A prayer ritual passed down in Kitaura, in which a Kashima doll is entrusted to a boat and sent out to sea
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on July 14 / Every year
- Location
- Kitaura Shrine–Kitaura Fishing Port
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Oga City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival is a folk tradition in which a Kashima doll is placed aboard a boat, paraded through the neighborhood, and sent out to sea from Kitaura Fishing Port. The community’s faith in Kitaura Kashima-no-kami and its prayers for safety at sea and a bountiful catch have been passed down through generations.
About Kitaura’s Kashima Festival
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival is a folk tradition honoring Kitaura Kashima-no-kami.
Kashima-no-kami is worshipped in Kitaura as a deity of fishermen, and prayers are offered for safety at sea and a bountiful catch.
Starting 1 week before the festival, the Kashima doll is passed around to each household. It is believed to take on bad things.
As one of the few folk events still held in Oga, it conveys the community’s beliefs and its connection with the sea.
Festival highlights
On the day of the festival, the Kashima doll is placed aboard the Kashima boat in the , which is then paraded through the neighborhood.
The Kashima boat then travels 1.2 km out to sea from Kitaura Fishing Port, where the Kashima doll is set adrift.
A distinctive part of the festival is the sequence in which the and Kashima boat proceed from Kitaura Shrine to Kitaura Fishing Port, the doll is placed aboard the boat on the beach, and the boat heads offshore.
It is said that the beach where the drifting Kashima boat comes ashore will have a bountiful catch of hatahata (Japanese sandfish).
A prayer ritual passed down in Kitaura, in which a Kashima doll is entrusted to a boat and sent out to sea
What to expect
Before the festival, a Kashima doll is passed from household to household.
On the day of the festival, the Kashima doll is placed aboard the Kashima boat in the shrine grounds and paraded through the neighborhood before being taken out to sea from Kitaura Fishing Port.
The Kashima boat travels 1.2 km out to sea, where the Kashima doll is set adrift.
The mikoshi and Kashima boat proceed from Kitaura Shrine to the fishing port, where the boat is loaded on the beach.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kitaura Shrine–Kitaura Fishing Port
- By car
Procession from Kitaura Shrine to Kitaura Fishing Port
Event venue 秋田県男鹿市 北浦神社～北浦漁港
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on July 14
- 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 Akita Prefecture / Oga City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
なまはげ館
秋田県男鹿市にある資料館
写真：Kumpei Shiraishi / CC BY 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
男鹿市若美ふるさと資料館
秋田県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
Mayama Shrine
秋田県男鹿市にある神社
写真：らんで / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
秋田県立男鹿水族館
秋田県男鹿市にある水族館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Kitaura’s Kashima Festival
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival is a folk tradition honoring Kitaura Kashima-no-kami.
In Kitaura, Kashima-no-kami has been worshipped as a deity of fishermen, and prayers have been offered for safety at sea and a bountiful catch.
The tradition is to pass the Kashima doll around to each household starting 1 week before the festival, then place it aboard a boat on the day and send it out to sea.
It is considered a valuable event among the few folk traditions still held in Oga.
Official information
Oga City’s website lists Kitaura’s Kashima Festival as a city-designated cultural property.
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival at a Glance
Kitaura’s Kashima Festival is a folk tradition honoring Kitaura Kashima-no-kami and offering prayers for safety at sea and a bountiful catch.
Before the festival, the Kashima doll is passed around to each household. On the day, it is placed aboard the Kashima boat, which is paraded through the neighborhood.
It is a tradition connected with the sea: the boat travels 1.2 km out from Kitaura Fishing Port, where the doll is set adrift.
As one of the few folk events still held in Oga, it is also listed as a city-designated cultural property.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
