murmurKashima Gatalympics (Mudflat Games)
Kashima City · Nanaura Seaside Sports Park (Michi-no-Eki Kashima)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Kashima Gatalympics Executive Committee · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sun, May 31, 2026 （Ended） 12:00 to 16:00
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually late May
- How the date is set
- Announced each year Usually held on a Sunday in late May or early June; dates are announced each year
- Venue
- Nanaura Seaside Sports Park (Michi-no-Eki Kashima)
- City
- Kashima City, Saga
About
Competitors dive into odd contests on the mudflats of the Ariake Sea in Kashima and emerge plastered in mud. Tides here swing five to six meters, and when the water drops a huge sheet of soft mud is laid bare. Locals call it "gata," and for years it was considered useless ground, until this event, launched at the urging of the local Junior Chamber, made it something the town is proud of. The games began in May 1985 and now draw players from across Japan and overseas. The messier the athletes get, the more the spectators roar. The venue is Nanaura Seaside Sports Park, beside the Michi-no-Eki Kashima roadside station. Spectating costs nothing; competitors pay an entry fee. Walk about 10 minutes from JR Hizen-Nanaura Station, or park at Yutoku Inari Shrine and take the free shuttle bus that runs on the day.
Sources
- OfficialKashima Gatalympics Executive Committee www.kashimagatalympic.com
- 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.