When is the Nikko Autumn Festival 2026?

The Tosho-gu Autumn Festival is held on 17 October each year. The Hyakumonin Musha Gyoretsu procession takes approximately one hour to complete its route.

Is the Nikko Autumn Festival procession free to watch?

Viewing from the roadside along the approach is free. Grandstand seats inside the Tosho-gu precincts need a separate ticket, so check the official Tosho-gu website for the price and sale date.

How do I get to Nikko from Tokyo for the festival?

The Tobu Nikko Line limited express from Asakusa takes approximately 2 hours. Alternatively, take the JR Nikko Line from Ueno via Utsunomiya. Tosho-gu is about 30 minutes on foot from Nikko Station.

Will the autumn leaves be at their peak during the festival?

Around the shrine complex and Suginamiki avenue, colour typically arrives in mid to late October, so 17 October is often the early stage. The Irohazaka road to Lake Chuzenji usually peaks earlier. Check koyo forecasts, which are published from September.

17 October 2026

Nikko Autumn Festival

Name: Nikko Autumn Festival
Start: 2026-10-17
Location: Nikko

Nikko

Nikko Autumn Festival 2026, 17 Oct. 1,200 samurai in Edo armour carry portable shrines through Nikko Tosho-gu's cedar avenues. Autumn foliage at peak.

Event details

Date: 17 October 2026
Location: Nikko

The Nikko Autumn Festival (Tosho-gu Aki Matsuri) is held on 17 October each year, with the principal event being a procession of approximately 1,200 participants in Edo-period samurai armour carrying the portable shrine (mikoshi) of Tokugawa Ieyasu through the cedar avenues of the Tosho-gu shrine complex. The procession follows the same route used at the spring festival (Yayoi Matsuri in May) and is equally elaborate, but the autumn setting adds the backdrop of the surrounding forest beginning to change colour - Nikko’s autumn foliage typically starts in the first week of October and reaches lower elevations around the shrine complex by mid-month.

The Procession

The Hyakumonin Musha Gyoretsu (Procession of One Hundred Warriors) departs from the stone torii gateway of Tosho-gu Shrine in the morning and moves through the cedar-lined approach roads with full Edo ceremonial protocol. Participants carry banners, weapons, and offerings in order of historical rank. The portable shrines of the three deified figures enshrined at Tosho-gu - Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Minamoto no Yoritomo - are carried at the procession’s centre.

The procession takes approximately one hour to complete its route. Viewing from the roadside along the approach is free. Grandstand seats within the Tosho-gu precincts require a ticket, purchased separately from the standard Tosho-gu admission fee (approximately 1,300 yen as of 2026 for the main complex). Check the official Tosho-gu website for the grandstand ticket price and sale date.

Combining with Autumn Foliage

17 October often coincides with the early stages of autumn colour at Nikko’s lower elevations. The Irohazaka Winding Road to Lake Chuzenji typically peaks a week or two earlier, in late September to early October. The town of Nikko itself - the Jinja area around Tosho-gu and the cedar avenues of Suginamiki - reaches colour around mid to late October, making the festival date a reasonable overlap point. The Japan Meteorological Corporation publishes annual koyo forecasts from September; checking these before booking allows you to align the festival visit with peak colour at your preferred elevation.

Getting There

Nikko is reached from Asakusa in Tokyo by Tobu Nikko Line limited express (approximately 2 hours) or from Ueno by JR Nikko Line via Utsunomiya. The Tosho-gu complex is approximately 30 minutes on foot from Nikko Station, or served by buses from the station. See our Nikko guide for transport, accommodation, and what else to see during a Nikko visit.

Planning a trip around this festival? Browse guided tours and activities in Nikko on GetYourGuide - popular experiences around festival season fill up fast, so book ahead.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Nikko Autumn Festival 2026?: The Tosho-gu Autumn Festival is held on 17 October each year. The Hyakumonin Musha Gyoretsu procession takes approximately one hour to complete its route.
Is the Nikko Autumn Festival procession free to watch?: Viewing from the roadside along the approach is free. Grandstand seats inside the Tosho-gu precincts need a separate ticket, so check the official Tosho-gu website for the price and sale date.
How do I get to Nikko from Tokyo for the festival?: The Tobu Nikko Line limited express from Asakusa takes approximately 2 hours. Alternatively, take the JR Nikko Line from Ueno via Utsunomiya. Tosho-gu is about 30 minutes on foot from Nikko Station.
Will the autumn leaves be at their peak during the festival?: Around the shrine complex and Suginamiki avenue, colour typically arrives in mid to late October, so 17 October is often the early stage. The Irohazaka road to Lake Chuzenji usually peaks earlier. Check koyo forecasts, which are published from September.