A port-town festival passed down in Tōtōmi, where boat models dance to song
Tōtōmi Ofune Festival
The 2026 edition of Tōtōmi Ofune Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/15Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year
- Location
- Ōe Hachiman Shrine
- Area
- Shizuoka Prefecture(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h–1 h 30 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Tōtōmi Ofune Festival: an elaborate boat model is carried as it leads the sacred procession to song. The boat’s design and the gestures used to maneuver it reflect the port culture and festival traditions passed down in the Tōtōmi region.
About Tōtōmi Ofune Festival
The Tōtōmi Ofune Festival is a shrine autumn festival in which people carry out an elaborate boat model and lead the sacred procession.
The tradition has been passed down mainly in the Tōtōmi region, and the boats are modeled on taru-kaisen and higaki-kaisen cargo ships.
The event is documented as a cultural property for conveying the region’s port-related beliefs and way of life.
Festival highlights
Highlights include the boat-handling ceremony of raising the model’s mast and hoisting its sail, and the vigorous movements performed to festival songs.
The Ofune is maneuvered as if rolling across the open sea, depicting the movement of a vessel despite being a model.
Another distinctive feature is that different models have been passed down in different areas, including taru-kaisen ships, higaki-kaisen ships, and vermilion-lacquered imperial boats.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
A port-town festival passed down in Tōtōmi, where boat models dance to song
What to expect
The event begins with people carrying out the boat model and placing it at the head of the sacred procession.
The procession advances as participants raise the mast and hoist the sail, moving the Ofune dramatically to the rhythm of the festival songs.
In some areas, songs for departing and arriving ships are performed, and the boat model’s movements depict a voyage.
Location and access
- Venue
Ōe Hachiman Shrine
Event venue 静岡県 大江八幡神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Listed dates
2026/08/15
- Frequency
Every year
Origins and History of Tōtōmi Ofune Festival
The Tōtōmi Ofune Festival is documented as an event that reflects the beliefs and way of life of people who lived in ports in the Tōtōmi region.
On December 13, 1994, it was selected as an intangible folk cultural property requiring measures such as the creation of records.
The specific origins and history of the Ofune Festival traditions passed down across Tōtōmi vary by area.
Official information
The Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties and Other Heritage provides the name of the Tōtōmi Ofune Festival, its status as a cultural property, and an overview of the event.
Tōtōmi Ofune Festival at a Glance
The Tōtōmi Ofune Festival is a festival in the Tōtōmi region where people carry a boat model during an autumn festival and lead the sacred procession.
A key feature is the vigorous movement of boats modeled on taru-kaisen and higaki-kaisen cargo ships, performed to song.
Locations and dates vary by area, so check the information provided by the shrine you plan to visit.
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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