The fifth day of the fifth lunar month, known as Dano, is one of Korea’s four major traditional holidays, along with Seollal (Lunar New Year), Hansik, and Chuseok. It is also called Suritnal, Jeongwajeol, Cheonjoongjeol, and Danyang.

The Gangneung Danoje Festival is a ritual and celebration dedicated to the mountain deity of Daegwallyeong, praying for abundant harvests, plentiful fishing, and peace and prosperity for households. With a history spanning over a thousand years, it is one of Korea’s most representative traditional cultural festivals.

Held in Gangneung over approximately one month from the fourth lunar month to early May, it is regarded as the largest-scale festival in Korea.

The festival is based on traditional Korean folk beliefs as well as Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and features a variety of rituals and performances. It begins with the preparation of sacred ritual wine on the 5th day of the fourth lunar month, followed by the ascent to Daegwallyeong on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month to enshrine the mountain deity at the Guksa Seonghwangsa Shrine, before bringing the deity to the Guksa Yeoseonghwangsa Shrine in downtown Gangneung. From the 3rd to the 8th day of the fifth lunar month, the festival continues with ancestral rituals, Dano gut shamanistic performances, and the Gwanno Mask Drama, along with cultural heritage programs, performances, hands-on experiences, and a large traditional market.

The Gangneung Danoje Festival was designated as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1967 (currently National Intangible Cultural Heritage), and in 2005 it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for its cultural uniqueness and outstanding artistic value.