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Event Guide · Chubu & Hokuriku

Nagoya Festival

OctoberNagoya2026 (72nd): Oct 17 (Sat) – Oct 18 (Sun), 2 days (no Nagoya Festival processions)
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Overview

Overview

Begun in 1955, this is Nagoya’s biggest autumn festival. In usual years the highlights are the Nagoya Festival processions: the Kyodo Eiketsu Gyoretsu (Procession of Local Heroes), in which the three great unifiers Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu march with about 650 followers, and the gatherings of dashi floats and kagura floats, designated city cultural properties. For the 72nd edition (2026), the dates overlap with the torch relay and opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, so the Nagoya Festival processions will not be held; instead, stages, booths and special programs will take place mainly in Hisaya Odori Park.

When
Usually a Saturday and Sunday in mid-October
Confirmed dates: 2026 (72nd): Oct 17 (Sat) – Oct 18 (Sun), 2 days (no Nagoya Festival processions)
Venue
Hisaya Odori Park (EDION Hisaya Hiroba, Angel Hiroba, Ai no Hiroba, Sakae Hirobus), Nagoya Castle and more (2026)
Official website
https://www.nagoya-festival.jp/
Official website (English) ↗
Highlights

Highlights

For 2026, special programs are planned in Hisaya Odori Park, including a flower car display, dashi float music and karakuri puppet performances, kagura festival music, a display of floats from the Procession of Local Heroes, and a Bon dance gathering. You can also enjoy stage performances by samurai troupes and a food zone centered on Nagoya-meshi (Nagoya specialties).

Times

Times

Hisaya Odori Park venue (each plaza)11:00–20:00 (17th) / 10:00–20:00 (18th)

EDION Hisaya Hiroba, Angel Hiroba, Ai no Hiroba and Sakae Hirobus. Official information for 2026. Stage details will be posted on the official website once decided

Mystery-solving event ‘Old Documents of the Three Heroes’11:00–20:00 (17th) / 10:00–20:00 (18th)

Registration until 18:00 on both days. Official Nagoya City information for 2026

Times can change from year to year. Check the official website for the latest information.

Tips

Tips for travelers

  • ✓In 2026 (72nd), the Nagoya Festival processions featuring the three great unifiers will not be held. If the processions are what you want to see, check official announcements for the following years
  • ✓The 2026 leaflet and stage details are scheduled to be posted on the official website around early October
  • ✓Venue events go ahead in rain (may be canceled in stormy weather). Check the official website and official X account for the latest information
  • ✓Free admission to tourist facilities in the city is also planned during the festival (check official announcements for eligible facilities)
  • ✓There is no dedicated parking, so use public transport
Access

Getting there

Nearest stations
  • Sakae Station (Subway Higashiyama Line)Right outsideHisaya Odori Park venue
From major stations
  • Nagoya Station: Subway Higashiyama Line to Sakae Station
IC cards (Suica etc.)
On Nagoya City subways and city buses, you can use manaca as well as Kitaca, PASMO, Suica, TOICA, PiTaPa, ICOCA, Hayakaken, nimoca and SUGOCA
Getting back
  • Sakae Station gets crowded around 20:00, when the venue closes, so shift your timing a little or use a nearby station such as Hisaya-odori Station
  • In 2026 there are no processions, so there are no procession-related traffic restrictions
Open in Google Maps ↗
Crowds

Crowds & best timing

Busiest times
Weekend afternoons to early evenings, during stage performances
Quieter times
Mornings right after opening (from 10:00 on the 18th)
Time needed
2–3 hours to look around the plazas of Hisaya Odori Park
Weather

Weather & what to wear

Evening temperatures
Nagoya’s October normals are a high of 23.3°C and a low of 14.8°C. Evenings can feel chilly
What to wear
A long-sleeved shirt with a light jacket or cardigan. If you stay into the evening, bring something to throw on
Rain, snow & typhoons
Venue events at Hisaya Odori Park and Nagoya Castle go ahead in rain but may be canceled in stormy weather
Where to check for cancellations
Nagoya Festival official website (https://www.nagoya-festival.jp/) and official X account, Nagoya Oshiete Dial (052-953-7584)
☁ Chubu & Hokuriku weather in October →
Etiquette

Local rules & etiquette

  • !Follow the venue’s trash sorting or take your trash home
  • !Around the stages, follow staff directions and do not block the aisles
  • !Refrain from using selfie sticks and tripods in crowds
  • !Public trash bins are rare in Japan. Bring a small bag and take your trash with you.
  • !Smoking while walking is banned in many cities. Use designated smoking areas.
Facilities

Facilities

Toilets
Use the toilets in Hisaya Odori Park or nearby commercial facilities. They get crowded on weekends, so go early
Lockers & luggage
Use coin lockers around Sakae Station or Nagoya Station
Paying at food stalls
Some stalls and booths may be cash only, so bring cash as well
ATMs
Convenience store ATMs around Sakae
Seven Bank ATMs (inside 7-Eleven stores) usually accept cards issued overseas.
Wheelchairs & strollers
Hisaya Odori Park is flat and easy to get around, but allow extra time with a wheelchair or stroller when it’s crowded on weekends
Food

Food

Local favorites
Miso katsuTebasaki (chicken wings)Hitsumabushi (grilled eel over rice)Kishimen (flat noodles)
Vegetarian & halal
Vegetarian and halal labels are rare, so it helps to look up nearby restaurants in advance
Tours & tickets for this eventPR
🏨 Where to stay during the event

There are many hotels around Nagoya Station and Sakae, but they get busy on weekends, so early booking is recommended

Where to Stay · Agoda

Places to Stay near Nagoya FestivalPR

PRSee more places to stay near Nagoya Festival on Agoda →

Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.

Attractions

Attractions in Nagoya

Theme park

Ghibli Park

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagakute, Aichi

A park facility recreating the worlds of Studio Ghibli films, located inside Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture. It's divided into five areas, and all tickets are date-specific and must be bought in advance; you cannot buy admission at a ticket window on the day. Tickets go on sale at 14:00 on the 10th of the month two months before your visit, so plan your purchase early once your itinerary is set.

Advance, date-specific tickets required
Zoo

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya

A zoo and botanical garden run by Nagoya City, home to about 450 animal species and about 7,000 plant species on roughly 60 ha. It's a 3-minute walk from Higashiyama-koen Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line, easy to reach from the city center, and you can spend a full day enjoying the zoo, the botanical garden, and Higashiyama Sky Tower. Admission fees were revised on October 1, 2026.

Theme park

LEGOLAND Japan Resort

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya

An outdoor theme park based on the world of LEGO bricks, located at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya Port. Aimed mainly at children aged 2–12 and their families, it has more than 40 rides, shows, and attractions. Together with the adjoining SEA LIFE Nagoya aquarium and hotel, it forms a resort.

Photo coming soonExperience

Museum Meiji-mura

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Inuyama, Aichi

An open-air museum in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, where buildings from the Meiji era have been relocated, preserved, and opened to the public. The buildings are spread across the large village grounds, and you can walk through Meiji-era streetscapes while touring their interiors. You can also ride the SL (steam locomotive) and streetcar that run through the village.

Aquarium

Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya

A large aquarium at Garden Pier in Nagoya Port, made up of two buildings: the North Building, showing marine mammals such as orcas, belugas, and dolphins, and the South Building, themed on a journey to Antarctica. It's a 5-minute walk from Nagoyako Station on the Meiko Subway Line, and conveniently reachable from central Nagoya by subway alone.

Experience

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya

A railway museum run by JR Central, displaying real Shinkansen, conventional line, and superconducting maglev vehicles. It's entirely indoors and about a 2-minute walk from Kinjofuto Station on the Aonami Line. With driving simulators and a large diorama, it's fun for families as well as railway fans.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
See all attractions →
Events

Events & festivals in Chubu & Hokuriku

January–February

Shirakawa-go Winter Light-up

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Shirakawa-go

Usually a few days in January–February (fully reservation-only)

2027 (41st): 4 days, Jan 11 (Mon, holiday), Jan 17 (Sun), Jan 24 (Sun) & Jan 31 (Sun)

April

Inuyama Matsuri

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Nagoya

Usually the first Saturday and Sunday of April (Saturday is the Shigaku-sai, Sunday the Honraku-sai)

June

Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Matsuri

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Kanazawa

Usually 3 days in early June (the Hyakumangoku Procession is on Saturday; June 5–7 in 2026, procession on June 6)

August

Matsumoto Bonbon

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Matsumoto / Kamikochi

Usually the first Saturday of August

September

Owara Kaze no Bon

Chubu & Hokuriku ・ Toyama / Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

Every year September 1–3

See all events →

Dates, times and access are based on official and other primary sources. Only dates confirmed by official sources are shown as “Confirmed dates”; otherwise the usual timing is given.

Last checked: 2026-10-02

PRKlookNagoya Castle TicketAdmission ticket to Nagoya Castle, one of the Nagoya Festival venuesView