2026 Hanamaki Festival: A Full One-Day Course

The Hanamaki Festival, with over 300 years of history, takes place in Hanamaki, the hometown of Miyazawa Kenji (September 11-13, 2026, held around Kamimachi and Omatsuri Plaza in Hanamaki City, among other venues). This one-day course centers on the festival's opening day (September 11, 2026), when gorgeous, elaborately decorated floats and spirited Shishi-odori (deer dance) troupes parade through the streets. During the day, stroll through Toyagasaki Park on the former site of Hanamaki Castle, and experience the world of 'Night on the Galactic Railroad' at the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum and Ihatov Village. After finishing dinner near Hanamaki Station, at 5 p.m. the sound of taiko drums and flutes begins to ring out around Kamimachi, as brightly colored floats bring color to the streets. At the food-stall village in the venue's neighboring Hanamaki Central Plaza, you can enjoy eating your way through local treats from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. - a day unique to Hanamaki, where literature and festival coexist.