murmurKariwano Giant Tug-of-War
Daisen City · Omachi-dori Street, Kariwano
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Daisen City · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Tue, Feb 10, 2026 （Ended） The tug-of-war begins at 21:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early February
- How the date is set
- Every year on February 10
- Venue
- Omachi-dori Street, Kariwano
- City
- Daisen City, Akita
About
Kariwano's winter tug-of-war, designated a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, splits the town in two: the upper district (Futsukamachi) against the lower district (Itsukamachi). The ropes are among the biggest in Japan, about 80 cm thick, with the male rope 64 m long and the female rope around 50 m, each weighing roughly 10 tonnes. The custom is said to go back more than 500 years to the Muromachi period, and local lore says a win for the upper district raises the price of rice while a win for the lower district brings a good harvest. The day builds slowly: prayers at Ukishima Shrine, a procession, a rice-cake scattering and children's drumming in the afternoon, then pushing bouts and fireworks after dark, before the two ropes are joined and the pull begins. Anyone can join in. The venue, Omachi-dori Street, is about a 10-minute walk from JR Kariwano Station.
Sources
- OfficialDaisen City www.city.daisen.lg.jp
Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.