🎎 Maiko Shrine Autumn Festival枚岡神社秋郷祭

The "Hiraoka Shrine" in Higashi-Osaka City holds a festival every autumn to give thanks for the bountiful harvest. Known as the "Hiraoka Matsuri," it has been beloved by the local community for many years and is the largest autumn festival in Osaka Prefecture. The highlight of the festival is the pre-festival held over two days on the Japanese national holiday "Sports Day," featuring a magnificent parade of "taiko-dai" (drum floats) brought by the local parishioners from various districts. A total of 23 taiko-dai enter Hiraoka Shrine amidst the spirited shouts of "cho-sa-zya" (チョーサジャ), the sounds of taiko drums, and bells, creating a spectacular scene. Among them, there is a taiko-dai that stands 4 meters tall, which is particularly impressive when navigating through difficult intersections. After 7 PM, there is also a "Naka-dan" event where the taiko-dai are illuminated, allowing visitors to experience a parade in a dreamlike atmosphere that is completely different from the daytime. Within the festival grounds, there are over 400 stalls offering a variety of delicious foods, as well as games such as goldfish scooping and lottery draws. On October 15th, the main festival only holds religious ceremonies (with no taiko-dai parade or food stalls).

It is the largest autumn festival in Osaka Prefecture. The highlight is the taiko-dai parade. The numerous food stalls are also a characteristic feature. Only the "Mae Matsuri" has taiko-dai and food stalls, so please pay special attention to that.