Iida Hachiman Shrine Teppo Festival
event
Event Dates
Second Sunday in December and the preceding Saturday
The annual grand festival of Iida Hachiman Shrine, known as the “Teppo Festival,” takes place on the second Sunday of December and the day before. With a history of over 200 years, it is believed to have begun as a ritual praying for hunting safety.
The festival’s highlight is the “Otachi” ceremony, where a sacred horse charges up the stone steps to the sound of gunfire. Visitors can also enjoy kasaboko and yatai float parades, Ogano Kabuki performances, “daimyo” feudal lord processions, and other displays of the region’s rich traditional culture.
Designated as Saitama Prefecture’s Intangible Folk Cultural Property, the Teppo Festival remains an important event that marks the year’s end in the Chichibu region.
Basic Information
By car: 1 hour 30 minutes from the Hanazono IC via National Routes 140 and 299
Map
Nearby spots
Founded in 1940 by Gensaku Asami, Chichibu Wine is the oldest winery in Saitama. Known for its award-winning wines and deep local roots, it gained early recognition when a French priest compared its wine to Bordeaux. Visitors can enjoy tastings and learn about the winemaking process on-site.
A long-established candy and confectionary manufacturer and distributor founded in 1864. “Chichibu Ame" (candy) is meticulously handcrafted the traditional way using carefully selected ingredients while retaining their original flavor and umami. Almost all of the products are additive-free, making it safe to eat for people of all ages.
Tours of the wine factory and vineyard, free samples and sale of wines at the in-house direct sales store, and meals at the company-owned restaurant (business days specified) are available.
Niekawa-juku was a thriving post town during the Edo period that served as a junction for routes leading to Koshu (Yamanashi Prefecture), Joshu (Gunma Prefecture), and Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture). It flourished due to heavy merchant traffic, with over 20 inns lining the streets. Palanquins carrying pilgrims to Mount Mitsumine also started their journeys from here, adding to the town's bustle. However, when the local railway station opened, fewer people used the old highway, so the town gradually declined. Around 2016, a community revitalization project began to restore the former liveliness by creating a "scarecrow village” (kakashi no sato). More than 60 unique and charming scarecrows have been placed throughout, delighting visitors. These scarecrows feature varied appearances with meticulously crafted clothing and accessories that are so lifelike, they seem ready to spring into action, bringing vibrancy back to the town. You can reach Mitsumineguchi Station, where Niekawa-juku is located, by taking the SL Paleo Express. In 2020, SL Tenshadai Park opened at Mitsumineguchi Station, where visitors can observe coal handling operations such as coal trimming and watch a turntable rotate steam locomotives up close. Kakashi: Dolls or figures placed in fields to prevent birds and other animals from damaging crops. *The figures sitting in the image are kakashi.
You can enjoy a variety of gravity-based activities from suspension bridges built on the banks of the Arakawa River using the piers of the former Shirakawa Bridge. Wear a harness and walk on the suspension bridge, cross the Arakawa Valley while connected to a cable, or swing over the valley on a trapeze! You can even bungee jump! Enjoy the great outdoors of the Arakawa Valley while taking part in many thrilling activities!