A Little New Year event featuring a huge rope winding through town and a contest that divines the year’s harvest
Omagari Tug-of-War
The 2026 edition of Omagari Tug-of-War has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/02/21Ended
- Season / frequency
- Third Saturday of February every year / Once a year
- Location
- Suwa Shrine, Kamioomachi intersection
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Daisen 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/24
This Little New Year event, handed down in Omagari, Daisen City, involves taking a long rope through town and having the Kamicho and Shimocho districts pull against each other.
About Omagari Tug-of-War
The Omagari Tug-of-War is a local tug-of-war handed down as a Little New Year event at Suwa Shrine.
A 75-hiro (136 m) rope is brought from the shrine into town, where several hundred people divide into Kamicho and Shimocho at the Omachi intersection and pull against each other.
It is said that rice prices rise if Kamicho wins and beans rise in price if Shimocho wins; the result is used to divine the year's harvest prospects.
It is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Akita Prefecture.
Source: 大曲の綱引き - イベント | 大仙市
Festival highlights
Highlights include the “Tsuna Miyuki,” when a huge rope over 100 m long is carried through town, followed by the tug-of-war between Kamicho and Shimocho.
A cedar log about 4 m long, called a “Zaifuri-bō,” is attached to the rope, and people jostle in each neighborhood as they try to turn it.
At the Omachi intersection, Kamicho—Kamioomachi, Sakaemachi, and Kamisakaemachi—competes against Shimocho—Omachi, Nakatōri-machi, and Tōri-machi.
Source: 大曲の綱引き 文化遺産オンライン
A Little New Year event featuring a huge rope winding through town and a contest that divines the year’s harvest
What to expect
According to the 2026 schedule, the rope is scheduled to be joined from around 5:30 p.m., fireworks to be launched from around 7:00 p.m., the tug-of-war to begin around 8:30 p.m., and the rope to be put away from around 9:00 p.m.
The rope is lowered from Suwa Shrine and carried through town with the Zaifuri-bō at the front, before the tug-of-war takes place at the Omachi intersection.
The rope is joined and taken through town, Kamicho and Shimocho pull against each other, and finally the rope is put away.
Location and access
- Venue and address
諏訪神社 大仙市大曲上大町12-20／綱引き：上大町交差点
- Train and bus
JR大曲駅から徒歩／車：秋田自動車道大曲ICより約8km
Source: 鳥子舞・大曲の綱引き｜ 大仙市観光物産協会 上がるっ！だいせん
Address 12-20 Kamioomachi, Omagari, Daisen City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event was announced as scheduled for February 21 (Saturday), with the rope scheduled to be joined from around 5:30 p.m., fireworks to be launched from around 7:00 p.m., the tug-of-war to begin around 8:30 p.m., and the rope to be put away from around 9:00 p.m.
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 / Daisen City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Nearby facilities mentioned in connection with the festival include Omagari Empire Hotel, Green Hotel Omagari, and Tamagawa Leisureland Tamagawatei.
Tourism information lists Herb Cafe Cocoto, Omagari Family Ski Resort, and Hanabi Town DAISEN.
All are listed as nearby facilities in Daisen City, the same city as the festival, but distances or walking times from the festival venue are not provided.
秋田県立農業科学館
秋田県大仙市にある博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
払田柵跡
秋田県大仙市・美郷町にある古代城柵遺跡
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Omagari Tug-of-War
The Omagari Tug-of-War is a Little New Year event said to have begun during the Kyoho era (around 1716–1736).
It was formerly held on day 15 of lunar month 1, but from the 1940s onward it came to be held on February 15 according to the Gregorian calendar.
The rope, once made by local farmers, is now made by the Rope-Braiding Committee. The method for making the snake’s head and tail has been passed down to the group leader and the next prospective group leader.
It became an Intangible Folk Cultural Property designated by Akita Prefecture on March 22, 2011.
Official information
Daisen City’s event information lists the event details, venue, times, access, and contact information.
For inquiries, contact the Omagari Tug-of-War Executive Committee (at Suwa Shrine) at 0187-62-2016.
Omagari Tug-of-War at a Glance
The Omagari Tug-of-War is a Little New Year event in which a long rope is taken from Suwa Shrine through town and Kamicho and Shimocho pull against each other at the Omachi intersection.
The event is known for the Tsuna Miyuki procession, the Zaifuri-bō, and a tug-of-war involving several hundred people; the result is used to divine the harvest prospects for rice and beans.
It is said to date back to the Kyoho era and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Akita Prefecture.
According to the 2026 event information, joining the rope, fireworks, the tug-of-war, and putting away the rope were scheduled for February 21.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/24
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