The Oiden Festival is Nakatsugawa’s largest summer celebration, held every year on August 12 and 13. Divided into a riverside fireworks display and a main festival in the town center, it creates two evenings where the coolness of summer nights meets the heat of people, music, and light.
On the first night, a cool evening fireworks show takes place along the Nakatsugawa River near Momoyama Park, with around 1,000 shells including star mines and larger 7–8 inch fireworks. The bursts of light reflected on the river stand out against the surrounding darkness of the mountains, combining spectacle with the quiet mood of a summer night.
The second night’s main festival is centered around JR Nakatsugawa Station, featuring the local dance “Nagomi,” traditional Furyu-odori, portable shrines carried through the streets, and performances by companies and community groups. Furyu-odori, recreated from historical illustrations from the former Naegi domain, is especially striking: dancers carry brightly colored flagpoles on their backs, forming long lines that link traditional performing arts to the present-day town.
More than something to simply watch, the Oiden Festival naturally draws people into its rhythm; clapping hands or swaying along starts to feel almost inevitable. With the 39th edition held in 2025, the festival continues to shape the shared memory of summer in Nakatsugawa and is set to be passed on as a living seasonal tradition for years to come.
