Sanno Festival (Sanno Matsuri) 山王まつり

Name: Sanno Festival (Sanno Matsuri)
Start: 2025-06-07
End: 2025-06-17

2-10-5 Nagatacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo

2025-6-7 - 2025-6-17

Your current location:

Central Tokyo

Akasaka

The Sanno Festival is one of the three great festivals of Edo (the former name of Tokyo), alongside Kanda Matsuri and Fukagawa Matsuri. During the Edo period (1603-1867), portable shrines known as mikoshi and festival floats were allowed into the grounds of Edo Castle. Starting with Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Tokugawa shogun, Japan's shoguns (military commanders) attended and worshipped at the festival. Back then, it was called the Tenka Festival and was quite a spectacular event.

The Jinkosai, a Shinto ritual procession that served as the origin for the Tenka Festival, is typically held every other year. The modern Jinkosai is a highlight of the festival, as 500 people parade through the city.
Note: It's next scheduled to be held in 2026.

There are various other festivities that last for a period of 11 days, so you can attend every day and still see something new.
Events include a historically important, dignified ceremony where prayers are offered for the safety of the Imperial Palace and peace in Tokyo. There is also traditional Japanese entertainment, such as a Shinto music-and-dance performance, a Sanno drum performance, and the Sanno Ondo and Folk Dance Festival—said to be held earlier in the year than any of Japan's other summer bon odori festivals—as well as a parade of young children dressed as court pages.

How to Get There

Akasaka Station | Exit 2 | 3 min on foot
Chiyoda Line

Tameike-sanno Station | Exit 7 | 3 min on foot
Ginza Line | Namboku Line
Kokkai-gijidomae Station | Exit 5 | 5 min on foot
Chiyoda Line

Keywords

June
Summer

Opening Hours	For start and finish times, visit the official website.

Please check the official event website for the latest updates on opening dates and times, prices, and other information.

Reference Link

Hie Jinja event calendar (JPN)