Kamezaki Shiohi Festival

Festival highlights

The biggest highlight is the moment when all 5 dashi are pulled down onto the beach as the tide recedes.

Young people wade waist-deep in the water to pull the ropes, while festival participants work together to move the dashi, whose wheels are embedded in the wet sand.

The dashi feature intricate bare-wood carvings dating from the late Edo period through the Meiji period, and karakuri puppets perform dances and feats of skill.

The “Rikijin” panel carving on the danbako of the Nakagiri-gumi Rikishinsha and the “Kugutsushi” performance on the Tanaka-gumi Kagurasha are particular highlights.

Source: 亀崎地区 - 半田山車祭り保存会 公式ホームページ

Kamezaki’s traditional festival, with 5 dashi crossing the tidal beach

What to expect

During the festival, 5 dashi accompany the mikoshi on its procession to and return from the shrine, and are pulled down onto the beach.

After the dashi are lined up side by side on the beach at low tide, they are pulled back onto land.

At the front and upper sections of the dashi, performers present ritual-style acts, handstands, and rope-walking, as well as karakuri puppet performances based on the stories of Urashima Taro and The Tale of the Heike.

Procession times and activities may change depending on the weather and other factors.

How to take part

Visitors can watch the event.

Location and access

Venue and address

Various locations in Kamezaki, Handa City (Shinzen Shrine, Seaside Green Park, and other sites).

The dashi are hauled down onto the beach at Kamezaki Seaside Green Park.

Train and bus

Kamezaki Station on the JR Taketoyo Line is available.

Kamezaki Station is listed as just under a 10-minute walk from Machikado Salon Kametomo.

By car

Extensive traffic restrictions are in place along the dashi procession route and connecting roads on both festival days.

Avoid parking on the street and use designated parking lots.

Parking

Some facility parking lots and public facilities are opened for Shiohi Festival parking, but they are not managed, staffed, or directed by the organizers, and users are said to use them at their own risk.

Parking spaces are limited.

Source: 潮干祭見物の手引き | 令和8年 亀崎潮干祭

Address Various locations in Kamezaki, Handa City (including Kenzaki Shrine and Kamezaki Seaside Green Space)

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Dates and season

Season

May 3 and 4

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

During the beach descent and the procession in front of the shrine, stay outside the red-and-white ropes and follow the instructions of security staff.

The steering poles and large ropes may move when a dashi makes a sudden turn. When passing beside one, take care that bags, cameras, umbrellas, and food or drinks do not come into contact with it.

The procession route can be crowded, and access to the coastal green space may be restricted.

Dispose of rubbish in designated bins, and do not park on the street if you arrive by car.

Nearby attractions

The Kamezaki district, where the festival takes place, is home to Shinzen Shrine and Kamezaki Seaside Green Park.

Shinzen Shrine is where the Kamezaki Shiohi Festival rites are held. Kamezaki Seaside Green Park has a festival plaza, a seawall where fishing is possible, and walking paths.

Nearby attractions include JR Kamezaki Station, whose wooden station building from when it opened in Meiji 19 remains standing, old lanes and slopes, and the Tachikawa Museum of Art.

You can visit Kamezaki’s townscape and local cultural facilities along with the festival.

Museums and art museumsHanda City

半田市立博物館

愛知県半田市の博物館・美術館のスポットです。

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

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写真：At by At / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Facility data source

Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Kamezaki Shiohi Festival

The origins of the Kamezaki Shiohi Festival are unclear. According to local tradition, it began when samurai who moved to the area around the Onin and Bunmei eras pulled carts through the town at the direction of a Shinto priest.

It is thought that, as the town developed, the festival evolved into a dashi festival involving 5 groups: Higashi-gumi, Ishibashi-gumi, Nakagiri-gumi, Tanaka-gumi, and Nishi-gumi.

Research by experts indicates that the tradition has been preserved for more than 300 years. In Heisei 18, it was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Official information

The latest information about the Reiwa 8 festival is available on the official website of the Kamezaki Shiohi Festival Preservation Association and Daisankai.

The official site posts information about schedule changes and postponements, dashi procession times, a vendor map, and traffic restrictions.

Further changes may occur due to weather and other factors, so check the official website or Instagram before visiting.

Source: 祭礼行事の日程変更および延期のお知らせ | News | 亀崎潮干祭

Visit the official website

Kamezaki Shiohi Festival at a Glance

The Kamezaki Shiohi Festival is a traditional festival in the Kamezaki district of Handa City, where 5 dashi are pulled down onto the beach at low tide.

Highlights include the powerful descent onto the beach, the dashi carvings and karakuri puppets, and the procession traditions passed down in the community.

Schedule changes and a postponement have been announced for Reiwa 8, so check the latest event information, traffic restrictions, and safety guidance before visiting.