A strange festival of racing past flames, splitting green bamboo, and sending a large rope down the river
Takewari Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Usually February 10 / Every year
- Location
- Sugō Ishibe Shrine
- Area
- Ishikawa Prefecture・Kaga(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 h · 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Gongan is held at Sugō Ishibe Shrine in Kaga and uses fire, green bamboo, and a large rope. It is a distinctive shrine festival commonly known as the Takewari Festival.
About Takewari Festival
The Takewari Festival is an annual shrine festival held on February 10 at Sugō Ishibe Shrine in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture.
Its formal name is Gongan Shinji (ごんがんしんじ), while Takewari Festival is its common name.
This vigorous ritual uses fire, green bamboo, and a large rope. In 1987, it was designated an Ishikawa Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
As a festival passed down at a local shrine, it preserves distinctive ritual practices.
Source: 竹割り祭り - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
Highlights include the bonfire ritual, in which young men in white robes run past the flames; the bamboo-splitting ritual, in which green bamboo is violently struck against the ground in the shrine precincts until it splits; and the large-rope ritual, in which participants pull the rope against one another and carry it to the river.
Up to 300 green bamboo poles are prepared in the shrine precincts, and the ritual continues until they have all been split.
The split bamboo is considered a good-luck charm for health and safety, and visitors may take it home.
A strange festival of racing past flames, splitting green bamboo, and sending a large rope down the river
What to expect
The ritual proceeds from a purification ceremony to the bonfire ritual, the bamboo-splitting ritual, and then the large-rope ritual.
When the flames flare up, young men in white robes run into the shrine precincts. They then strike green bamboo against the stone steps, pillars, and floor of the , splitting it.
Once all the bamboo has been split, they pull a large rope out of the worship hall, pull against one another, and send it down the Daishoji River from Shikiji Bridge in front of the shrine.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Sugō Ishibe Shrine (Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture).
Event venue 石川県加賀市 菅生石部神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
This is held every year on February 10.
開催日は毎年同じ日とされています。
When visiting, please keep in mind that this shinji takes place on the grounds of a in winter, and check the latest event information.
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 Ishikawa Prefecture / Kaga (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The ritual includes moments when flames flare up and young men strike green bamboo.
When viewing the ritual, take care where you stand and how you move around the shrine precincts so as not to disrupt its progress.
The split green bamboo is said to be free for visitors to take home, but be sure not to touch the bamboo or implements during the ritual, and follow the instructions of staff.
Nearby attractions
深田久弥山の文化館
石川県加賀市の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
石川県九谷焼美術館
石川県加賀市にある美術館
Origins and History of Takewari Festival
According to the shrine’s tradition, the origins of the Gongan Shinji lie in a vow made by Emperor Tenmu.
A shrine chronicle written in the early modern period, however, says that it represents a conflict between the brother deities Suseli and Hikohohodemi, so there are several accounts of its origins.
A 1938 study describes it as a festival depicting the slaying of a great serpent, associated with Susanoo’s defeat of Yamata no Orochi.
In 1987, it was designated an Ishikawa Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Takewari Festival at a Glance
The Takewari Festival is the Gongan Shinji, a ritual passed down at Sugō Ishibe Shrine in Kaga.
Its distinctive sequence features young men running beside the flames, splitting 300 green bamboo poles, and sending a large rope down the river.
As a local festival designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property, it is best viewed with respect for the progress of the ritual.
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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