Stand on the approach to Masumida Shrine on a July evening and the street is full of people in yukata, paper streamers overhead, the smell of festival stalls carrying down toward the shrine gate. Ichinomiya takes its name from exactly this kind of place: the "first shrine" of a province, the one a governor called on before any other.
The city suits travellers who are already in the Nagoya area and want a half-day or full day of shrine grounds, a riverside tower and a festival calendar, rather than a long list of ticketed sights. This guide covers the places worth your time in Ichinomiya and how to string them together if you have only one day.
Top things to do in Ichinomiya
1. Masumida Shrine
Masumida Shrine is the reason the city carries the name it does: Ichinomiya means "first shrine", and Masumida was the principal shrine of Owari Province. The shrine is ornate and set in pleasant grounds that include a pool with carp and turtles, which makes a good slow stroll on a summer day. The main gate has been refurbished to restore its carving and gilding.
Masumida plays host to most of the town's festivals, including New Year celebrations, the Tanabata festival in late July, and an annual craft fair. If you are in the city for the Tanabata festival, this is the natural centre of it.
2. Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival
Held from Thursday to Sunday of the last weekend in July, this is reputed to be one of the three biggest Tanabata festivals in Japan. The streets are strikingly decorated and busy with festival-goers in yukata, and the festivities centre on Masumida Shrine. Expect a parade that dedicates local products to the shrine, bon-dancing that anyone is welcome to join, live music of all kinds, and the usual summer festival stalls.
Because the action centres on Masumida Shrine, plan your visit around the shrine grounds and the surrounding streets rather than trying to cover the whole city. Come in the evening for the dancing and stalls.
3. 138 Tower Park
138 Tower Park takes its name from a local reading: "Ichino-mi-ya" can be read as the number 138, and the number crops up regularly in the area. Ichinomiya Twin Arch 138 is the tallest arch-style tower in Asia, and an observation platform at 100 m gives a panoramic view of the Kiso Valley. One sight of note from up there is the nearby village constructed entirely on an island in the middle of the Kiso River.
The tower is surrounded by parkland that is especially pleasant during cherry-blossom season. The park is easily accessible by bus from Ichinomiya station, so it pairs well with a morning at Masumida Shrine.
4. Bisai fireworks festival
Held in August as part of the Bisai summer festival, this sees some 5,000 fireworks released on the banks of the Kiso River, including some with blooms of up to 500 m. It is a summer evening event rather than a daytime sight.
If you cannot get a spot at the site itself, a popular and convenient place to watch is from the rooftop carpark of Diamond City Kirio mall, a 10-minute walk from JR Kisogawa.
5. 妙興寺
妙興寺 is a place of worship in the city and one of the specific sites worth naming in your plans. Treat it as a quiet stop to fold into a shrine-focused day rather than a standalone outing.
Pair it with your Masumida Shrine visit while you are already moving through the city's religious sites.
6. 真清田神社 本殿
真清田神社 本殿 is the main hall of Masumida Shrine, listed here in its own right. If you are visiting the shrine, this is the structure at the centre of it.
See it as part of your Masumida Shrine visit rather than as a separate trip, and take your time at the main gate on the way in.
7. Church of Olidammara
The Church of Olidammara is a place of worship in the city and the one non-Shinto religious site named for visitors here. It is worth including if you are interested in the range of worship sites in Ichinomiya.
Build it into a day when you are already visiting the city's other places of worship, rather than making a special journey for it alone.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Masumida Shrine, including 真清田神社 本殿 and the refurbished main gate, and take a slow walk around the grounds and the pool with carp and turtles. If you are visiting in late July, the Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival will be centred here, so the morning streets around the shrine will already be decorated.
Afternoon. Take the bus from Ichinomiya station to 138 Tower Park. Go up to the observation platform for the view over the Kiso Valley and the village on the island in the Kiso River, then walk the surrounding parkland. If you are here in cherry-blossom season, allow extra time in the park.
Evening. Return to the city and visit 妙興寺 and the Church of Olidammara as quieter stops. If your visit falls in late July, spend the evening back at the Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival around Masumida Shrine for the bon-dancing and stalls. If you are here in August instead, the Bisai fireworks festival on the banks of the Kiso River is the evening event, with the rooftop carpark of Diamond City Kirio mall as a fallback viewing spot.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the city called Ichinomiya?
Ichinomiya means "first shrine", and the city of Ichinomiya in Aichi is named after Masumida Shrine, which was the principal shrine of the former Owari Province.
When is the Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival held?
It runs from Thursday to Sunday of the last weekend in July, with the streets decorated and the festivities centring on Masumida Shrine.
How do I get to 138 Tower Park?
The park is easily accessible by bus from Ichinomiya station.
Where can I watch the Bisai fireworks if I cannot get a spot at the river?
A popular and convenient alternative is the rooftop carpark of Diamond City Kirio mall, a 10-minute walk from JR Kisogawa.
Check the festival dates against your travel window, then start building your days around Masumida Shrine and the tower park.