murmurTake-no-Karakai Bamboo Tug of War in Omi
Itoigawa City · Honmachi-dori street in front of Omi Station
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Niigata Prefecture Tourism Association (Niigata Kanko Navi) · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Thu, Jan 15, 2026 （Ended） Bamboo tug of war from 12:30, sainokami bonfire from 15:30 (planned)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid January
- How the date is set
- Every year on January 15
- Venue
- Honmachi-dori street in front of Omi Station
- City
- Itoigawa City, Niigata
About
In Omi, Itoigawa, the Little New Year brings a tug-of-war fought with bamboo instead of rope, and it's an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. The town divides into east and west, and young men, some with kabuki-style face paint, heave on 2 green bamboo poles locked together. A side loses if its pole is wrenched away, snaps or splits, and the winners are promised a good harvest and good fishing. Rooted in folk belief and said to date from the Edo period, it prays for plentiful crops, protection from misfortune and family well-being. There were once said to be 3 such rites in Japan, and this is the only survivor. It is part of the sainokami New Year fire festival, so a sainokami bonfire follows. The street is closed to cars for the day.
Sources
- OfficialNiigata Prefecture Tourism Association (Niigata Kanko Navi) niigata-kankou.or.jp
- OfficialItoigawa City (Itoigawa Tourism Guide) www.itoigawa-kanko.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.