murmurToge no Kunitori Tug-of-War Battle
Iida City · Hyokoshi Pass
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Toyamago Tourism Association · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sun, Oct 25, 2026 Opening at 10:30; the best-of-three border match at 12:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually late October
- How the date is set
- The 4th Sunday of October Held in light rain; cancelled in heavy rain
- Venue
- Hyokoshi Pass
- City
- Iida City, Nagano
About
Each October, Hyokoshi Pass on the Nagano–Shizuoka border hosts a tug-of-war fought over territory. The Shinshu army from Minami-Shinano in Iida takes on the Enshu army from Misakubo in Hamamatsu, each fielding its best pullers from the local young business owners' groups. Whoever wins the best-of-three bout moves the "national border" 1 meter into the rival's land, though the actual prefectural line never shifts. Launched in the late 1980s to revive the two communities, it is now known across Japan. Visitors can try a tug-of-war themselves and browse the food stalls. There is no public parking at the pass, so leave your car at the foot of the mountain and ride the free shuttle bus up.
Sources
- OfficialToyamago Tourism Association tohyamago.com
- OfficialToyamago Tourism Association tohyamago.com
- OfficialGo NAGANO (Nagano Tourism Organization) db.go-nagano.net
Last checked: Oct 11, 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.