Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri: dates, venue and how to get there
Nara · 春日若宮おん祭
What to expect
Historical costumes, a procession and dedicated music and dance form the festival. Kagura, dengaku and bugaku performances have different times and locations.
Photo: Lovelin6th · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original date label: 2014-12-17 · Resized for display; the source file and reuse licence are linked below.
Festival dates and programme
Usual season · dates not confirmed
Usually 15–18 December; main procession and performances on 17 December
This is a usual season or past programme; it does not confirm the next edition. Programme times are in JST. Japan is 3 hours 30 minutes ahead of IST. Check the organiser’s latest notices for individual performances, weather changes and tickets.
Where the festival takes place
Nara · 奈良
Kasuga Wakamiya and the Otabisho performance grounds, Nara
春日大社若宮・御旅所
The location below marks one representative venue or route section. It is not the whole procession or every entrance; use the organiser’s venue map for your programme.
Getting there by train or bus
Reach Kintetsu Nara or JR Nara from Osaka or Kyoto, then travel towards Kasuga Taisha. Use the event map to distinguish the procession route and Otabisho.
Find a public transport route from your starting point ↗History and local traditions
The Wakamiya rite has continued since the Heian period, preserving forms of music and dance offered to the deity.
Plan your visit
Choose a performance from the timetable before deciding where to stand. The shrine and the performance grounds are separate parts of the programme.
Editorial suggestion based on the festival’s venues and viewing format; no personal attendance is claimed.
Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri: questions travellers ask
When is Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri?
Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri: Usually 15–18 December; main procession and performances on 17 December. This is the usual season or a reviewed past programme, not confirmation of the next edition.
How do I get to Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri by public transport?
Reach Kintetsu Nara or JR Nara from Osaka or Kyoto, then travel towards Kasuga Taisha. Use the event map to distinguish the procession route and Otabisho.
Are all Onmatsuri performances inside Kasuga Taisha?
No. The programme includes the procession and Otabisho performance grounds as well as shrine rites. Match the performance to its listed location.
Official programme and sources
- onmatsuri.kasugataisha.or.jp: Official festival and visitor guidance ↗
- www.kasugataisha.or.jp: Official location, transport or historical reference ↗
Reviewed . Some official pages are in Japanese. Open the source for this edition’s venue, daily programme and access conditions.