A Little New Year’s event dividing Omi into east and west, with wishes for a good harvest entrusted to bamboo
Omi’s Take no Karakai
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year January 15 / Every year
- Location
- In front of Oumi Station and along Honmachi Street
- Area
- Niigata Prefecture・Itoigawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Omi’s Take no Karakai, passed down in Omi, Itoigawa City, is a Little New Year’s event in which young men divided into east and west teams pull against each other using two green bamboo poles, praying for a bountiful harvest and household safety.
About Omi’s Take no Karakai
Omi’s Take no Karakai is a Little New Year’s event passed down in Omi, Itoigawa City.
The town is divided into east and west, and young men wearing kumadori makeup, among others, pull against each other using two green bamboo poles.
This event arose from folk beliefs wishing for bountiful harvests, protection from misfortune, good fortune, and household safety, and is held as part of a series of events with Sainokami.
It is also designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Source: 青海の竹のからかい - 文化財・伝統芸能｜糸魚川観光ガイド
Festival highlights
A highlight is the young men, divided into east and west teams, joining two green bamboo poles—the Isami-dake and Awase-dake—and pulling against each other.
Their faces are painted with kumadori makeup, and the side whose bamboo is pulled away, breaks, or splits loses.
Wishes for a bountiful harvest and abundant fish catches are entrusted to the outcome, connecting the contest of strength with the community’s prayers.
A Little New Year’s event dividing Omi into east and west, with wishes for a good harvest entrusted to bamboo
What to expect
During the event, young men divided into east and west teams join two green bamboo poles and pull against each other.
The side whose bamboo is pulled away, breaks, or splits loses, deciding the outcome.
Sainokami-yaki is also scheduled after Take no Karakai, forming part of a sequence of Little New Year’s events.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The event takes place from in front of Oumi Station to Honmachi Street.
The address is Oumi, Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It is about a 2-minute walk from Oumi Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway’s Nihonkai Hisui Line.
- By car
It is about a 15-minute drive from the Itoigawa IC on the Hokuriku Expressway.
- Parking
There is no parking for standard cars.
Address Omi, Itoigawa, Niigata Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every year January 15
- 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 Niigata Prefecture / Itoigawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Omi General Athletic Ground is listed as a nearby spot for the festival.
It is listed as a place to visit near the venue, but no information is provided about its distance from the festival site or its operating status.
When visiting the area, plan around the event’s traffic restrictions and parking information.
Nou Hakusan Shrine
新潟県糸魚川市大字能生にある神社
Origins and History of Omi’s Take no Karakai
Omi’s Take no Karakai is a Little New Year’s event said to have continued since the Edo period.
It is said that this same event was once held in 3 places across Japan, but Omi is described as the only place where it remains today.
In Showa 62December 28, it was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Official information
For inquiries, contact the Itoigawa City Cultural Promotion Division.
The Omi Take no Karakai Preservation Association is listed as the owner and manager.
The event introduction page also lists the Itoigawa Tourism Guide as related information.
Omi’s Take no Karakai at a Glance
Omi’s Take no Karakai is a Little New Year’s event in which the town of Omi is divided into east and west, and two green bamboo poles are pulled against each other.
The outcome of the bamboo contest carries wishes for bountiful harvests and abundant fish catches, along with prayers for protection from misfortune, good fortune, and household safety.
This local traditional event is said to date back to the Edo period and is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
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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