murmurYobuko Giant Tug-of-War
Karatsu City · In front of Yobuko Civic Center and Yobuko Sanjinja Shrine, Karatsu
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Karatsu City · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Jun 6–7, 2026 （Ended） June 6, 13:00 to 14:30; June 7, 12:00 to 14:30 (planned)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early June
- How the date is set
- The 1st Saturday of June Held on the first Saturday of June and the following Sunday
- Venue
- In front of Yobuko Civic Center and Yobuko Sanjinja Shrine, Karatsu
- City
- Karatsu City, Saga
About
In this tug-of-war, a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, Yobuko splits into the Hama (sea) team and the Oka (land) team to haul on a rope 15 centimeters thick and 200 meters long. The rope's center is set before Sanjinja Shrine, and the two sides go best of three as gongs beat time; a Hama victory is said to bring a big catch, an Oka victory a good harvest. Anyone can grab the rope, so travelers who happen to be there can join in. The custom reportedly began when Toyotomi Hideyoshi was based at Hizen Nagoya Castle and, to fire up his troops, set the camps of Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori against each other, east versus west, on a warship's rope. Day one is held outside Yobuko Civic Center and day two outside Yobuko Sanjinja Shrine. Showa Bus takes about 40 minutes from central Karatsu, and with the crowds, public transport is best.
Sources
- OfficialKaratsu City www.city.karatsu.lg.jp
- OfficialSaga Prefecture Tourism Federation (Asobo Saga) www.asobo-saga.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.