Hitachi Otsu Ofune Festival

Festival highlights

The main highlight is the decorated wooden boat gliding over wooden frames called soroban, without using wheels.

Friction between the boat’s underside and the wooden frame raises smoke, and the boat’s powerful movement as it sways from side to side is impressive.

With Ofune songs and festival music playing, a particularly popular highlight is when the boat makes a right-angle turn at a T-junction in town.

Source: いばらきの伝統文化-特集 №9常陸大津の御船祭(おふねまつり)

A maritime festival passed down in Kitaibaraki, with a wooden boat parading through town

What to expect

During the eve-of-festival celebrations, an empty boat without the mikoshi is paraded to the foot of the shrine. That night, a ceremony is held at the shrine to transfer the divine spirit into the mikoshi.

On the main festival day, the mikoshi is placed aboard a wooden boat, turning it into a sacred boat, which is paraded through town to the sound of Ofune songs and festival music.

After the mikoshi is unloaded by the shore, the boat returns to the shrine, where a ritual and a festival report ceremony are held to conclude the event.

How to take part

The 2019 event announcement said that members of the public who came to watch on the day could also pull the boat.

Although this event is primarily led by local participants, there has been an opportunity for visitors to take part in one scene of the festival.

Whether similar participation will be possible in 2027 must be confirmed in the event information at the time.

The 2019 event information introduced a way for general visitors to join in by pulling the boat on the day of the event.

No procedures, such as advance registration or a check-in location, were specified.

Source: 5年に1度の大祭「常陸大津の御船祭」が開催されます♪ | 北茨城市観光協会公式ホームページ

Location and access

Venue and address

The grounds of Sawahachi Chigi Shrine and the surrounding area, as well as roads around Otsu Fishing Port.

The address is 1532 Otsu, Kitaibaraki City.

Train and bus

It is about 5 minutes by taxi or about 30 minutes on foot from Otsuko Station on the JR Joban Line.

By car

About 20 minutes from Kitaibaraki IC on the Joban Expressway.

Event venue 茨城県北茨城市 佐波波地祇神社境内及び

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

It is usually held every 5 years on May 2 and the 3rd.

The next event is listed as taking place in Reiwa 11 May.

Source: 「常陸大津の御船祭」がユネスコ無形文化遺産に登録されました！(次回開催 令和11年5月) | 北茨城市

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Tips for your visit

The boat moves without wheels, rocking from side to side over wooden frames, so please watch its movements carefully when viewing near the parade route.

At times, friction between the underside of the boat and the wooden rollers also produces smoke.

Nearby attractions

The Yō-Sorō Fisheries History Museum is listed as a nearby facility introducing the festival.

Inside, you can see exhibits about the Ofune Festival, which has been passed down in Otsu, Kitaibaraki City, as well as the actual sacred boat used in the festival and footage of the event.

The adjoining facilities also include a local products shop and a market cafeteria run directly by the Otsu Fisheries Cooperative.

Origins and History of Hitachi Otsu Ofune Festival

The festival is said to originate in a ritual held when the deity of Sawahachi Chigi Shrine descended to the shore after taking up residence at its present location.

A votive tablet at the shrine records that the event began as the Ofune Festival in 1726.

The sacred boat once traveled over the sea; after changes in the terrain turned the sea into a road, the procession shifted to land to preserve its route.

Official information

The Kitaibaraki City Tourism Association publishes event information.

For an overview of its status as a cultural property and its location, see the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education’s information.

The Hitachi Otsu Ofune Festival Preservation Society is listed as the contact.

Visit the official website

Hitachi Otsu Ofune Festival at a Glance

The Hitachi Otsu Ofune Festival is a traditional event in Kitaibaraki City, where a wooden boat carrying a mikoshi is paraded over land to pray for a good catch and safety at sea.

Enjoy the unique sight of the boat gliding over wooden skids as smoke rises and festival music plays.

The 2027 dates are currently being checked; the festival is usually held every 5 years.