Nomiyama Kannonji Autumn Leaves 2026: Festival Oct 28 – Nov 23, ¥500 Special Viewing, Peak Usually Mid-November

【紅葉】糟屋郡篠栗町の呑山観音寺境内のドウダンツツジの紅葉と竹林 — Doudan azaleas in autumn color and a bamboo grove in the grounds (photo courtesy of the Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Federation)

Nomiyama Kannonji is a temple in Hagio, Sasaguri Town (Kasuya District, Fukuoka). The 2026 autumn leaves festival runs from October 28 to November 23. During the festival, the Yugi Daihoto pagoda is open for a special viewing (¥500 for adults, free for junior high school students and younger). Besides maples and doudan azaleas, many other trees turn color, including wild mountain cherry, Japanese wax tree and zelkova.

In short

Festival: October 28 to November 23, 2026.
Special viewing of the pagoda: 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:00), ¥500 for adults, free for junior high school students and younger.
Color usually starts at the end of October. Per the temple’s guidance, the approach to Tennoin runs from the end of October to mid-November.
Getting there: 15 minutes by car from Sasaguri Station on the JR Fukuhoku Yutaka Line. Prefectural Route 450 along Rikimaru Dam is closed for construction.

Checked with official pages on October 25, 2026 (Japan time). Prices and hours may change.

1. Color usually starts at the end of October; the festival runs October 28 to November 23

According to the temple’s official guidance, the leaves usually start to color at the end of October. The timing differs by area within the grounds. The approach to Tennoin runs from the end of October to mid-November. The Tennoin front approach and Gokuraku Ojo-in run from early to mid-November. The doudan azaleas at Hyakukannon-do run from late October to mid-November. The area around Shichifukujin-do runs from the end of October to mid-November. Shaded spots are said to keep turning color until late November. From mid-November, the approach is carpeted with maple leaves.

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The festival runs from October 28 to November 23. During the period, food trucks and other stalls appear on different days, and there are prayers for the healthy growth of children (Shichi-Go-San) and a flea market called “Kannon-ichi”. The timing of the color shifts with the year’s temperatures, so check the autumn leaves festival page on the Nomiyama Kannonji official site (Japanese) before you go.

2. The autumn special viewing costs ¥500 for adults

During the festival, a special viewing course that is normally closed is opened. The Yugi Daihoto pagoda is opened to the public, with the large front doors open and the principal image, Ryoto Aizen Myoo, on show. The white-walled path from the pagoda to Tennoin is also open at the same time. Hours are 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry 16:00). The fee is ¥500 for adults and free for junior high school students and younger. Visitors receive a commemorative sange (a flower petal card). An extra one costs ¥500.

【紅葉】糟屋郡篠栗町の呑山観音寺紅葉した参道と石像 — Colored approach and stone statues (photo courtesy of the Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Federation)

A Yugi pagoda is a one-story pagoda described in esoteric Buddhist scriptures, and is said to be the prototype of the tahoto pagoda. The pagoda at Nomiyama Kannonji is 21 meters high, made entirely of wood, painted vermilion and roofed with main tiles. It is the only one in Kyushu. Together with the one at Koyasan, it is one of only 2 wooden ones in Japan. The neighboring rose garden “Hanamushiro-tei” is also open at the same time and stays open until November 26. It is a garden surrounded on all four sides by maples, where you can see autumn roses and autumn leaves together. A permit is required for commemorative photos or for shooting with a photographer.

3. Getting there, and copying sutras

The address is 227-4 Hagio, Sasaguri Town, Kasuya District, Fukuoka. The phone number is 092-947-4423 (9:00–17:00). Visiting hours are 6:00 to 17:00. It is 15 minutes by car from Sasaguri Station on the JR Fukuhoku Yutaka Line. By bus, it takes 35 minutes from Tenjin Bus Center and 30 minutes from Hakata Station Bus Terminal to “Sasaguri”. From Sasaguri Station, the temple advises taking a taxi. By car from the Fukuoka side, take National Route 201 toward Iizuka and turn left at the Kanede intersection, about 20 minutes from Fukuoka I.C. Prefectural Route 450 along Rikimaru Dam is closed for construction. From the Kitakyushu and Miyawaka side, go from the police box intersection at Wakita Onsen toward Sasaguri on Prefectural Route 92 (about 15 minutes). The routes are on the access page of the Nomiyama Kannonji official site (Japanese).

In November, the lay members’ hall is opened to people who want to copy sutras (shakyo). Ask at the reception desk in the Tennoin main hall and pay a ¥500 donation, and you receive the paper and a guide. The finished paper is dedicated in the main hall.

Address: 227-4 Hagio, Sasaguri Town, Kasuya District, Fukuoka · Google Maps · Tel: 092-947-4423

FAQ

When is the autumn leaves festival?

October 28 to November 23, 2026.

How much is the special viewing of the pagoda?

¥500 for adults. It is free for junior high school students and younger. Hours are 9:30–17:00, with the last entry at 16:00.

Can I drive from the Kitakyushu side along Prefectural Route 450?

No. The road along Rikimaru Dam is closed for construction. Use Prefectural Route 92 from the Wakita Onsen police box intersection instead.

Sources

3 pages we checked

Checked with official pages on October 25, 2026 (Japan time).