Kakunodate Hifuri Kamakura 2026

[Kakunodate’s Fire-Swinging Kamakura]

Event Details

*Event details will be updated as they are decided. (Updated December 25, 2025) The Kakunodate Fire-Shaking Kamakura Festival, a Little New Year’s event held in Kakunodate Town, Senboku City, is a fantastical festival in which magnificent rings of fire dance in the snow, and the rings of fire that form one after the other transport you to a fairy tale world on a winter night. The festival begins with putting firewood into a hearth made from snow and starting it up. Then, a tenhitsu (a type of writing brush) made of rice straw wrapped around a long tree about three meters tall and set on fire in the snow is set on fire, and New Year’s kadomatsu (New Year’s decorations) and other decorations are burned, and prayers are made for safety in the year ahead. The fire-shaking participants attach a rope about one meter long to a charcoal sack, light the sack from the hearth, and then take the end of the rope and swing it around their body, praying for good health and safety in the home.

Akita’s Little New Year “Snow Cherry Blossoms * Kakunodate”

To coincide with the traditional winter event “Hifuri Kamakura” on February 14, 2026, a new winter event will be held for the first time in the town of Kakunodate: “Akita’s Little New Year ‘Snow Sakura * Kakunodate’ – AKITA Traditional Winter Festival -“! This event is themed around Akita’s Little New Year’s events and is a two-day winter tourism event where you can enjoy food, experiences, playing in the snow, traditional performing arts, and more all in one. It’s a packed event that will take place in three locations: in front of JR Kakunodate Station, the tourist information center “Kakunodate Ekimae Kura,” and the Samurai Residence Pocket Park! Please feel free to stop by!

Date and Time

February 14th (Sat) and 15th (Sun), 2026, 10:00-16:00 (until 15:00 on the 15th)

place

“Pocket Park” in front of Kakunodate Folk Museum “Kakunodate Ekimae Kura” Tourist Information Center in front of JR Kakunodate Station

download

・Akita’s Little New Year “Snow Cherry Blossoms ❆ Kakunodate” flyer (PDF: 1.1MB)

Kakunodate’s Hifuri Kamakura Special Experience *We are now at capacity.

In collaboration with JR East Akita Branch and the Tazawako/Kakunodate Tourism Association, we will be holding a special event that combines the “Experience the Kakunodate Hiburi Kamakura,” “Explanation of the Hiburi Kamakura by a historical guide,” and “A special commemorative gift.”

Links and Downloads

・Tourist information: Hiburi Kamakura (City-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property)・“Kakunodate’s Hiburi Kamakura Special Experience” flyer (PDF: 415KB) *The special experience has reached capacity. There is currently a waiting list for cancellations.