safety, and many receive the Shirushi no Sugi, a sacred cedar branch associated with protection and good fortune.

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Sangyō-sai at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Sangyō-sai

Festival of Industry

Date: April 5, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

Sangyo-sai expresses gratitude to Inari Okami as protector of industry, commerce and the necessities of everyday life. Representatives of companies, industries and devotional organizations pray for continued development. Products from around Japan may be offered, and shrine attendants perform the seasonal Sakurabana-mai dance.

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Editorial illustration representing Minakuchi Hashu-sai

Minakuchi Hashu-sai

Water-Entrance and Rice-Sowing Festival

Date: April 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Rice is prepared in the shrine’s nursery beds while prayers are offered for the plants to grow strong and produce an abundant harvest. The seedlings are later transplanted into the sacred rice paddies during Taue-sai in June.

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Editorial illustration representing Inari-sai, Shinkō-sai

Inari-sai, Shinkō-sai

Inari Festival and Divine Procession

Date: April 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.

Shinko-sai begins Fushimi Inari’s most important annual festival. The sacred presence of Inari Okami is transferred into five portable shrines, or mikoshi, which travel toward a temporary resting place and confer blessings upon the surrounding communities and historical parish districts.

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Editorial illustration representing Inari-sai, Kankō-sai

Inari-sai, Kankō-sai

Inari Festival and Divine Return

Date: May 3; procession at 2:00 p.m., return around 4:00 p.m.

Five decorated mikoshi and a procession of more than thirty vehicles travel through the traditional parish districts. They stop at To-ji, where Buddhist priests present an offering, before returning to Fushimi Inari. The sacred emblems are then transferred back into the main sanctuary.

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Editorial illustration representing Taue-sai

Taue-sai

Rice-Planting Festival

Date: June 10 at 1:00 p.m.

Women dressed as traditional rice planters, known as saotome, plant the seedlings while shrine performers present the elegant Ota-mai, a ritual dance recalling the culture of the imperial court.

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Ōharae-shiki at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Ōharae-shiki

Great Summer Purification Ceremony

Date: June 30 at 3:00 p.m.

Also called Nagoshi no Harae, the ceremony transfers impurities to human-shaped paper figures called hitogata. Priests and participants then pass through a large ring made of chigaya grass, known as a chinowa, as an additional act of purification.

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Motomiya-sai at Fushimi Inari Taisha

Motomiya-sai

Festival of the Main Inari Shrine

Date: Yoimiya-sai July 19 at 6:00 p.m.; Motomiya-sai July 20 at 9:00 a.m.

Worshippers from Inari shrines throughout Japan visit Fushimi Inari Taisha to give thanks for protection and blessings. During the preceding Yoimiya-sai, thousands of lanterns illuminate the grounds and Mount Inari. The main festival includes prayers and cultural performances.

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Editorial illustration representing Kōin Taisai

Kōin Taisai

Festival of Devotional Association Members

Date: October 10 and 11, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

Members of devotional associations connected with Fushimi Inari gather from across Japan. They express gratitude for Inari’s protection and pray for family safety, successful occupations and continued prosperity. Ceremonial performances and festive activities are also presented.

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Editorial illustration representing Nukiho-sai

Nukiho-sai

Rice-Harvesting Festival

Date: October 25 at 11:00 a.m.

The newly harvested grain is reserved as an offering for Shinjo-sai on November 23, while the remaining rice straw is later burned during Hitaki-sai. The festival connects the shrine’s spring planting ceremonies with its autumn thanksgiving rituals.

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Editorial illustration representing Hitaki-sai

Hitaki-sai

Ritual Fire Festival

Date: November 8 at 1:00 p.m.

Hitaki-sai gives thanks to Inari Okami for the autumn harvest and the life of all living things. Following the main ceremony, prayer sticks offered by worshippers are burned in large ritual fires while priests and participants recite purification prayers for the removal of obstacles and arrival of good fortune.

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Editorial illustration representing Mikagura

Mikagura

Sacred Music and Dance for the Deity

Date: November 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Mikagura is performed on the evening of Hitaki-sai. Revived in 1863 by order of Emperor Komei, it includes singing accompanied by wagon, fue and hichiriki, followed by the solemn Ninjo-mai dance in the light of the ritual fires.

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Editorial illustration representing Shinjo-sai

Shinjo-sai

New Harvest Festival

Date: November 23 at 10:00 a.m.

The rice harvested at Nukiho-sai is presented to Inari Okami as an offering of the year’s first grain. The ceremony expresses gratitude for the harvest and includes prayers for the peace and stability of the country.

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