A traditional festival in which a bamboo serpent travels through the community and is consigned to the Keta River
Inui Tsunanbiki
The 2026 edition of Inui Tsunanbiki has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/05Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on May 5 / Every year
- Location
- Inui district
- Area
- Shizuoka Prefecture・Hamamatsu City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h–1 h 30 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Inui Tsunanbiki, passed down in the Inui district of Horinouchi, Haruno-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu. This city-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property features a bamboo serpent shaped like a dragon being pulled through the area and finally consigned to the Keta River.
About Inui Tsunanbiki
Inui Tsunanbiki is a festival held every year on May 5 in the Inui district of Horinouchi, Haruno-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu.
It originates in a legend about a dragon that prevented the Keta River from flooding. A dragon-shaped carrying figure, called a serpent and made from bamboo, is pulled through the area.
The event ends with the serpent being consigned to the Keta River from Inui Bridge, bringing together local tradition and life by the water.
Festival highlights
A highlight is seeing the bamboo serpent, shaped like a dragon, make its way through the Inui district.
In addition to scenes of the serpent's head being pulled on a cart, people carried the head from the entrance to Inui to the community center, and again from a point just before Inui Bridge as it was taken to the Keta River.
Flutes and are played in front of the Inui Community Center, and toward the end the serpent is thrown into the Keta River and consigned to it.
A traditional festival in which a bamboo serpent travels through the community and is consigned to the Keta River
What to expect
According to the 2026 event information, participants visited Atsuta Shrine at 5 p.m., then moved to the riverbank to finish making the serpent.
Lotus flowers are used to mark the serpent's eyes. Its head is placed on a cart or carried as it is pulled through the town.
A celebratory gathering was held in front of the Inui Community Center, where flutes and taiko were played.
Around 8 p.m., the serpent was thrown into the Keta River and consigned to it, bringing the event to a close.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Inui district, Horinouchi, Haruno-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu
Address Horinouchi, Haruno-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
It was held on May 5, 2026.
The 2026 schedule began with a visit to Atsuta Shrine at 5 p.m. and ended around 8 p.m., when the serpent was consigned to the Keta River.
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 Shizuoka Prefecture / Hamamatsu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
スズキ歴史館
スズキ株式会社の企業博物館
五社神社 · Suwa Shrine
静岡県浜松市中央区利町にある神社
佐久間レールパーク
静岡県浜松市の中部天竜駅にあった博物館
浜松城
静岡県浜松市にある城
浜松市楽器博物館
静岡県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
秋葉山本宮秋葉神社
静岡県浜松市天竜区にある神社
Origins and History of Inui Tsunanbiki
Inui Tsunanbiki is a festival originating in a legend about a dragon that prevented the Keta River from flooding.
It became a Hamamatsu City-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property in Showa 41.
In the event as it is currently documented, a bamboo serpent shaped like a dragon is pulled through the area and consigned to the Keta River from Inui Bridge.
Official information
Hamamatsu City provides information about the origins of Inui Tsunanbiki, how the event unfolds, and the 2026 event details as part of its city-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property information.
Inui Tsunanbiki at a Glance
Inui Tsunanbiki is a city-designated Intangible Folk Cultural Property held every year on May 5 in the Inui district of Horinouchi, Haruno-cho, Tenryu-ku, Hamamatsu.
Against the backdrop of a legend about a dragon that prevented the Keta River from flooding, a bamboo serpent is pulled through the town.
Finally, the serpent is consigned to the Keta River from Inui Bridge, bringing the festival to a close to the sound of flutes and taiko.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
