2026 Kokkiriko Festival Full-Day Course
A full-day course celebrating the first day of the Kokkiriko Festival (September 25–26, 2026; Kami-nashi District, Nanto City), where Japan's oldest folk song is danced through the Gokayama valleys. In the morning, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Gassho-zukuri settlements and the Iwase-ke farmhouse—a National Important Cultural Property—to learn how mountain communities lived. Explore the Gokayama Folk Museum to discover the history of saltpeter production and washi papermaking. After walking through the Aikura Gassho-zukuri Settlement and resting at Michi-no-Eki Kamihira, experience the festival in the evening at Hakusan Shrine. The graceful, time-honored dances performed to the sound of sasara instruments create the quiet, intense atmosphere unique to the gassho-zukuri village.
Schedule
A National Important Cultural Property: Gassho-zukuri Farmhouse of Exceptional Scale in Gokayama
Learn About Mountain Life Through Saltpeter Production and Washi Papermaking—Birthplace of Kokkiriko Song
Stroll Through a UNESCO World Heritage Gassho-zukuri Settlement and Experience Mountain Village Scenery
Before Heading to the Festival: Dinner and Local Flavors at a Roadside Station
Dance to Japan's Oldest Folk Song: An Evening with Sasara Instruments
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