About the festival
Tottori Shanshan Festival fills the city with dancers turning bell-trimmed umbrellas. Different groups enter the designated streets from assigned positions.
Who is it for?
Travelers who enjoy colorful dance patterns and coordinated group performances.
Photo: 㭍月例祭 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original date: 2013-08-14. Original image or Commons thumbnail; no additional edits.
Dates and times
Usually August; mass umbrella dancing centered on 14 August
Usual season; next dates not confirmed. Times use JST. See the official programme for session times and changes.
Venue and parade route
Tottori · 鳥取
The main loop uses Wakasa-kaido, Katahara-dori, Chizu-kaido, Taiheisen-dori and Ekimae-dori. Groups start at different positions. The eve's event is at Fumon Square by Tottori Station.
若桜街道ほか鳥取市街
The map pin marks a reference venue, rather than every entrance or the full parade route.
Getting there by train or bus
- From Osaka, take the Limited Express Super Hakuto; from Okayama, the Super Inaba. Walk north from Tottori Station toward the dance streets.
What to see
- Bell-trimmed umbrellas
- Mass street dancing
- Festival-eve stage
History and origins
The civic festival grew from local umbrella dancing. Its name evokes bell sounds and the city's flowing hot springs.
Planning your visit
Our editorial suggestions for planning your trip.
Watch where the umbrellas turn to compare patterns across groups, and distinguish the eve's stage event from the street dance.
Places to visit nearby
Tottori Castle Ruins/Kyusho Park
鳥取城跡・久松公園
Castle remains and park paths below Mount Kyusho.
Take a daytime walk before the dancing, keeping hill climbs short if you plan a long evening on foot.
These stops and the suggested order are editorial recommendations. Check each venue's opening hours and festival-day road closures before travelling.
Tottori Shan Shan Festival: common questions
When is Tottori Shan Shan Festival?
Usually August; mass umbrella dancing centered on 14 August This is the usual season, rather than a confirmed timetable for the next edition. Times are Japan Standard Time (JST).
Where does Tottori Shan Shan Festival take place?
The main loop uses Wakasa-kaido, Katahara-dori, Chizu-kaido, Taiheisen-dori and Ekimae-dori. Groups start at different positions. The eve's event is at Fumon Square by Tottori Station.
How do I get to Tottori Shan Shan Festival by public transport?
From Osaka, take the Limited Express Super Hakuto; from Okayama, the Super Inaba. Walk north from Tottori Station toward the dance streets.
Does every dance group start at the station?
No. Groups have assigned starting positions around the street route. Fumon Square is a separate stage venue.
Official sources
- Festival and visitor guide 1 (tottori-shanshan.jp) ↗
- Festival and visitor guide 2 (tottori-shanshan.jp) ↗
Sources reviewed: .