A 9-meter segaki boat and a fire-lit Bon ritual on the Yasukawa River
Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- August 15
- Location
- Yasukawa
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Tanabe City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · bullet train + connecting 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/25
This Bon event has been passed down in Yasukawa, Shimokaw上, Tanabe City. A large segaki boat made of straw is sent down the river amid sutra chanting and fire.
About Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki
Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki is a Bon event held on August 15 on the Yasukawa River, which flows through Shimokaw上, Tanabe City.
A segaki boat is made from green bamboo and straw from wheat and rice, and a straw figure representing a boatman is placed aboard.
After sunset, the head priest of Hodenji Temple chants sutras, then sets fire to the boat and sends it down the Yasukawa River.
It was designated a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property in Heisei 9April 23.
Source: 下川上の流れ施餓鬼 | わかやまの文化財
Festival highlights
A highlight is the segaki boat, which is about 9 meters long.
The frame is made of green bamboo and covered with wheat and rice straw. A straw figure representing a boatman about 2.3 meters tall is placed aboard.
A Bon lantern from a household observing its first after a death is attached to the end of a fishing rod.
The sight of the boat being set alight after sunset and sent down the Yasukawa River is what makes this event distinctive.
A 9-meter segaki boat and a fire-lit Bon ritual on the Yasukawa River
What to expect
The event begins with a frame for the segaki boat being made from green bamboo, then the boat is built using wheat and rice straw.
A straw boatman figure is placed aboard, and a Bon lantern from a household observing its first Obon after a death is attached to the end of a fishing rod.
After sunset, the head priest of Hodenji Temple chants sutras, and then the boat is set on fire.
The burning boat is set adrift on the Yasukawa River.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yasukawa, Shimokaw上, Tanabe City
Address Shimokaw上, Tanabe City
Dates and season
- Season
August 15
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 Wakayama Prefecture / Tanabe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
南方熊楠顕彰館
和歌山県田辺市にある博物館
新庄総合公園
和歌山県田辺市にある公園
熊野古道なかへち美術館
和歌山県田辺市にある美術館
熊野本宮大社
和歌山県田辺市本宮町本宮にある神社
写真：Tim Notari from Tanabe-Shi Wakayama-Ken, Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source ·
田辺市立美術館
和歌山県田辺市にある美術館
道の駅田辺市龍神ごまさんスカイタワー
和歌山県田辺市にある国道371号の道の駅
Origins and History of Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki
Its origins are unclear.
However, it is said to have begun in the wake of major flooding during the Bunka era (1804–1818).
Today, it is passed down as a Bon event held on the Yasukawa River in Shimokaw上, Tanabe City, and became a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property in Heisei 9April 23.
Official information
It is listed as a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property in Wakayama Prefecture’s cultural heritage information, “Wakayama Cultural Properties.”
The listing page introduces the event’s name, location, activities, and origins.
Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki at a Glance
Shimokaw上 no Nagare Segaki is a Bon event held on August 15 on the Yasukawa River in Shimokaw上, Tanabe City.
A straw segaki boat about 9 meters long carries a straw figure about 2.3 meters tall representing a boatman, along with a Bon lantern from a household observing its first Obon after a death.
After sunset, the head priest of Hodenji Temple chants sutras, then sets fire to the boat and sends it down the Yasukawa River.
It is said to have begun in the wake of major flooding during the Bunka era, and it is designated a Prefectural 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: 2026/10/25
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
