An ancient target-archery festival passed down in Harada, praying for a good harvest
Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu
The 2026 edition of Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/03/21Ended
- Season / frequency
- March 21 (every other year, in even-numbered years) / Every other year (in even-numbered years)
- Location
- Okkyaku Shrine
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Okinoshima Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 min · flight time only)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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This festival, passed down in the Harada area of Okinoshima Town, features target archery as an ancient form of divination for the year ahead. It has been preserved through ritual purification and detailed customs, with prayers for a good harvest.
About Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu
The Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu is a target-archery event passed down at Okkyaku Shrine in the Harada area of Okinoshima Town.
It is regarded as a form of divination for the year ahead practiced since ancient times, and during the festival people pray for a good harvest that year.
This intangible folk cultural property is observed every other year on March 21, with ritual purification and detailed customs also carefully preserved.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the target-archery event, in which arrows are shot at a target.
Rather than being simply an event to test skill, it is an ancient form of divination for the year ahead, with the purpose of praying for a good harvest that year.
The festival’s distinctive character is also evident in the fact that it is performed after ritual purification and learning the detailed customs.
An ancient target-archery festival passed down in Harada, praying for a good harvest
What to expect
At the festival, participants perform ritual purification and master the detailed customs passed down through generations before carrying out the target-archery event.
The sequence of actions involved in shooting an arrow at a target is regarded as an ancient form of divination for the year ahead.
The event embodies prayers for a good harvest that year.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Okkyaku Shrine (Harada, Okinoshima Town)
Address Harada, Okinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the dates listed have passed)
March 21, 2026
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 Shimane Prefecture / Okinoshima Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
隠岐郷土館
島根県隠岐の島町にある博物館
Origins and History of Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu
The origins of the festival itself are unclear, but target archery has been passed down as a form of divination for the year ahead, practiced since ancient times.
During the event, people pray for a good harvest that year and place importance on ritual purification and detailed customs.
On April 19, 2010, the Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu was designated an intangible folk cultural property of Okinoshima Town.
Official information
The Okinoshima Town official website’s “Town-Designated Cultural Properties (Folk Cultural Properties)” page provides the location, date, details, and designation date of the Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu.
Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu at a Glance
The Okkyaku Shrine Festival Furyu is a target-archery festival held every other year on March 21 in the Harada area of Okinoshima Town.
As an ancient form of divination for the year ahead, it involves ritual purification and detailed customs, and prayers for a good harvest.
Its origins are unclear, but it was designated a town intangible folk cultural property in 2010 and continues to be passed down in the community.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
