At this time of year, when the scent of tatami brings back fond memories, Hayashima Town’s summer tradition, the Hanagoza Festival, will be held again this year.
This event, long cherished by local residents, is a festival celebrating igusa that everyone from children to adults can enjoy all day long.
Now in its 31st year, the festival will be held over two days, Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29, 2025, at the special west venue at Hayashima Town Hall.
These lively two days bring together opportunities to see, touch, learn about, and enjoy igusa products such as goza mats and tatami.
We spoke with the organizers about the highlights, history, and what inspires them.
The information provided was accurate at the time this article was published in June 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is the 31st Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival?
The Hanagoza Festival is an annual event in Hayashima Town that dates back to a time when igusa and tatami culture were an everyday part of life.
Local tatami shops, wholesalers, and manufacturers come together, and with the shared desire to “help more people discover the appeal of igusa,” the festival is held with the cooperation of Hayashima Town, Kurashiki City, and the wider community.
This year’s Hanagoza Festival will feature a variety of activities, including popular hanagoza sales, tatami re-covering services, workshops using fragrant igusa, a stamp rally, food stalls, a karuta tournament on tatami, and a giant maze.
It’s a fun event where children and adults alike can get moving, make things with their hands, and share a smile.
Highlights from the 30th Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival
The 30th Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival, held last year (2024), drew around 12,000 visitors over two days and was a great success.
The venue offered rare experiences that are hard to come by, such as making mini tatami mats and trying your hand at hand-weaving hanagoza. The children were captivated, their eyes shining with excitement.
The time spent finishing a small tatami mat yourself under the guidance of a craftsperson is a precious opportunity to “learn about tradition through experience.”
Many visitors are regulars who come every year, and another major draw is that igusa products can be purchased at special Hanagoza Festival prices.
For fans of hanagoza and other igusa products, it’s a great chance to find a bargain.
Interview with the Hanagoza Festival Chair and Vice Chair
We spoke with Sato Seiji, chair of the Okayama Specialty Hanagoza Festival Executive Committee, the event’s organizer, and vice chair Watanabe Ichiro about the 2025 Hanagoza Festival.
How did the Hanagoza Festival get started?
Sato (surname only)
The Hanagoza Festival began at a time when “igusa” and “tatami” were much more familiar parts of everyday life.
At first, the main products were mats laid over tatami, but now there are more products designed for use on wooden floors, and the products have evolved with the times.
The event itself has also evolved to include hands-on workshops.
Watanabe (surname only)
Adults are familiar with the scent of igusa, so they say it’s “nostalgic.” But children aren’t used to it, so they react by saying things like, “What a strange smell” or “What is that smell?”
That’s why we hope this will give children a chance to experience igusa.
What exactly is hanagoza, as in the Hanagoza Festival?
Sato
Hanagoza is a type of goza mat woven from dyed igusa to create vivid patterns.
In the past, goza mats were mostly plain, but hanagoza began when Isosaki Minki of Kurashiki City developed a three-dimensional pattern.
What’s the main attraction in 2025?
Sato
It has to be the first-ever karuta tournament.
Participants sit on tatami and play a scattered-card style game, an activity that lets them get familiar with tatami and igusa while having fun.
The idea came from an elementary school student in town who suggested, “Why not hold a karuta tournament in a tatami room in an empty house?”
This time, too, high school and university students from both inside and outside the community, as well as adults, are expected to volunteer and help run the event.
We’d be happy if they enjoyed the event itself through the karuta tournament and other activities, rather than just helping out.
Are there any other new initiatives?
Sato
We’ve planned a new “igusa pillow-making” workshop.
It’s an experience where you can make a one-of-a-kind pillow of your own while relaxing to the scent of igusa.
It costs around 1,000 yen to participate, so it’s easy to join in.
We’ve also prepared a Hanagoza Festival stamp rally and a game where you search for the Igusa Rangers.
There are lots of activities for everyone from children to adults, so we hope you’ll enjoy them with family, friends, and other people from town.
What kinds of vendors will be at the food stall area?
Sato
The food stall area features members of the Tsukubo Chamber of Commerce from not only Hayashima Town but also Kurashiki City, including Chayamachi and Nakasho.
There’s yakisoba, ramen, local Japanese and Western-style sweets, a bazaar run by the women’s group, and plant sellers. There are also goods for sale, not just food, and many people look forward to it every year.
Watanabe
Because it’s a community-focused event, we’d be happy if people not only enjoy the festival but also discover what makes Hayashima special.
How many people usually attend?
Sato
In 2024, around 10,000 to 12,000 people visited over the two days.
We hope that even more people will come in 2025 and that the whole town will be buzzing with excitement.
Do you have any recommendations for enjoying the Hanagoza Festival?
Sato
The best thing is simply to come and enjoy the scent and feel of igusa.
I think you’ll appreciate igusa even more if you try making an igusa pillow or take part in a hands-on activity like hand-weaving.
There are lots of activities for young children, so families can enjoy the festival together.
Watanabe
I recommend taking a stroll around the Hanagoza Festival venue and the Hayashima Town Historical and Folklore Museum, visiting the stamp rally and food stalls, trying hanagoza ping-pong and the karuta tournament, and looking for your favorite igusa products.
I think the best thing about the Hanagoza Festival is that you can experience everything: “seeing, buying, making, eating, and playing.”
Are there any special deals?
Sato
The tatami re-covering service is a great deal.
It’s been very popular every year, and we plan to offer it again in 2025.
As part of a campaign to increase tatami mat sales, we’ll offer tatami re-covering at a special price during the Hanagoza Festival.
Are your tatami mats dirty or scratched?
We’ll replace just the igusa surface layer of your tatami mats.
This is a joint project by the Hayashima Igusa Products Wholesalers Association and the Okayama Prefecture Tatami Industry Association, so you can leave it to us with confidence.
We hope you’ll take this opportunity to consider having your tatami re-covered at an affordable price.
We’ll also be giving away mini tatami mats.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Sato
Why not relax on tatami, surrounded by the scent of igusa?
This is an event where you can play, make things, eat, lie down, and experience igusa culture with all five senses.
There’s something for both adults and children, so please feel free to come and join us.
Watanabe
Hayashima has lots of interesting things tucked away in unexpected places.
Please come and visit, and find the things you love about it.
We’d be delighted if the Hanagoza Festival gives you a reason to come.
From the Writer
Surrounded by the scent of tatami, lying down, laughing, and playing.
The Hanagoza Festival is a place to spend a fun-filled day.
“I didn’t realize tatami could feel this comfortable.”
“Igusa smells so nice.”
These are the kinds of comments you’ll hear all around during these lively two days.
The 31st Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival will be held on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29, at the special west venue at Hayashima Town Hall.
Come with your family and friends and experience the appeal of igusa.
31st Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival Information
| Name | 31st Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanagoza Festival |
|---|---|
| Held | Saturday, June 28, 2025, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Location | Hayashima Town Hall, West Special Venue |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Official Instagram |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a search term to find articles on this site
