Iwate · Morioka
Morioka Sansa Odori
盛岡さんさ踊り
A dance festival known for the sheer number of drums, rooted in a legend about a demon's handprint.
Next
1–4 August 2027
282 days away
Every year, 1 August, for 4 days
Future dates: 1 August 2027 · 1 August 2028 · 1 August 2029
Origin
A demon that plagued the villagers was bound to a rock by the local deity and made to press his handprint into it as a pledge never to return. The relieved villagers danced around the rock chanting "sansa, sansa". The province name Iwate — "rock hand" — is said to come from the same print.
What to look for
The number of drums is the thing — the street becomes a wall of them. After the parade comes the wa-odori, a circle dance that visitors are welcome to enter.
How to watch
For the circle dance, watching first is enough preparation. Instructors in yellow sashes — sansa oherense shishō — are there to teach the steps, so ask if you are unsure. Do not handle the drums or costumes.
Where
Chūō-dōri, Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
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