Come and join the biggest Buddhist festival in Mie Prefecture at Matsusaka on March 7th and 8th, 2026!

What is the Hatsuuma Festival?

The Hatsuuma Festival in Matsusaka is an event held yearly in early March at the temple Okaderasan Keishoji to pray for a good year. The name of the festival, meaning “first day of the horse,” refers to the festival’s date on the traditional Japanese calendar, which associates each day with one of the twelve zodiac animals. This day is considered the best for prayer against misfortune.

Booths run by local businesses selling regional foods and traditional crafts line Matsusaka's downtown streets teading to the temple during the festival.

What is Yakudoshi?

This festival is especially important for those in their yakudoshi, or critical year, when a person was believed to be more likely to experience sickness or misfortune. The tradition of yakudoshi and the exact years they occur for a person are mentioned in records that date as far back as the Heian period (794-1185).

Who's in their Yakudoshi in 2026?

Yakudoshi (Critical Year)	Who	Birth Year
19 years old	Women	2008
25 years old	Men	2002
33 years old	Women	1994
37 years old	Women	1990
42 years old	Men	1985
61 years old	Everyone	1966
70 years old	Everyone	1957
77 years old	Everyone	1950
88 years old	Everyone	1939
99 years old	Everyone	1928

What are the Highlights of the Hatsuuma Festival?

Okaderasan Keishoji Temple

According to the temple’s records, Okaderasan Keishoji was built in 743 by the monk Gyoki to enshrine the bodhisattva Nyoirin Kannon. The temple’s bronze bell and lanterns from 1639, as well as the incense burner from 1777, are designated cultural properties of the city of Matsusaka. You can spot these artifacts as you make your way to the temple hall.

Two Traditional Lucky Charms

Along with a variety of local foods and treats, two unique charms believed to ward away misfortune will be available for purchase at the festival booths. These items are local to Matsusaka and representative of the yearly Hatsuuma Festival.

Saruhajiki

The saruhajiki, first created in the Edo period (1603-1867), is a designated traditional craft of Mie Prefecture. This handmade lucky charm is a bamboo figurine of a monkey holding onto a pole adorned at the end with feathers or other decorations.

Nejiriokoshi

The nejiriokoshi is a traditional treat symbolizing good luck for the working horses and cattle before the plowing of the fields in spring. The twisted shape represents the turning of the soil that prepares the fields for the coming season.

Details

When: Saturday, March 7, 2026 @ 10:00-21:00, and Sun, March 8, 2026 @ 10:00-19:00
Where: Okaderasan Keishoji Temple (5 minute walk from Matsusaka Station)