Shinjo Festival
新庄まつり
"A historical celebration that brings community together by warm atmosphere and spectacular floats."
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– Johanna Hemminki
Historical background
The Shinjo Festival origins go back to 1756 when the fifth feudal lord of Shinjo, Masanobu Tozawa ordered a festival at Jonai Tenmaru Shrine to lift the spirits of his people and pray for a good harvest. People used to bring materials from their homes to decorate the floats which were carried in parade. During the years Shinjo Festival has evolved to a lot bigger celebration but the passion of the local community remains unchanged. The festival today represents the reminiscent of the feudal era featuring elegant traditional dances and decorated floats. Shinjo festival was registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
The festival is held from August 24th to 26th. There are three stages: the night festival, the main festival and the final festival.
Characteristics
Shinjo Matsuri Floats - Yatai
Shinjo Matsuri floats are inspired by themes of Noh and Kabuki performances and historical stories. The floats are decorated with different historical figures, characters and animals. They are made and funded by different local communities. Building the floats is also a competition, only the best ones are awarded and preserved for one year. The others are dismantled after the festival. The floats are lit up first time on the night of August 24th.
Festival music
The festival music is played by drums, flutes, gongs and shamisen. There are four traditional pieces. Two most played are melancholic Sukuwatari and lively Kakko. The songs styles can be variated depending on the generations and different traditions.
Mikoshi Procession
Mikoshi is a portable shrine which is carried through the city during the festival. It bears the deity of Tennmangu Shrine to bless the city and protect the people.
How to access
The festival is held near Shinjo Station. Main venue is located on Shinjo Station Community Square "Abies".
1-2 Tamoncho, Shinjo City, Yamagata 996-0024, Japan
To know more
Take a quick look at the festival. [Performance only]
See the festival floats during the night. [English]
Official website
https://shinjo-matsuri.jp/index.html [Japanese]
References
Hokuzan Nogawa. (n.d.). Shinjo Festival. https://en.hokuzan-nogawa.com/matsuri/
Japan National Tourism Organization. (n.d.). Shinjo Festival. Travel Japan. https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/427/
Shinjo Festival Executive Committee. (n.d.). About Shinjo Matsuri. https://shinjo-matsuri.jp/about.html
Shinjo Tourism Association. (2025). Shinjo Festival [PDF]. Shinjo City. https://www.city.shinjo.yamagata.jp/k001/010/070/R7shinjomatsuri_E.pdf
Direct voice from Johanna
I haven't had the chance to visit the Shinjo Festival, but it seems really fascinating. I think its long history is a thread that ties the community tightly together making the festival an important part of the communities local identity. The festival is filled with different colors and energy which makes it easily enjoyable for visitors. What stands out most to me is of course the incredible festival floats. They are crafted with so much creativity and details that they almost feel alive. You can see how much effort the communities have put into them to present them at the festival. Seeing people walk along side with the floats really makes an impressive parade, especially during the evening and night when it is dark and you can see them glowing.
Someday I hope to see them in person!
By Johanna Hemminki
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