Onomichi City Events

Ceremony Of The Holy Flame - 柴燈護摩
Held: January 8

A fire walking ceremony to pray for good health, business fortune and peaceful households. After the fires die down participants walk across and chant a holy sutra. Held at Saikokuji Temple.

Sanba Shinmei Festival (Tondo Festival) - 山波神明祭 (とんど)
Held: January 15

Men and boys create handmade Tondos made of straw and bamboo and throw them into a fire to see off the deities who came to visit for the New Year. Held at Sanba Elementary School.

Setsubun Ceremony - 節分会
Held: February 3

People born in the same sign as the current chinese astrological year throw out soybeans from the temple and yell, "Oni ha Soto, Fuku ha Uchi" or "Demons out, good fortune out." Held at Saikokuji Temple.

Senko-ji Park's Cherry Blossom - 千光寺公園の桜
Held: End of March to Mid April

Selected as one of Japan's top 100 places to view the blossoms.

Onomichi Minato Port Festival - 尾道みなと祭
Held: 4th Saturday and Sunday in April

Taking place in front of the station, in the shopping arcade and throughout town is a celebration of the start of construction of Onomichi harbor's in 1740 with the help of Kakuzaemon Hirayama. Parades and other events.

Mountain King (Sanou) Festival - 山王祭
Held: 3rd Saturday in May

Held at the Yamawaki Shrine is a festival to greet summer. Traditionally in Onomichi, Yukatas (a light cotton kimono) are worn from this day on.

Onomichi Sumiyoshi Fireworks Festival - おのみち住吉花火まつり - End of July and 1rst Saturday of August.

Thousands of fireworks exploding over the harbor. Sponsored by Sumiyoshi Shrine and set off by the Edo Era established Hamadonya Group.

Water Festival - 水祭り
Held: End of July

A puppet/magic show at the Kumano-Gongen Shrine in Mizuo-cho featuring puppets which squirt water from their hands. Great for cooling down on hot summer days.

Gion Festival - 祇園祭
Held: End of July

Men old and young alike wearing Happi (traditional workman's clothes) race through town with a Mikoshi (portable shrine) in a race to the finish line.

Tenjin Festival - 天神祭
Held: End of July (around the 25th)

Misode Tenmangu, a trusted advisor of the emperor in the Heian Era, stopped in Onomichi on his way to Kyushu. So moved by the people's generosity, he offered them (of all things) his sleeve which the good people of Onomichi promptly built Misode Tenmangu shrine around. This festival where portable shrines are paraded occurs close to the anniversary of his death in 903.

Yoshiwa Taiko Dance - 吉和太鼓踊り
Held:August 18th (Biannual - Odd numbered years)

Celebration of Takauji Ashikaga victory and formation of the Muromachi Bakufu. Held at the Jodoji Temple. Proclaimed as a intangible folklore cultural asset by Hiroshima Prefecture.

Onomichi Chrysanthemum Flower Festival - 尾道大菊花大会
Held: Mid October to end of November

Onomichi's flower festival. Held at Senkoji Park.

Rice Cake Making Ritual - 餅つき神事
Held: 3rd Saturday in October

Wearing only a modest loincloth, men pound rice into rice cakes which are used as an offering to the gods for a plentiful harvest. Held at Sanba-Ushitora Shrine.

Kinosho Kane Taiko Dance - 木ノ庄鉦太鼓踊り
Held: 3rd Sunday in October

A traditional dance performed with taiko drum music in traditional costume for the shrine's gods. Held at Kinosho Heitaka Hachiman Shrine.

Betchya Festival - 尾道ベッチャー祭り
Held: November 11th

A festival started in the Edo era. Young men in costume as demons terrorize young children who, if they are lucky enough to be beaten with a bamboo stick, are then protected from illness for the rest of the year. Held at Kibitsu-hiko Shrine.