Nine days and about 340 km on foot through four counties
Related guide: Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage 2027
The departure date and hour are set each year by casting divination blocks on Lantern Festival night, so they cannot be planned in advance. In 2026 that happened at 6 pm on 3 March: temple chairman Yen Ching-piao led the board in asking Mazu, and once the answer was favourable he announced the departure for Friday 17 April at 22:05.
The palanquin reaches Fengtian Temple in Xingang, Chiayi, on the fourth day. In 2026 it arrived on 20 April and the birthday ceremony was held the next day. It then retraced the route and was back at Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia on 26 April.
The most common blessing on the road is crawling under the palanquin. Worshippers kneel on the ground so Mazu's palanquin is carried over them, and some crawl underneath it while it is stopped.
Walking with the procession needs no registration, but the pilgrim flag has to be requested properly. You fill in a form at the Jenn Lann Temple service desk and buy the flag only after a favourable divination answer from Mazu. It is tied with a talisman, stamped with the temple seal and circled clockwise three times over the incense burner.
The theme of the 2026 pilgrimage was "goodness". Jenn Lann Temple estimated that about 600,000 people came to Dajia to see Mazu off on departure day.
The full guide to this festival
Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage 2027: departure date to be announced after divination on 20 February (usually March–April)
Full guide: dates, getting there and what you can book →
Tickets and transport you can book
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Taiwan-wide
Taiwan High Speed Rail tickets with attraction add-ons
The pilgrimage starts at Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia, Taichung; HSR Taichung is the easiest connection.
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