Events
Tokamachi City, with beautiful colors in every season, holds events throughout the year including winter events, traditional events that started long ago and an art festival that fuses nature and art. You can always find something interesting in Tokamachi City.
01
The Echigo Tsumari Art Field ＆Triennale
"Once every three years in summer, a huge outdoor contemporary art festival takes place in the EchigoTsumari region of Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town, attracting over half a million visitors to the area. The Triennale is not just an art exhibition event, but it’s also a gateway to rural Japan – an opportunity for adventure in the beautiful land of EchigoTsumari. All the artworks, created by both local artists and world famous artists such as Yayoi Kusama and James Turrell, are created to showcase the best of the EchigoTsumari region’s landscape and culture. Many of the artworks are viewable all year round, and there are also seasonal events and exhibitions held throughout the year.
- Date
- The Art Trienniale 2021 dates will be announced soon! Please check back again closer to summer 2021.
- Place
- All throughout Tokamachi City and Tsunan Town (The EchigoTsumari Art Field)
02
The Tokamachi Snow Festival
The Tokamachi Snow Festival began from the idea, "let's enjoy the snow and become friends with it." Festival plaza areas (also known as hiroba) can be found all over town with hospitality spots and handmade snow sculptures. This is the biggest winter event Tokamachi has!
- Date
- Februaly 15th-16th
- Place
- All throughout the tokamachi region.
03
Mukonage ＆ Suminuri(Groom Tossing ＆ Ash Smearing)
A unique winter festival which involves men being thrown from a shrine down a snowy hill, and people smearing each other’s faces with black ash. Held in the Matsunoyama area of Tokamachi City, this festival is a great opportunity to experience local culture that anyone can participate in.
- Date
- January 15th
- Place
- MatsunoyamaOnsen Street
04
Tokamachi Winter Market or "Chinkoro Market"
"The Tokamachi Winter Markets are the only place where you can buy chinkoro, small handmade rice flour figurines shaped as animals from the Chinese zodiac. As every chinkoro is different, visitors can often spend ages pouring over these good luck charms to find the right one for them.
- Date
- January 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th (9am to 4pm)
- Place
- Suwa-cho Street (10-minute walk from Tokamachi Station)
05
The Tokamachi Kimono Festival
For one day in May, after the lingering snow has finally melted away, the downtown area of Tokamachi becomes awash with the bright and beautiful colours and patterns of the Japanese kimono.
The Tokamachi Kimono Festival is a celebration of Tokamachi’s history as a “town of kimono”.
- Date
- May 3rd
- Place
- Tokamachi downtown area
06
The Tokamachi Summer Festival(Tokamachi Omatsuri)
Throughout Japan, summer is the season of local “matsuri” festivals. Tokamachi’s main summer festival is held over three days in late August, and features traditional dancing, mikoshi floats, food stalls and fireworks. It’s a festival which has been handed down over generations and reflects the character and tradition of Tokamachi.
- Date
- August 25th-27th
- Place
- Tokamachi downtown area