The Nagahama Hikiyama Festival is one of the Three Great Float Festivals of Japan, and is a designated Important Intangible Folk Culture Property of Japan. It is said to have its roots in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), when the first son was born to Lord of Nagahama Castle, Hideyoshi Hashiba (later Hideyoshi Toyotomi). In celebration Hideyoshi gave money to the townspeople, who then used it to build twelve hikiyama floats to celebrate at Hachimangu Shrine.