A spirited traditional performance of Wato-na and the tiger on a beachside tiger stage
Koina Tiger Dance
The 2026 edition of Koina Tiger Dance has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/24Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on day 14 of lunar month 8, the night before the Harvest Moon / Every year
- Location
- Koina-hama, Teishi (Koina district), Minami-Izu Town
- Area
- Shizuoka Prefecture・Minami-Izu Town(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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Koina Tiger Dance, passed down in Koina, Minami-Izu Town, is a dedication performance featuring a fight between a tiger, represented by two performers, and Wato-na on a beachside stage. Enjoy the tiger’s dance to the sound of drums and flutes, followed by a dramatized scene in which the tiger is captured alive.
About Koina Tiger Dance
The Koina Tiger Dance is a dramatized folk performance passed down in the former Koina district of Teishi, Minami-Izu Town.
On a stage set up by the beach, two performers act as a tiger while Wato-na calms it and captures it alive.
This traditional local event is dedicated at the festival of Kinomiya Shrine and is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the sight of two performers inside a cloth-like tiger woven from wisteria vines, stamping on the stage and dancing fiercely.
To the accompaniment of drums and flutes, they also perform tiger-like actions such as licking its paws and scratching its head.
Near the end, Wato-na struggles with the tiger while holding a wand, then leads it away by pulling its mane-like fur—a major highlight.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
A spirited traditional performance of Wato-na and the tiger on a beachside tiger stage
What to expect
During the festival, the tiger dance is performed as the “First Tiger,” “Second Tiger,” and “Third Tiger” on the eve of the main festival and on the night of the main festival.
On the day of the main festival, the dance is also performed in the grounds of Kinomiya Shrine after the “Tiger’s Sacred Sake” gathering at the community hall.
After the festival, the tiger dance is performed in “Shibagaeshi”; if there is a newly built home, the performers may also visit and perform there as a demon-banishing rite.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Koina-hama, Teishi (Koina district), Minami-Izu Town.
Address: Koina, Minami-Izu Town, Kamo District, Shizuoka Prefecture.
- Train and bus
From Izukyu-Shimoda Station on the JR or Izukyu Line, take a bus for 30 minutes, get off at “Koina,” then walk a short distance.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Source: 小稲の虎舞 / 静岡県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
Address Koina, Minami-Izu Town, Kamo District, Shizuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
2026年は9月24日（木）に開催され、実施時間は16:00～20:00頃と案内されていました。
It is usually held on day 14 of lunar month 8, the night before the Harvest Moon.
As it is dedicated at the festival of Kinomiya Shrine, the Gregorian calendar date varies from year to 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 Shizuoka Prefecture / Minami-Izu Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
According to the 2026 information, there are no buses to Shimoda after the festival ends, so please plan your return transportation carefully.
The venue is an outdoor stage at Koinahama, and there is no parking.
If you plan to use public transportation, it’s a good idea to check the return timetable and how you’ll get to your accommodation in advance.
Nearby attractions
Tourism information for the area includes Yumigahama Beach, Yumigahama, Yumigahama Onsen, Mida no Iwaya, and the Izu Fisheries Cooperative Minami-Izu Direct Sales Shop, all within Minami-Izu Town.
You can consider combining a visit to the coast, hot springs, and local products with a stop at the Koina Tiger Dance, also in the town.
Origins and History of Koina Tiger Dance
The Koina Tiger Dance is a tiger dance that came to the Izu Peninsula during the Edo period and was passed down as village theater.
Based on the scene in “The Battles of Coxinga” in which Wato-na defeats a tiger, this performance is documented as having been brought from Ise-machi in Shimoda to Koina in the late 18th century.
The Koina Kinomiya-kai currently preserves the tradition.
Official information
You can check the information on Minami-Izu Town’s website under “Koina no Toramai” and on Shizuoka Prefecture’s official website under “Shizuoka Cultural Properties Navigator: Koina Tiger Dance (Dragon-Tiger Dance).”
Koina Tiger Dance at a Glance
The Koina Tiger Dance is a traditional local dedication performance in which a tiger and Wato-na are shown fighting on a stage at Koina-hama in Minami-Izu Town.
Highlights include the lively dance of the tiger, represented by two performers, the drum and flute accompaniment, and the final scene in which Wato-na captures the tiger.
In 2026, it was held on September 24, and visitors needed to take care regarding transport toward Shimoda after the event.
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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