Gion Festival held on the third Saturday of July every year has been handed down in Usabe by the hand of the local people for about 300 years. The festival is run by all the people in the area including young people and directors of local community unions on a shift and the main supporters of the shrine. The highlight of the festival is the parade composed of Tenno-sama at the head, parasols, the big sward, and the float, which are followed by the Geza dancers and Geza-bayashi musicians. In 1998 the gorgeous float was completed by the hand of a master carpenter living in Tsuchiura City. The festival hands down the tradition of Geza performance and enforces the community unity. The festival is also called “Manju Gion” because there is a custom to treat visitors with steamed manju on this day.