【Tokachi, Hokkaido】9 Local Activities in Urahoro Through the Year
Updated: Oct 7
Urahoro is a small town in Tokachi, Hokkaido, with fewer than 4,000 residents. It still manages to pack a festival/activity into almost every season. Here is a month-by-month guide to help you plan your visit.
Month | Festival/Activity | Highlights |
Jan or Feb | Shakkoi* Winter Festival | Giant snow slide, treasure hunt in a snow mountain |
Mid June | Mikoshi* Festival of Atsunai Shrine | People carry the mikoshi and head to the sea |
Late June | Urahoro Marathon | Individual running and walking races plus team race |
Early July | Beer Garden | BBQ and cold beer on a summer night |
July | Children's Festival | Family-friendly activity |
August 15th | Summer Festival | Costume Bon Odori* at night |
Last Sunday of Aug | Mikoshi Festival of Urahoro Shrine | Need 30-40 men to carry the mikoshi |
Last Sunday of Sep | Urahoro Harvest Festival | The town's biggest event of the year, drawing 30,000 visitors, with one of Japan's largest mochi-throwing events |
October | Urahoro Halloween | Costumed participants, stamp rally |
*Shakkoi is Hokkaido dialect for "chilly."
*A mikoshi is a portable shrine used in Japanese Shinto festivals. Shinto is Japan's indigenous religion, and its deities (kami) normally live in shrines.
*Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese folk dance performed in summer. And Hokkaido is famous for its costume Bon Odori.
Jan–Feb | Shakkoi Winter Festival
Winters in Urahoro are quiet, so the town created this festival to give local kids something to look forward to. The highlights of the show are a huge slide made of snow and a treasure hunt inside a snow mountain. If you want to see how Hokkaido kids really play in the snow, this is the place.
Mid June (Sunday) | Atsunai Shrine Mikoshi Festival
This is a mikoshi ritual that actually goes into the sea. Carriers wade out into the waves, praying for a good catch, safe voyages for the fishermen, and blessings for everyone in the Atsunai area. (Read more:【Tokachi, Hokkaido】Urahoro's Mikoshi Festivals)
Late June | Urahoro Marathon
This event began when local kids said there weren't many sports events in town. The marathon was created to make the kids happy, energize the community, and bring people from all over together. In 2026, it drew a record-breaking 700 or more participants. Besides individual running and walking races, there are also team races, so you can join with friends or family, and you don't have to be a runner to take part.
Early July | Beer Garden
What is a summer night without grilled meat and a cold beer? Every year in early July, Urahoro sets up an open-air beer garden where the locals fire up the grill, raise a glass, and enjoy the cool Hokkaido evening together. It is one of the easiest ways to relax and chat with the locals.
July | Children's Festival
This one is all about the kids. They can climb aboard real fire trucks and police cars, play games like shooting galleries, and refuel at the food corner. It is usually held in July, but in 2026 it took place in August, so please check the official announcement for the exact date.
August 15 | Summer Festival
Held in front of Urahoro Station, this festival has food stalls, games, and bingo during the day. When night falls, the main event begins: the Costume Bon Odori, a traditional circle dance where everyone joins in wearing costumes. It is the evening that feels most like a classic Japanese summer festival.
Last Sunday of August | Urahoro Shrine Mikoshi Festival
This festival prays for the health and safety of the town's residents. The mikoshi is seriously heavy, and it takes 30 to 40 men working together to carry it each year. You can feel the strength and teamwork in the crowd. There is also a smaller mikoshi just for children. (Read more:【Tokachi, Hokkaido】Urahoro's Mikoshi Festivals)
Last Sunday of September | Urahoro Harvest Festival
Billed as one of Japan's largest mochi-throwing festivals, this is the one that puts Urahoro on the map. A town of fewer than 4,000 people welcomes more than 30,000 visitors in a single day. The day before, dozens of volunteers gather to make about 30,000 pieces of mochi. (Read more:【Tokachi, Hokkaido】Urahoro Harvest Festival)
October | Urahoro Halloween (Ura-Halo)
Families dress up and collect stamps around town, and there is a costume contest too. Every year brings some wonderfully creative and quirky costumes.
Urahoro may be a town of fewer than 4,000 people, but its festivals run all year long, from winter through autumn. Behind every one of them are residents pitching in together, hoping to pass these traditions and this joy on to the next generation.
If you are planning a trip to Tokachi, Hokkaido, consider timing it with one of these festivals and come feel the warmth of Urahoro for yourself.
Festival dates can shift slightly from year to year, so please check the official Urahoro Town announcements before you travel.
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