Get ready to sweat, cheer, and maybe accidentally body slam your neighbor—in a fun way of course—because the Yonabaru Great Tug-of-War Festival is back for its 43rd year! 🎉
With over 450 years of history (yep, it’s older than your favorite conspiracy theories), this event is one of the big three tug-of-war festivals in Okinawa. But don’t let the word “war” fool you—this isn’t about crushing your enemies. It’s a traditional ritual wishing for health, prosperity, and a good harvest. Pulling a 5-ton rope for good vibes? Totally worth it. 💪
Here’s what’s going down:
📍Where It’s Happening
The party spreads across Yonakohama Park for two full days, and the actual tug-of-war showdown happens at Gotenyama Youth Square. You know things are getting real when the drums start pounding and people start yelling while holding a giant wooden stick called the “kanachi-bo.” That’s when the massive ropes—each 90 meters long—get joined and the pulling begins. It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about looking cool while doing it.
📆 July 26 (Saturday) – Festival Kickoff
The first day is all about performances, cute kids on stage, hula dancers, baton twirlers, and the occasional grandma singing her heart out. The evening wraps up with live music that’ll shake your flip-flops off.
🕐 Schedule
11:00 – Opening Ceremony
14:00 – Okinawa Golden Hearts Baton
15:00 – Hula Studio & local kids’ groups
17:00 – Official Opening
18:05 – Eisa performance
19:00 – Live bands: RUMBLE, The After
20:30 – Closing Time
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💥 July 27 (Sunday) – Tug-of-War & Fireworks Finale
Day two turns up the heat with a traditional parade, the big rope battle, more live music, and a fireworks show that’ll make your in-laws stop complaining—for 5 minutes at least.
🕐 Tug-of-War Action at Gotenyama
16:00 – Parade
16:30 – Procession
17:00 – Tug-of-War Starts (Bring your game face and maybe some gloves)
🕐 Festival Fun at Yonakohama
11:00 – Opening
12:00 – Yonabaru Jr. High Band
14:00 – Dance groups and singers
18:00 – Live acts including Partagé and DYNAMITES
20:30 – Fireworks
21:00 – Closing (with happy ringing in your ears)
🚗 Parking Info (for the brave ones)
Yes, there’s parking, but it’s like finding an honest politician—rare and limited.
Options include:
- MICE project site (across Marine Town Plaza),
- Yonabaru Marina (paid),
- Marine Park, and Yonabaru Elementary.
Public transport is your friend. Also, no parking at random spots, unless you want your car to be the festival’s next sacrifice.
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Disclaimer
⚠️Disclaimer: Our passion for supporting local businesses drives us to share information about events in the Okinawa area. Please note that Oki Social is not responsible for hosting this event. It’s important to be aware that the event’s host reserves the right to make changes or even cancel the event without prior notice. Some photos and videos may come from various sources on the internet, whether official or unofficial. It is possible that some photos and videos may have been taken from the same event in previous occurrences.
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