Celebrated at Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine from 14–19 October (with each hamlet rotating its specific date), the Doburoku Matsuri is a harvest thanksgiving rooted in over 1,200 years of tradition in the UNESCO-listed gassho-zukuri thatched-roof village of Ogimachi. Sacred doburoku—a milky, unfiltered sake brewed only for this ritual—is first offered to the deity and then freely distributed to worshippers and guests. Traditional lion dances, folk performing arts, and the atmospheric backdrop of steep-roofed farmhouses make this one of Japan's most intimate regional festivals.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Autumn
- Month
- Mid-October
- Region
- Chubu
- Prefecture
- Gifu
- City
- Shirakawa
Highlights
- ◆Free tasting of ritually brewed doburoku (unfiltered sake)
- ◆Sacred lion dances and traditional performing arts
- ◆UNESCO World Heritage gassho-zukuri village setting
- ◆Over 1,200 years of unbroken harvest-ritual tradition
- ◆Intimate, community-led atmosphere