Information for the Oedo Niiza Festival in 2026, a summer festival – that is on in Autumn! It was moved from July to September in 2025, presumably due to the extreme heat of summer in recent years.
This is a relatively new festival, started in 2015. However, it replaced the Niiza Awa odori festival, which ran for 32 years until 2014. It might explain that although being a ‘young’ festival in 2018 it attracted about 100,000 participants! It is a dance festival with both traditional and modern dance, with the Awa Odori being the highlight of the festival. In 2026 it is on Saturday September 19th.
Oedo Niiza Festival
The highlight of the festival is the Awa Odori traditional Japanese folk dance. This year it starts at the later time of 4.30 pm and is on until 7 pm. But before and after that there are normally a number of modern and international dances performed, such as hip hop and hula, in five key locations. That is the Main Stage at the Dai 2 Parking lot and four additional stages. Stage performances begin and food stalls open from 11 am. They do have other traditional elements too, such as a mikoshi, a portable shrine. The mikoshi are paraded early in the afternoon. In addition, they have festival stalls on the day.
Beyond 2020
The festival was part of the “Beyond 2020” program, but the program has kind of gone by the leeway! No doubt, due to you know what. I lifted this quote back in 2019;
The “beyond2020” program is to give logo marks to cultural programs that contribute to the creation of legacy that is proud of the next generation, making full use of the regional rich and diverse cultures.
In certifying the program, it is necessary to include a project or activity including one of the following.
- ・Efforts to eliminate barriers of people with disabilities
- ・Efforts to eliminate language barriers of foreigners
The “beyond2020” program targets are projects or activities conducted by a wide range of people, including public institutions, private enterprises, and other voluntary organizations. Regardless of commercial activities, nonprofit activities, we certify a wide range of activities related to culture. Source: Beyond 2020
Ironically, even though the festival was part of the Beyond 2020 program, they never had a foreign language page for the event. The Japanese language official site is linked below.
Oedo (Ooedo) Niiza Festival Information
Event: Oedo (Ooedo) Niiza Festival 2026 第11回大江戸新座祭り
Date: Saturday September 19th 2026.
Time: from 10 am to around 6.30 pm (not 9 pm like before the pandemic). Food stalls close at 6 pm.
Cost: there is no admission fee.
Venue: the area around Niiza Community Center, 6 Chome-1-48 Nobitome, Niiza, Saitama 352-0011. View on Google maps.
Access
The festival area is about a seven minute walk from the south exit of Niiza station which is on the JR Musashino Line.
There are several other ‘summer festivals’ in September this year. You can see the full round-up of September events here.
Official event website. All images from the official website.