An event in Hamazato, Kutsu, where people pull prayer beads and wish for a good catch and happiness
Dengara Gan
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- February 1
- Location
- Kutsu, Tsuruga City
- Area
- Fukui Prefecture・Tsuruga City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 50 min–3 h 20 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event passed down in Kutsu, Tsuruga City, since the Edo period, in which people tug on a long string of prayer beads to wish for a good catch and happiness for the settlement.
About Dengara Gan
Dengara Gan is a traditional event in the fishing settlement of Kutsu, Tsuruga City.
Children and adults tug on a string of prayer beads about 10 meters long, wishing for a good catch and happiness for the community.
As the number of children has declined, in recent years the event has been held with men and women pulling the beads separately.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the tug-of-war over a string of prayer beads about 10 meters long.
In the past, children and adults competed, and it was said that if the children won, there would be a good catch of mullet.
Today, as there are fewer children in the settlement, the tradition continues with men and women pulling the beads separately.
An event in Hamazato, Kutsu, where people pull prayer beads and wish for a good catch and happiness
What to expect
During the event, participants pull on a string of prayer beads about 10 meters long from opposite sides.
Traditionally, children and adults competed, and the children’s victory or defeat was linked to hopes for a good catch.
Today, men and women take part separately, each pulling the beads.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kutsu, Tsuruga City.
Address Kutsu, Tsuruga City, Fukui Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
February 1
Accommodation and hotels PR
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Nearby attractions
みなとつるが山車会館
福井県敦賀市にある博物館
人道の港敦賀ムゼウム
福井県敦賀市にある資料館
敦賀市立博物館
福井県敦賀市にある博物館
旧敦賀港駅舎
福井県敦賀市にある建築物
氣比神宮
福井県敦賀市にある神社
紙わらべ資料館
福井県敦賀市にある、高木栄子の和紙人形を展示する美術館
金ヶ崎緑地
福井県敦賀市にある海浜公園
Kanegasaki Shrine
福井県敦賀市にある神社
Origins and History of Dengara Gan
Dengara Gan is an event that has been passed down in Kutsu, Tsuruga City, since the Edo period.
One theory about the origin of the name is that it means “a wish from heaven.”
The tug-of-war with prayer beads is linked to the hope that if the children win, there will be a good catch of mullet and happiness will come to the settlement.
Official information
Fukui Prefecture’s “Fukui Shiki no Shiawase Tsuzuri” introduces Dengara Gan as a traditional event in Kutsu, Tsuruga City.
The event is described as featuring a tug-of-war with a long string of prayer beads, a tradition associated with hopes for a good catch, and changes to its format in recent years.
Dengara Gan at a Glance
Dengara Gan is a traditional tug-of-war with prayer beads that has been handed down in Kutsu, Tsuruga City.
The contest of strength, in which participants pull on a string of prayer beads about 10 meters long, carries wishes for a good catch of mullet and happiness for the settlement.
In recent years, the event’s format has changed, with men and women taking part separately.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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