A Kawachi festival where the mifune and boat songs are passed down on the Kozagawa River
Koza no Ofune Matsuri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, July 23–25 / Every year
- Location
- Around Kawachi-sama (Kawakanajima)
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Kushimoto Town(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · bullet train + connecting 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Koza no Ofune Matsuri is a festival in which decorated mifune and tenma boats travel along the river to worship Kawachi-sama on the Kozagawa River. Boat songs, , and a tenma boat race come together to keep the story of the Kumano Navy alive.
About Koza no Ofune Matsuri
Koza no Ofune Matsuri is a festival honoring Kawachi Daimyojin, held at Kawachi-sama (Kawakanajima), about 2 kilometers upstream from the mouth of the Kozagawa River.
The 5 participating districts are Koza and Furuta in Koza Town, and Takaike-shimo, Utsugi, and Tsukinose in Kozagawa Town.
Decorated mifune and atafune boats visit Kawachi-sama, and boat songs, lion dances, and a tenma boat race are held.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is the beautifully decorated mifune heading for Kawachi-sama and circling the island 3 times as boat songs ring out.
The evening festival includes an overnight vigil, and the main festival features a ceremony and lion dance on the riverbank.
The tenma boat race that follows offers a close-up look at the skill and energy of the rowers.
A Kawachi festival where the mifune and boat songs are passed down on the Kozagawa River
What to expect
The festival begins on July 23, when a new is hung at the shrine and children and lion masks enter the .
On the evening of the 24th, the mifune and tenma boats are decorated, their hulls purified with seawater, and they head for Kawachi-sama.
The main festival on the 25th features Shinto rites, lion dances, a procession that circles the island 3 times, and a tenma boat race. At the end, everyone travels downstream.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Around Kawachi-sama (Kawakanajima), about 2 kilometers upstream from the mouth of the Kozagawa River.
The location is listed as Furuta, Kushimoto Town.
Source: 古座街道 | 和歌山県
Address Around Furuta, Kushimoto Town, Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, July 23–25
- 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 Wakayama Prefecture / Kushimoto Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Nearby, you can enjoy the natural scenery along the Koza Kaido, including the clear waters of Kozagawa Town, Samoto Gorge, the Kozagawa Monolith, and Mt. Takeno-mori.
In the Koza district of Kushimoto Town, lanes remain in an area where the Koza Kaido and the Kumano Kodo Ohechi route intersect.
You can combine the festival with sightseeing along the river, visiting the massive rock, and exploring historic streets.
串本応挙芦雪館
和歌山県串本町にある美術館
日米修交記念館
和歌山県串本町の紀伊大島にある博物館
Origins and History of Koza no Ofune Matsuri
According to the festival's origin story, it commemorates the Kumano Navy, which played an active role in the Genpei War.
The tradition has been passed down through beautifully decorating the gozabune and holding boat races, singing boat songs, and performing lion dances.
It is said that before the Meiji era, the festival was held on the first Day of the Ox in June. In Heisei 11, the Kawachi Festival boat procession was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Official information
It is listed in the Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties under the name “Koza no Ofune Matsuri.” The listed preservation groups are the Kozagawa Kawachi Matsuri Preservation Society and the Koza Lion Dance Preservation Society.
The event is introduced as an intangible folk cultural property for which measures such as documentation should be taken.
Koza no Ofune Matsuri at a Glance
Koza no Ofune Matsuri is a water festival centered on Kawachi-sama on the Kozagawa River, passed down by 5 districts.
A beautifully decorated mifune, boat songs, lion dances, an overnight vigil that circles the island 3 times, and a tenma boat race come together to form a series of events.
The festival shares the culture of the Kozagawa River basin, shaped by traditions of the Kumano Navy and local beliefs.
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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