VISIT TOTTORI CITY

The Shikano Festival is held every two years on a weekend in mid-April. It is an important spring tradition that is said to have been started by the Kamei family, who ruled over Shikano Castle during a warring era about 400 years ago.

On the eve of the festival, a Shinto ritual is performed at dusk in Shiroyama Shrine, located on the top of a small hill. Following that, a procession, which includes a mikoshi housing the deity, descends from the mountain. As the procession makes its way down, approximately 100 lanterns are lit successively along a rope stretching from the shrine to the foot of the mountain, creating a magical scene resembling a river of light flowing gently through the darkness.

During the main festival, four gorgeously decorated floats called yatai, along with sacred trees used in the rituals, traditional lion dances, warriors in armor, and mikoshi, parade slowly through the historic town, with the festive excitement lasting late into the night.