Boasting a history that stretches back to the Edo period, the Hachiōji Festival is one of the Kantō region’s grandest float festivals.

The festival’s main attraction is the buttsuke float battle (literally “to collide”), featuring 19 elaborately carved, historic floats. Some of these floats are officially recognised as the city’s cultural properties.

When floats meet at an intersection, they engage in a lively musical showdown, competing to outplay one another through rhythm and energy.

The festivities also include folk dances, lion dances, a taiko drum contest, two grand mikoshi (portable shrines) representing the area’s main shrines, and over 200 food stalls.

Photo credit: Flickr – Seiji Enokido

Information

Start: Aug 7th 2026 at 6:30pm

End: Aug 9th 2026 at 9:00pm

Hachioji
Kosu-kaido Road, Hachioji

Free

https://www.hachiojimatsuri.jp/