Naraha’s Hamakudari: the mikoshi and its sound lead from the mountains to the sea
The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Each year, over 5 days centered on the second Sunday of April / Every year
- Location
- From Ōtaki Shrine to the Pacific Ocean
- Area
- Fukushima Prefecture・Naraha Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A representative traditional event of Naraha Town, in which the from Ōtaki Shrine travels down from the upper reaches of the Kido River to the Pacific Ocean and is splashed with seawater. It is known as “Tantan Peropero,” a phrase that evokes the sound of drums and flutes, and is designated an intangible cultural property of the prefecture.
About The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event
The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event is a traditional event in which the mikoshi from Ōtaki Shrine, upstream on the Kido River, travels down to the Pacific Ocean and is splashed with seawater.
It is known as “Tantan Peropero,” a phrase that evokes the sound of drums and flutes, and is designated an intangible cultural property of the prefecture as one of Naraha Town’s representative events.
It takes place each year over 5 days centered on the second Sunday of April.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the mikoshi from Ōtaki Shrine traveling down from the upper reaches of the Kido River to the Pacific Ocean and being splashed with seawater.
The drums and flutes heard during the event are called “Tantan Peropero,” a distinctive feature associated with the mikoshi’s journey down to the shore.
Its designation as an intangible cultural property of the prefecture also conveys the cultural value of an event passed down through generations in the community.
Naraha’s Hamakudari: the mikoshi and its sound lead from the mountains to the sea
What to expect
During the event, the mikoshi from Ōtaki Shrine, upstream on the Kido River, travels down to the Pacific Ocean.
When it reaches the sea, the mikoshi is splashed with seawater, and the sound of drums and flutes, known as “Tantan Peropero,” is passed down as a distinctive feature of the event.
Each year, the procession down to the shore from the shrine to the sea takes place over 5 days centered on the second Sunday of April.
Location and access
- Venue and address
From Ōtaki Shrine upstream on the Kido River to the Pacific Ocean
Event venue 福島県楢葉町 大滝神社から太平洋まで
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Each year, over 5 days centered on the second Sunday of April
- 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 Fukushima Prefecture / Naraha Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event
After the disaster, the Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event was held in a simplified form.
Later, in 2018, the mikoshi was paraded through the town for the first time in 8 years.
The event is designated an intangible cultural property of the prefecture and is featured as one of Naraha Town’s representative traditional events.
Official information
Contact: Kido Hachiman Shrine 0240-22-2111
The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event at a Glance
The Ōtaki Shrine Hamakudari event is a traditional event in Naraha Town in which the mikoshi travels from Ōtaki Shrine, upstream on the Kido River, to the Pacific Ocean and is splashed with seawater.
It is known as “Tantan Peropero,” a phrase that evokes the sound of drums and flutes, and is designated an intangible cultural property of the prefecture.
It is usually held over 5 days centered on the second Sunday of April; records also describe simplified events held after the disaster and the 2018 procession of the mikoshi through the town.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
