Sanno Matsuri

Sanno Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s three great festivals, alongside Kanda Matsuri and Fukagawa Matsuri, and is dedicated to Hie Shrine in Akasaka. It is held in even-numbered years only, alternating with Kanda Matsuri; 2026 is a Sanno year. The full festival runs from 7 to 17 June, with the main outdoor programme spread across several days, but the centrepiece is the grand procession (Shinko-sai) on 13 June, when the portable shrine carrying the deity of Hie Shrine is escorted through central Tokyo by around 500 participants in Heian-period court costume.

The Shinko-sai Procession

The procession departs from Hie Shrine in Akasaka at around 8am and moves through the city over approximately eight hours, covering a route that passes through the Imperial Palace East Gardens, Ginza, and the Shimbashi area before returning to the shrine. The procession includes court musicians, archers on horseback, mikoshi bearers, and women in juni-hitoe court dress moving on foot at a slow, ceremonial pace. The route is published each year on the Hie Shrine website; the sections passing through Ginza and the Imperial Palace area draw the largest crowds and are the most photographed.

Viewing the procession is free from the roadside throughout its route. The stretch along the Ginza main street and through the Hibiya area (approximately 11am-1pm) gives the best combination of accessibility and urban backdrop.

Other Festival Events

The lead-up events from 7-12 June include performances of Noh and Kagura (sacred shrine dance) within the Hie Shrine precincts. The Yomiya (Eve of the Festival) on 12 June features evening performances and is considerably less crowded than the procession day. The closing ceremonies on 17 June include the return of the shrine deity in a quieter, more intimate procession back through the immediate Akasaka neighbourhood.

Getting There

Hie Shrine is in Akasaka, accessible from Akasaka Station (Chiyoda Line, 3 minutes on foot) or Tameike-Sanno Station (Namboku and Ginza Lines, 3 minutes on foot). The procession passes near Tokyo Station, Ginza, and Hibiya, all of which are accessible from multiple subway lines. See our Tokyo guide for accommodation near the route.

Tips

Sanno Matsuri only occurs in even years. The 2026 procession on 13 June coincides with Japan’s rainy season (tsuyu), which runs from approximately mid-June. Carrying an umbrella and checking the forecast the day before is advisable; the procession goes ahead in light rain.