Festivals / The / Hamamatsu

Maisaka Odaiko Matsuri

舞阪大太鼓まつりsay “my-sah-kah oh-dye-koh”

Giant drums more than two meters across are pulled through an old post town on Lake Hamana, booming a prayer for safe fishing and a good catch.

Hamamatsu · Map ↗The weekend after the 15th day of the 9th month of the old calendar (October or November), every year★★ Day tripDrumsFloat festival

A street in Maisaka decorated with bamboo and lanterns, with a festival float and visitors. — A street of Maisaka decorated for the Odaiko Matsuri. Photo: Nippon Matsuri Network (matsuri-stream.jp), CC BY 4.0. Source

What it is

Maisaka sits on the shore of Lake Hamana, between the lake and the Pacific. Its fishing community has honored Kisa Shrine with a drum festival for more than 400 years, praying for safety at sea and a good catch.

The festival is timed by the old lunar calendar, around the full moon of the ninth month. Huge drums, some more than two meters across, are pulled through the old post town on carts, along with mikoshi and lines of dancers, filling the streets with sound.

Key dates

The festival at a glance

Date	What happens
Saturday and Sunday	Great drums: Drum carts and mikoshi parade through the old post town with dancers

First visit?

Which day should you go?

Best for first-timers

Either day

Follow the drums through the old streets of Maisaka.

At the festival

What to look for

The drums

Some of the largest festival drums in Japan, more than 2 meters in diameter, pulled on carts.

The old town

Maisaka was a post town on the Tōkaidō road. Its pine-lined old highway still survives.

Fishing prayers

The festival of Kisa Shrine prays for safety at sea and a good catch.

Getting there

Getting there & where to stay

From	How	Time
Tokyo	Tōkaidō Shinkansen to Hamamatsu, then JR to Maisaka	about 1 h 45 min
Nagoya	Tōkaidō Shinkansen to Hamamatsu, then JR to Maisaka	about 45 min

On the day. Kisa Shrine is a short walk from Maisaka Station.

Crowds. A local festival, busy on the main nights.

Where to stay

Our pick

Hamamatsu

Many hotels, 10 minutes from Maisaka. Try the city's famous eel and gyōza.

Lake Hamana (Kanzanji Onsen)

A lakeside hot-spring area about 30 minutes away by car or bus.

When to book. Booking 1 month ahead is usually enough.

Times are typical fastest routes. Check current timetables before you travel.

Before you go

Practical tips

Dates. The dates follow the old lunar calendar, so they move between mid-October and early November. Check the city's announcement.

Words you’ll hear

Glossary

Mikoshi神輿

A portable shrine. During the festival the kami rides inside while people carry it through the neighborhood.

Matsuri祭り

A Japanese festival, usually held for the kami of a local shrine. The word comes from the idea of serving and entertaining the gods.

Sources

References

Hamamatsu City: Maisaka Odaiko Matsuri, https://www.city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp/bunkazai/shitei/nintei27.html
Matsuri Stream (Nippon Matsuri Network): Maisaka Odaiko Matsuri.

Last checked 2026-10-13.