On the fourth Saturday of every September, Hida Furukawa’s quiet streets become abuzz with the Fox Wedding Festival, or Kitsune-bi Matsuri in Japanese. Regarded as one of Hida Furukawa’s top festivals, this event is a modern retelling of the folktale “The Fox’s Wedding.” Although the tale has many iterations, its basic premise is as follows.
When foxes, which are considered magical creatures in Japan, desire to hold a wedding ceremony, they will summon rain on a sunny day—creating what is called a sunshower. By doing so, they trick humans into staying indoors and can enjoy their wedding under sunny skies. In the evening, the foxes hold a torch-lit wedding procession. Hida Furukawa’s Fox Wedding Festival encompasses both aspects of this folktale, with activities spanning from noon until 9pm.
I was lucky enough to attend the Fox Wedding Festival in 2024 and it quickly became one of my favorite festivals in Japan. Let’s dive into this culturally alluring and undeniably cute festival together!
The unique Fox Wedding Festival (Kitsune-bi Matsuri) tells the revival of fairy-tale “Sunshower” and is held on the 4th Saturday of September annually. Sunshower, which r...
More about: Fox Wedding Festival
The Fox Wedding Festival is a relatively young event, starting in the not-so-distant 1990s. The festival was proposed by the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry to help revitalize the town and is held in conjunction with Okura Inari Shrine’s annual festival. The Fox Wedding Festival is said to bring bountiful harvests, family safety, and prosperity.
Central to the Fox Wedding Festival is the fox couple. This couple changes every year and is hand selected by Hida Furukawa from a pool of people who applied for the role. In order to participate, the couples must be getting married that year, making the marital celebration even more meaningful.
The festival begins at noon in Hida Furukawa’s Festival Square, which is about a seven-minute walk from Hida-Furukawa Station. This lively area has numerous vendors selling festival food, beverages, and fox-inspired souvenirs, as well as a stage with live music and dance performances. The brightly colored stalls coupled with the music and excited chatter of people creates an energizing atmosphere.
There are also a number of shops outside of the Festival Square that sell delicious food and fantastical wares. One notable spot is Hida Furukawa Sakura Gift Shop near the Araki River.
Before you dive into the vibrant festivities, transform yourself into a character of this fairytale. The Festival Square is home to numerous people who apply fox makeup for free. The simple design includes white whiskers, a red nose, and red winged eyeliner. Pair your makeup with a kimono or yukata rental from Ohbora Kimono Shop, as well as a fox mask or fluffy ears to complete the look.
There are various fox-related goods available at the Festival Square and in select shops throughout Hida Furukawa. Most of the cute wares are handmade! A must-purchase souvenir—aside from a fox mask or ears—is the exclusive fox mascot. This small fox doll is only sold during the Fox Wedding Festival, making it a perfect memento.
The Festival Square is home to multiple food vendors that bless the early autumn winds with enticing aromas. Two must try festival foods are Gohei-Mochi and Hida beef croquettes. Gohei-Mochi, a local dish that originated in the mountainous areas of the Chubu region, is mashed rice on a stick that is slow roasted over fire and coated in savory miso made with egoma (perilla seeds). The resulting snack is warm and chewy with delicate smoky notes. The Hida beef croquettes are mashed potatoes mixed with Hida’s high-grade beef that are coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried—resulting in a crispy exterior and a luscious, flavorful interior.
You can also find yakisoba (a noodle stir fry dish), salt-grilled ayu sweetfish, french fries, beer, Hida Furukawa sake, and more.
For a sweet treat after all the savory eats, visit Hida Furukawa Sakura Gift Shop for its monaka ice cream, which is similar to an ice cream sandwich. The handheld dessert has crisp, light wafers on the outside and a smooth ice cream filling. The shop sells matcha, strawberry, and vanilla varieties.
The festival’s main events are as follows. Please note that the exact times vary every year:
The Fox Wedding Festival’s main events begin at Okura Inari Shrine at 1:30pm with prayer and ceremonial performances. Afterwards, from 3pm–5pm, the fox bride and groom travel from the shrine to the Festival Square in a rickshaw drawn by a man in fox-inspired attire.
This daytime parade, called the “Unveiling Rickshaw” follows Hida Furukawa’s nostalgic streets and stops periodically so people can snap photos of the beaming couple. Together, the quaint townscape, traditionally-clothed couple, and fox-adorned festival goers create a unique viewing experience that is both exciting and otherworldly.
Once the sun dips below the mountains and night blankets the town, the wedding procession begins. Locals dressed in traditional garb with fox makeup lead and follow the fox couple, lighting the way with torches. The orange, ever-flickering glow of the torches cast a mystical ambience on Hida Furukawa’s already atmospheric streets and the rhythmic sound of drums electrifies the air—transporting you to a fantastical realm.
After following the town’s streets for some time, the parade stops at the Buddhist temple Shinshuji. Here, the fox couple and festival goers are treated to an enchanting drum and shinobue (Japanese bamboo flute) performance, as well as a ceremonial dance. Then, the procession moves again, returning to the Festival Square. Since you are free to follow behind the procession, it feels like you are a part of the fairytale.
At the Festival Square, the Fox Wedding Festival ends with an hour long Knot Ceremony held on the central stage. The alluring ceremony features music—including shamisen playing (three-stringed Japanese instrument) and singing—and exchanges between the couple and performers.
The Fox Wedding Festival is nothing short of magical. This special celebration not only has captivating parades and performances, but also invites you to become a part of the event through fox makeup and attire. Hida Furukawa’s picturesque townscape and encircling mountains are the perfect backdrop for this charming festival.
Just as the fox couple are celebrating their union, you will feel yourself fall in love with the Fox Wedding Festival. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind event!
Hida Furukawa’s main point of access is Hida-Furukawa Station, which services the JR Takayama Main Lines.
From Tokyo Station, Hida-Furukawa Station is about a 3.5- to four-hour train ride via the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen (a little over two hours) and JR Limited Express Hida (1.25 hours) and requires a transfer at Toyama Station. If you are visiting nearby Takayama, Hida-Furukawa Station is only a roughly 20-minute train ride via the Takayama Line.
Gifu Prefecture, landlocked and nestled between several other prefectures in western Honshu, is known for its dramatic scenery, history and earnest connection with artisanship. Hida Furukawa, in the Hida City area, resembles a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. Serene, brimming wi...
Surrounded by majestic mountains and lush greenery, Hida Furukawa is a quaint town north of Gifu Prefecture and not far from Takayama City. It is a throwback to the traditional streets and the charming architecture of old Japan, filled with history and culture. Feel the warmth of the local...