{"schema_version":"v1","type":"trip_article","slug":"chichibu-night-festival","locale":"en","canonical_url":"https://www.voucherdata.asia/trips/chichibu-night-festival","updated_at":"2026-10-14T00:00:00+00:00","headline":"Chichibu Night Festival 2026: 2–3 December, floats hauled up Dango-zaka under fireworks on the 3rd","one_sentence_summary":"The Chichibu Night Festival is always held on 2 and 3 December. In 2026 that is a Wednesday and Thursday. On the night of the 3rd, six floats are hauled up Dango-zaka into the otabisho as fireworks go up.","facts":[{"label":"Date","value":"Fixed every year: 2 December (eve) and 3 December (main day). In 2026 these fall on a Wednesday and Thursday","source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"label":"Location","value":"Chichibu, Saitama. The procession leaves Chichibu Shrine and ends at the otabisho in Chichibu Park","source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"label":"Main-night schedule","value":"The sacred procession leaves Chichibu Shrine at about 18:00. The peak runs from just after 19:00 until the floats reach the otabisho at around 22:00","source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"label":"Floats","value":"Six in all: two kasaboko and four yatai","source":"https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001554242.pdf","sourceLabel":"mlit.go.jp"},{"label":"Fireworks","value":"In 2025, about 4,100 fireworks went up from Hitsujiyama Park on the 3rd between 19:30 and 21:55. On the eve they ran 19:00–20:00","source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"label":"Paid seating","value":"For 2026, reserved yatai viewing seats cost ¥4,000, with 350 B seats on general sale through Yao Travel Salon on the 5th floor of the Yao department store in Chichibu.","source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/news/2026yomatsuri_b/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"label":"Transport","value":"From Ikebukuro, the Seibu Laview limited express reaches Seibu-Chichibu in about 80 minutes. A limited-express ticket is required on top of the fare","source":"https://www.seiburailway.jp/railway/reservedtrain/laview/","sourceLabel":"seiburailway.jp"}],"city_tabs":{"chichibu":{"title":"Saitama · Chichibu","bullets":["Nearest stations: Seibu-Chichibu, plus Chichibu and Ohanabatake on the Chichibu Railway","December nights are cold. Bring a windproof jacket, gloves and heat packs","For Dango-zaka, find your spot before dusk"],"source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","sourceLabel":"chichibuji.gr.jp"}},"faq":[{"q":"When is the Chichibu Night Festival held?","a":"Every year on 2 December (eve) and 3 December (main day). In 2026 that is Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December, with the peak on the night of the 3rd.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/"]},{"q":"Where is the Chichibu Night Festival held?","a":"In Chichibu, Saitama. The floats leave Chichibu Shrine and finish at the otabisho in Chichibu Park, next to the city hall. Local legend says the shrine's deity Myoken meets the male god of Mt Buko on this night.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001554242.pdf"]},{"q":"How do you get to Chichibu from Tokyo?","a":"Take the Seibu Laview limited express from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu, about 80 minutes. A limited-express ticket is needed on top of the fare. On 3 December the railways add extra trains until around midnight.","sources":["https://www.seiburailway.jp/railway/reservedtrain/laview/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/"]},{"q":"What happens on the main night?","a":"The kasaboko and yatai are hauled up the steep Dango-zaka slope into the otabisho, the high point of the main night, while fireworks go up from Hitsujiyama Park.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/"]},{"q":"What should you wear to stay warm at the festival?","a":"Early December nights in Chichibu are cold, and you will mostly be standing still. Bring a windproof jacket, gloves, a woolly hat and heat packs, and wear shoes with non-slip soles.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/"]},{"q":"Should you book lodging and transport early?","a":"Yes. Demand for rooms in central Chichibu peaks on both festival nights. If you can't find one, stay around Ikebukuro and make it a day trip, and buy your return limited-express ticket at the same time.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/"]},{"q":"Is there paid seating, and where do you buy it?","a":"Yes. Seats are in a special area at the otabisho in front of the city hall. Yao Travel Salon, on the 5th floor of the Yao department store, sells them: postcard lottery entries must be postmarked 19–22 October, and counter sales start on 31 October, cash only, while seats last. For other questions, call the Chichibu Tourism Association on 0494-21-2277.","sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/news/2026yomatsuri_b/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/news/r7yatai/","https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/news/jrd_231020_1.html","https://www.chichibu-railway.co.jp/blog/news/yomatsuri2025/"]}],"sources":["https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/news/2026yomatsuri_b/","https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/news/r7yatai/","https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/news/jrd_231020_1.html","https://www.chichibu-railway.co.jp/blog/news/yomatsuri2025/","https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/common/001554242.pdf","https://www.seiburailway.jp/railway/reservedtrain/laview/","https://www.chichibu-matsuri.jp/"],"key_takeaways":[{"text":"On 3 December the railways run extra trains until around midnight. Central Chichibu is closed to most traffic on both days, and the tourism association recommends coming by train.","date":"2026-12-02","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/","source_label":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"text":"On the eve, 2 December, four yatai are paraded until about 20:00. It is easier to get close to the floats than on the main night, and during the day you can sometimes help pull the ropes.","date":"2026-12-02","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/yomaturi2025/","source_label":"chichibuji.gr.jp"},{"text":"Ranked with Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and the Hida-Takayama festival as one of Japan's three great float festivals, it was inscribed by UNESCO in 2016 as part of the Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals.","date":"2026-12-02","scope":"festival","source_url":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/","source_label":"chichibuji.gr.jp"}],"reading_outline":[{"id":"executive-summary","label":"Summary"},{"id":"city-routes","label":"Places and routes"},{"id":"rules","label":"Before you go"},{"id":"faq","label":"FAQ"},{"id":"sources","label":"Sources"}],"topic":{"chain":["trips","japan-festivals","chichibu-night-festival"]},"status":"published","hero_image":{"src":"/hero/chichibu-night-festival.webp","alt":"Chichibu Night Festival 2026: 2–3 December, floats hauled up Dango-zaka under fireworks on the 3rd"},"editorial":{"tagline":"Six floats, hauled by hand up the steep Dango-zaka slope","paragraphs":["Dango-zaka is the steep slope just before the otabisho in Chichibu Park, and the six floats have to be hauled up it on the night of 3 December to get in. The sacred procession leaves Chichibu Shrine with two kasaboko and four yatai behind it, all built with traditional joinery and no nails.","The festival is tied to a legend. Myoken, a deity of Chichibu Shrine regarded as female, and the male god of Mt Buko are lovers who meet on this one night, at the Kamenoko-ishi turtle stone in Chichibu Park next to the city hall. Mt Buko is visible from the shrine and has long been treated as sacred.","Along the route stands the small Suwa Shrine, whose deity the legend makes the wife of the Mt Buko god, and the Honmachi float's musicians stop playing as they pass it. Records of the festival go back to the Kanbun era (1661–72), when a Chichibu silk market was held alongside it, which is why it is also called the silkworm festival.","The main-night fireworks go up from Hitsujiyama Park; in 2025 about 4,100 were launched. As they burst overhead, the six floats are hauled up Dango-zaka in turn."]},"guide":{"lede":"To see the floats hauled up Dango-zaka, claim a spot before the procession leaves Chichibu Shrine on the main night, the 3rd, and expect hours on your feet outdoors in December. Paid seats go by postcard lottery from late October, with counter sales in cash only.","sections":[{"heading":"Dates: 2–3 December","body":"The eve and the main day fall on fixed dates, whatever the day of the week.\n\nOn the eve, four yatai are paraded through town from the daytime until about 20:00. On the main day all six floats are out from the morning. The sacred procession leaves Chichibu Shrine at about 18:00, and from just after 19:00 until around 22:00 the floats reach the otabisho. Timings shift a little each year, and the Chichibu Tourism Association's programme is final (tel. 0494-21-2277, 9:00–17:00)."},{"heading":"Location and the shrine story","body":"The festival is centred on Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu, Saitama, and the floats finish at the otabisho inside Chichibu Park, next to the city hall.\n\nIn the local legend, the shrine's deity Myoken meets the male god of Mt Buko on this night at the Kamenoko-ishi, a turtle-shaped stone in Chichibu Park. That is why the floats are hauled up Dango-zaka to reach it on the main night."},{"heading":"Getting there from Tokyo","body":"The Seibu Laview limited express (Chichibu service) runs from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu in about 80 minutes, stopping at Tokorozawa, Iruma-shi, Hanno and Yokoze. You need a limited-express ticket on top of the fare, sold on Seibu's Smooz website and at station ticket machines.\n\nCentral Chichibu has large-scale traffic restrictions on 2 and 3 December, and on the 3rd the railways run extra trains until around midnight. The nearest stations are Seibu-Chichibu and, on the Chichibu Railway, Chichibu and Ohanabatake."},{"heading":"Cold, long hours and crowds","body":"The peak is at night, so expect to stand outdoors in December for several hours, and the crowds are densest around Dango-zaka. With small children or older relatives who move slowly, watch the daytime parade or the eve on the 2nd instead, or pick a spot away from the slope where it is easy to step out of the crowd."},{"heading":"Planning the day and when to arrive","body":"On a day trip, arrive in Chichibu in the afternoon, watch the floats in daylight, visit Chichibu Shrine, and choose your viewing spot before dusk. On the main day in 2025, the Nakamachi yatai staged a kabuki play from 10:40 to 14:00.\n\nTo see the floats hauled up Dango-zaka, claim your spot before the sacred procession sets off, and buy your return limited-express ticket in advance."},{"heading":"Where to stay and booking ahead","body":"Demand for rooms in central Chichibu peaks on both festival nights, so book as soon as your dates are set.\n\nIf you can't find a room, stay around Ikebukuro and make it a day trip, or stay at a Seibu Line town such as Hanno. Booking windows and cancellation terms depend on each hotel."},{"heading":"Costs and paid seating","body":"The main costs are the train fare and limited-express ticket, lodging, and food from the stalls.\n\nFor 2026, the **reserved yatai viewing seats** are in a special area inside the otabisho in front of the city hall, from 17:00 to 22:30 on 3 December (planned). Each seat costs ¥4,000, with a charge from age 3. You can't choose your seat, and how much of the floats and fireworks you see depends on where you are put. The 350 B seats on general sale are handled by **Yao Travel Salon on the 5th floor of the Yao department store** in Kamimachi, Chichibu (tel. 0494-22-6445). 150 go by postcard lottery, postmarked 19–22 October, with the draw on 27 October and ¥1,000 shipping per group for winners. The other 200 are sold over the counter, first come first served, from 31 October to 3 November, 10:00–18:30, cash only, up to four per person.\n\nThe seller has changed in recent years. In 2023 Chichibu Railway sold the seats through its Chichitetsu e-shop at ¥3,000; in 2025 Yao Travel Salon sold them, also at ¥3,000, and the railway no longer handles them."},{"heading":"Staying warm","body":"Early December nights in Chichibu are cold. The floats and fireworks are all outdoors, and you will mostly be standing still.\n\nBring a hooded windproof jacket, gloves, a woolly hat and heat packs. Slopes and paving can frost over at night, so wear shoes with non-slip soles."},{"heading":"Etiquette while watching","body":"Each float belongs to a neighbourhood association, whose members handle the ropes and everything around the float. Don't touch the floats or ropes, and keep out of the haulers' path when taking photos.\n\nDrones are banned across the festival area, and if one flies over the fireworks site the display is stopped."},{"heading":"Crowds and safety","body":"The area around Dango-zaka and the otabisho entrance are the two busiest spots, and security staff control the flow of people. Follow their directions.\n\nRoads can frost over at night, so walk carefully when leaving. With children, agree on a meeting point in case you get separated."},{"heading":"UNESCO listing and cultural properties","body":"The Chichibu Night Festival is ranked with Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and the Hida-Takayama festival as one of Japan's three great float festivals. On 1 December 2016, 33 Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals, including this one, were inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.\n\nThe six floats are designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. The plays staged on platforms built out from the yatai, the hikiodori dances and the Chichibu Shrine kagura are designated together as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property."}]},"kind":"festival","available_locales":["zh-TW","en","th","id"],"event_start_date":"2026-12-02","event_end_date":"2026-12-03","dates_estimated":false,"next_edition":{"start_date":"2027-12-02","end_date":"2027-12-03","estimated":false,"source":"https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/"},"offers":[]}