Rokugo’s Little New Year traditions, carried on through Tenzuku, the fire festival, and the bamboo battle
Rokugo Kamakura Festival
The 2026 edition of Rokugo Kamakura Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/02/10 〜 2026/02/14Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, February 11–15 / Every year
- Location
- Rokugo district, Misato Town, Akita Prefecture; Kamakura-batake (bamboo battle)
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Misato Town(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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A Little New Year event handed down in the Rokugo district of Misato Town, Akita Prefecture, and designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Through Tenzuku, kamakura huts, the fire festival, and the bamboo battle, it carries on local customs of prayer and annual divination.
About Rokugo Kamakura Festival
The Rokugo Kamakura Festival is a Little New Year event handed down in the Rokugo district of Misato Town, Akita Prefecture.
It preserves a range of Little New Year customs, including welcoming the Toshigami deity, rituals of auspicious prediction, and annual divination to drive away harmful birds.
Events connected to local beliefs and daily life, including Tenzuku, kamakura huts, the fire festival, and the bamboo battle, continue to this day.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
Highlights include the sight of five-colored, strip-shaped Tenzuku hung from green bamboo poles and kamakura huts set up in each neighborhood.
On the final day, after a fire festival in which New Year decorations are burned, men divide into North and South teams and clash with bamboo poles.
In 2026, the bamboo battle was held 3 times using green bamboo poles 6–7 meters long.
Source: 【美郷町】2026年の「六郷のカマクラ」を開催！「竹うち」は2月14日実施
Rokugo’s Little New Year traditions, carried on through Tenzuku, the fire festival, and the bamboo battle
What to expect
The event begins with writing wishes on Tenzuku, followed by raising the Tenzuku, building kamakura huts, and singing bird-scaring songs.
A shrine to Kamakura Daimyojin is set up inside the kamakura huts, where sacred sake and rice cakes are offered and people visit one another.
The final day concludes with the fire festival and bamboo battle, and Tenzuku burning is also held.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Rokugo district, Misato Town, Akita Prefecture.
The bamboo battle takes place at “Kamakura-batake” in front of the shrine.
Event venue 秋田県美郷町 秋田県美郷町六郷地区
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the dates listed have passed)
The 2026 Rokugo Kamakura Festival was held from February 10 (Tuesday) through the 14th (Saturday).
The bamboo battle was held on the final day, the 14th (Saturday), with “Kamakura-batake” serving as the main venue at night.
The event is usually open to the public from February 11 through the 15th, but the dates may vary from year to 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 Akita Prefecture / Misato Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The bamboo battle is an event in which the North and South teams clash fiercely with long green bamboo poles.
In 2026, men wearing helmets took part, and scenes of bamboo splitting and flying apart were also shown.
For safety, follow local guidance and observe restricted areas around the venue where the fire festival and bamboo battle are held.
Nearby attractions
美郷町歴史民俗資料館・佐々木毅記念室
秋田県美郷町にある資料館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
雁の里山本公園
秋田県仙北郡美郷町にある公園
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 Rokugo Kamakura Festival
The Rokugo Kamakura Festival is handed down as a Little New Year event in which people welcome the Toshigami deity and perform rituals of auspicious prediction and annual divination to drive away harmful birds.
It also preserves the custom of building kamakura huts from snow, characteristic of the Dewa and Echigo regions.
It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property on January 14, 1982 and is regarded as an example that preserves the form of an old Little New Year event.
Official information
For event information, see the official “Rokugo no Kamakura” page of Misato Town.
案内先は 案内先 です。
An overview of the cultural property is also listed in the Database of National Cultural Properties.
Rokugo Kamakura Festival at a Glance
The Rokugo Kamakura Festival is a traditional Little New Year event that continues in the Rokugo district of Misato Town.
Through Tenzuku, kamakura huts, bird-scaring songs, and the fire festival, visitors can experience customs for welcoming the Toshigami deity and praying for good health and a bountiful harvest.
The bamboo battle on the final day is a signature highlight, with the North and South teams clashing with green bamboo poles.
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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