A traditional May seasonal festival event in which people pull a rope of plants imbued with the community’s hopes
Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- day 5 of lunar month 5 and the Saturdays and Sundays around it, depending on the district. / Every year
- Location
- Hoki, Mizushiri, Aoya, and Obaō districts
- Area
- Tottori Prefecture・Tottori City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 15 min–1 h 30 min · flight time only)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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A May seasonal festival event passed down in Tottori City, where people carry ropes made from iris, mugwort, and kaya grass, visit houses, and pull against each other. With children at the center, each community continues its distinctive traditions, including tug-of-war, sumo, and offerings.
About Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War
The Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War is a tug-of-war event held for the Boys’ Festival.
Ropes made from iris, mugwort, kaya grass, and other plants are twisted into rice straw. With children at the center, participants carry or hold the ropes as they visit houses, then engage in a tug-of-war.
In some areas, local traditions include moving to the beach after the tug-of-war to wrestle, preserving the distinctive practices of each community.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
One highlight is seeing local children shoulder a large rope woven with plants and carry it from house to house.
In the Hoki district, participants make ropes in the Old Town and New Town groups, then pull against each other 3 times at the district boundary.
Enjoy the way physical contests are linked with local beliefs, as people wrestle on the beach after the tug-of-war or dedicate the ropes at shrines and temples.
A traditional May seasonal festival event in which people pull a rope of plants imbued with the community’s hopes
What to expect
For the event, participants make ropes using iris, mugwort, kaya grass, and other plants. The children carry or hold the ropes as they visit houses in their district.
Afterward, the groups split by district and pull against each other 3 times to determine the winner.
In some districts, after the tug-of-war, participants wrestle and dedicate the rope at a shrine or temple, or to a tree in the shrine or , bringing the event to a close.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Held in the Hoki, Mizushiri, Aoya, and Obaō districts of Tottori City.
Source: 伝統綱引きの現代性：鳥取市気高町水尻における「因幡の菖蒲綱引き」に着目して
Event venue 鳥取県鳥取市 宝木
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
day 5 of lunar month 5 and the Saturdays and Sundays around it, depending on the district.
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Tottori Prefecture / Tottori City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
かにっこ館
鳥取県鳥取市賀露町にある水族館
わらべ館
鳥取県鳥取市にある童謡・唱歌・おもちゃがテーマの博物館
因幡万葉歴史館
鳥取県鳥取市にある博物館
宇倍神社
鳥取県鳥取市国府町宮下に位置する神社
河原城
鳥取県鳥取市河原町谷一木にあった城、および同地に建てられた模擬天守
流しびなの館
鳥取県鳥取市用瀬町にあるひな人形の展示施設
写真：Original uploader was KASEI (Edited by 663h ) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
渡辺美術館
鳥取県鳥取市にある博物館
白兎神社
鳥取県鳥取市にある神社
砂の美術館
鳥取県鳥取市にある美術館
鳥取城
鳥取県の城
鳥取市あおや郷土館
鳥取県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
鳥取市歴史博物館
鳥取県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Origins and History of Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War
According to oral accounts from local elders, tug-of-war in the Inaba region dates back to the late Edo period and has been held for the May seasonal festival.
The event is also documented in Inpaku Jinjo to Fuzoku, published in Taisho 15.
Tug-of-war events are said to have carried hopes for livelihoods and life, and the Inaba event clearly expresses wishes for abundant harvests and protection from misfortune.
In 1987, it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Official information
Basic information about the cultural property can be found in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.
The Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War is registered as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and the preservation societies of Hoki, Mizushiri, Aoya, and Obaō are listed as its safeguarding organizations.
Since event dates and venue details vary by district, check the information for the relevant district before visiting.
Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War at a Glance
The Inaba Shobu Tug-of-War is a May seasonal festival event in which ropes made from iris, mugwort, and kaya grass are carried through the community and pulled against each other, with children at the center.
In addition to the tug-of-war, some districts also hold sumo matches and make offerings at shrines or temples.
With traditions dating back to the late Edo period, it is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property that carries forward wishes for abundant harvests and protection from misfortune.
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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