KANAZAWA, Japan, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kanazawa Biyori, a regional media platform rooted in Hokuriku, is committed to sharing the living culture of this region with a broader audience — not only its celebrated landmarks, but the traditions that continue to define what it means to call this city home. The Hyakumangoku Festival is the beating heart of Kanazawa: magnificent, historic, and unmistakably alive.

The Procession That Defines a City

The Hyakumangoku Festival is held each June in commemoration of Lord Maeda Toshiie's triumphant entry into Kanazawa Castle on June 14, 1583 — the moment that laid the foundation of the Kaga Domain and shaped the city as we know it today. Now in its 75th edition, the festival runs from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7, 2026, transforming the center of Kanazawa into a stage for one of Japan's most spectacular civic celebrations.

At its heart is the Hyakumangoku Gyōretsu — a procession of breathtaking scale and pageantry that departs from the iconic Tsuzumimon Gate at Kanazawa Station and winds its way through the city to Kanazawa Castle Park. On Saturday, June 6, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., the streets of Kanazawa belong entirely to history brought to life.

This Year's Highlight: Where Living Tradition Meets National Drama

The defining draw of this year's festival is a convergence that happens once in a generation. Lord Maeda Toshiie will be portrayed by Daito Shunsuke, and his consort Omatsu-no-Kata by Sugai Yuka — both currently starring as Toshiie and Matsu in Toyotomi Kyodai!, the 2026 NHK Taiga Drama.

For those unfamiliar with the format: the NHK Taiga Drama is Japan's most prestigious historical drama series, broadcast annually by the national public broadcaster since 1963. In Japan, historical figures are often remembered — and reimagined — through the lens of whoever portrayed them in a given year's Taiga. To see these actors step from the screen into the streets of Kanazawa, embodying the very figures who built this city, is an experience with few parallels.

A Procession of Power and Craft

The Gyōretsu is more than a parade — it is a living tableau of Kaga culture in motion. Music corps perform at three points along the route, filling the streets with sound and energy. The Kaga Tobi — the storied firefighters of the Edo-period domain — take to the street four times, their acrobatic ladder performances drawing gasps from the crowd. The thunderous Kaga Shishi lion dance, a designated cultural property of Kanazawa, moves through the procession with an energy that is as ancient as it is electric.

This year, the procession once again incorporates the Kiriko float parade from Noto — a powerful gesture of solidarity with the region's ongoing recovery from the 2024 earthquake. The sight of Noto's lantern floats moving through the streets of Kanazawa carries a meaning that no words can fully capture.

Three Days of Living Culture

The festival extends well beyond the Gyōretsu. Across three days, a series of events deeply rooted in Kanazawa's cultural identity are planned. The Hyakumangoku Takigi Nō is set to bring Noh theater to life under the open sky, performed by firelight in the grounds of Kanazawa Castle Park — a hauntingly beautiful tradition. The Hyakumangoku Chakai tea ceremony will offer visitors a window into the refined world of Kaga's tea culture. And as night falls, the Hyakumangoku Odori Nagashi fills the streets with dance, open to all — no experience, no affiliation required.

An Invitation

Kanazawa Biyori shares this festival not simply as a seasonal event, but as a window into the soul of this city — a place where history is not preserved behind glass, but performed, danced, and lived each June. Whether you come to watch or to join, the Hyakumangoku Festival is Kanazawa at its fullest.

• Information The 75th Hyakumangoku Festival
  Dates: Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2026 Main Event — Hyakumangoku Gyōretsu: Saturday, June 6, 2:00–6:00 p.m. Location: Central Kanazawa (departing from Tsuzumimon Gate, Kanazawa Station)

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