Gangneung Danoje Festival

In early summer, the east coast city of Gangneung, Korea, hosts the UNESCO-listed Gangneung Danoje Festival. This vibrant celebration weaves together ancient shamanic rituals, folk arts, and colorful performances for over a week, inviting locals and visitors alike to pray to the mountain gods, ward off misfortune, and welcome the abundance of summer. The beat of drums and gongs, the scent of herbal baths, and the energy of mask dances-this is a living cultural treasure where you can experience Korea’s traditions with all your senses.

Silk costumes swirl, sweet rice cakes are enjoyed by the riverside, and the cool touch of herbal baths refreshes the body. Gangneung Danoje is a festival where everyone-young and old, local or traveler-can play, pray, and share memories, making it a true symbol of summer in Korea.

Shamanic Rituals and Shrine Procession

Mask Dance (Talchum) and Folk Performances

Traditional Games and Herbal Baths

Costumes and Decorations

Traditional Food & Drink

The origins of Gangneung Danoje trace back over a thousand years, with records from the Goryeo Dynasty (10th–14th centuries) marking it as one of Korea’s oldest traditional festivals. It began as a shamanic ritual to pray for a good harvest, health, and peace, honoring the guardian spirits of the Taebaek Mountains and local deities. Over time, it absorbed elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, evolving into a week-long celebration of renewal, gratitude, and community bonds.

The festival centers on the Daegwallyeong Shrine rites and the welcoming procession of the spirits. It starts with the brewing of sacred rice wine (shinji), with residents bringing rice to make the wine, which is then offered at the altar and shared among participants. During the festival, more than 70 programs unfold, including shamanic rituals, mask plays (官奴仮面劇), folk songs, poetry readings, traditional games, and Nanjang (Korea’s largest open-air market).

A defining feature of Gangneung Danoje is its openness-anyone can participate, regardless of social status or background. Although the festival faced extinction during the Japanese colonial era (1910–1945), it was revived in the 1950s thanks to the passion of local residents and researchers. Today, it is sustained by the pride and intergenerational commitment of the community.

In 2005, Gangneung Danoje was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, recognized as a living tradition and a symbol of community spirit. The festival’s blend of sacred and playful, old and new, embodies the bonds, empathy, and prayers for peace that define the region. For Gangneung natives, Danoje is a core of local identity-wherever they meet, the festival is a source of shared pride and connection.

As a visitor, I was overwhelmed by the intensity of the shamanic rituals-the whole city felt like a giant playground. I tried the swing contest and herbal bath, and felt like a child again! During the mask dance, the laughter of the crowd, the beat of the drums, and the thrill of dancing in a mask… I truly felt the living tradition, both ancient and new.

• Gangneung Danoje is the only Dano festival in Korea that preserves the full sequence of shamanic rituals.
• The herbal bath uses sweet flag and mugwort, believed to ward off evil and bring health.
• Inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2005.
• Mask dances are often improvised, with each performer’s humor and personality shining through.

The Gangneung Danoje Festival is held every late May to June in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Experience Korea’s “living tradition” with the shrine procession, mask dances, herbal baths, and more.