Kawachi Festival Gofune Procession

Festival highlights

Highlights include a fleet of boats traveling along the river: decorated gofune resembling whaling boats, yakatabune, oar-propelled boats, and boats carrying lion dancers.

The gofune are adorned with camp curtains, decorative streamers, large banners, windsocks, and lanterns, with different designs and colors on the upper, middle, and lower boats.

Along with worship on Kawachi Island, the program includes oar-boat races, lion dances, and an overnight vigil ritual.

A fireworks display is also held on the main festival day.

Source: 河内祭｜祭り・イベント｜和歌山県公式観光サイト

A traditional boat festival, with decorated boats traveling up the Kozagawa River to bring prayers to Kawachi Island

What to expect

For the eve of the festival, the gofune and other boats are decorated, and a gofune carrying a sacred plaque heads toward Kawachi-sama.

The gofune head out to sea and turn before proceeding upriver. On reaching Kawachi Island, participants go ashore in turn to worship.

At the river mouth, middle school students compete in oar-boat races, and at night the gofune circle the island clockwise 3 times in an overnight vigil.

On the main festival day, a procession of boats follows, led by the lead boat, then the shishi boat, oar-propelled boats, and boats carrying general participants.

How to take part

At the main festival, boats carrying general participants head toward Kawachi-sama after the Tōsen, Shishi-Tenma, and Kaki-Tenma boats, confirming that people can take part by boat.

The event is run mainly by local groups, including the Yūshinkai, which is responsible for the Ofune; the Youth Association, which performs the shishimai; and the Kawachikai, which performs the Ofunauta.

Location and access

Venue and address

From the mouth of the Kozagawa River to Kawachi Island (Kushimoto Town and Kozagawa Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture)

Train and bus

A 35-minute walk from JR Koza Station.

Source: 熊野の夏祭り｜特集｜和歌山県公式観光サイト

Address From the mouth of the Kozagawa River to Kawachi Island, Koza, Kushimoto Town and Kozagawa Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture

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Dates and season

2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)

In 2026, the Kawachi Festival is scheduled for July 25 (Saturday), with the related “Kumano Navy Koza Kawachi Festival Evening” scheduled for July 26 (Sunday).

The usual schedule is the eve of the festival on the 4th Saturday of July and the main festival on Sunday. The eve runs from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the main festival from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Source: 熊野水軍古座河内祭の夕べ｜祭り・イベント｜和歌山県公式観光サイト

Nearby attractions

Nearby attractions listed include Takachi no Mushikui-iwa, Uchū Fureai Hall Sora Miru, Kyūryū-jima, Myōjin Submersible Bridge, Hashigui-iwa, Kushimoto Ōkyō Rosetsu Museum, Taki no Hai, and Kujirayama-mi at Cape Kashino.

These facilities and scenic spots are listed as being around the Kawachi Festival venue, but no distances or travel times from the venue are provided.

Check each facility's information for suggested visit order and opening hours.

Origins and History of Kawachi Festival Gofune Procession

The Kawachi Festival is a shinko procession in which 5 districts worship Kawachi Daimyojin, whose sacred object is a rocky island near the mouth of the Kozagawa River.

Koza District was a fishing area where the Kishu Domain's whaling office was located during the Edo period, while the 4 surrounding districts made their living through forestry and agriculture. The different ways of life in these areas have supported the festival.

The festival is also said to commemorate the triumphant return of the Kumano navy after its victory in the Genpei War, and is mentioned in a topographical record from Tenpo 10.

In 1999, it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

Official information

An overview of the cultural property can be found in the Agency for Cultural Affairs' database of nationally designated cultural properties.

The venue and usual dates are listed in the Kawachi Festival information on the official Wakayama Prefecture tourism website.

Related events in 2026 are also listed in the “Kumano Navy Koza Kawachi Festival Evening” information on the same website.

Kawachi Festival Gofune Procession at a Glance

The Kawachi Festival Gofune Procession is a boat festival at the mouth of the Kozagawa River, in which 5 districts in Kushimoto Town and Kozagawa Town worship Kawachi Daimyojin.

Decorated gofune, shishi boats, and oar-propelled boats travel along the river, with worship on Kawachi Island, races, lion dances, and an overnight vigil among the events.

In 2026, the Kawachi Festival was held on July 25 (Saturday), and related events were listed for July 26 (Sunday).