Namikiri’s traditional event of pulling a giant straw sandal and praying for safe voyages
Waraji-Hiki
The 2026 edition of Waraji-Hiki has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/12Ended
- Season / frequency
- On the Day of the Monkey each September / Every year
- Location
- Namikiri Shrine and other locations
- Area
- Mie Prefecture・Shima City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 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.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event in Namikiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, in which a giant straw sandal is pulled through town and sent out to sea to pray for safe voyages and a good catch.
About Waraji-Hiki
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、N yotarouだと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく） File:Nakiri-jinja(Mie) 01.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、自分の作品だと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく）Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、N yotarouだと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく） File:Waraji-matsuri (Nakiri 2006) 02.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、自分の作品だと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく）Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、N yotarouだと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく） File:Nakiri-jinja(Mie) 06.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5 コンピュータが読み取れる情報は提供されていませんが、自分の作品だと推定されます（著作権の主張に基づく）Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Waraji-Hiki is a traditional event passed down in Namikiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture.
The Waraji-Hiki and Waraji-nagashi rituals are held in connection with a tale in which villagers drove away Dandarabocchi, a one-eyed, one-legged giant, by showing him a giant straw sandal.
This local festival prays for safe voyages and a good catch. In 1971, “Waraji-Hiki of Namikiri” was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Mie Prefecture.
Source: わらじ祭り | イベント | 観光三重(かんこうみえ) / わらじ祭り | イベント | 伊勢志摩観光ナビ - 伊勢志摩観光コンベンション機構公式サイト
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the local children, dressed as shrine attendants, pulling a giant straw sandal about the size of one tatami mat.
After being pulled through town, the giant straw sandal is carried to the sea, where a ritual is held to pray for safe voyages and a good catch.
This is a rare festival ritual in Japan, notable for offering a glimpse of local traditions and coastal beliefs through the event itself.
Namikiri’s traditional event of pulling a giant straw sandal and praying for safe voyages
What to expect
The ritual begins with a procession pulling a giant straw sandal through town and carrying it to the sea.
The straw sandal is then sent out to sea, and prayers are offered for safe voyages and a good catch.
The festival includes the Waraji-Hiki ritual and Waraji-nagashi ritual at the shrine, as well as a naorai ritual. Depending on the year, there may also be a sumo tournament on the eve of the festival and related events.
Source: わらじ曳き - Wikipedia
Location and access
- Venue and address
Namikiri Shrine and other locations.
1 Namikiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, 517-0603.
The event area is around Namikiri Fishing Port.
- Train and bus
Take a Mie Kotsu bus bound for Goza Port from Kintetsu Ugata Station for about 20 minutes, then get off at the Namikiri Fish Market bus stop.
- By car
About 35 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road.
Address 1 Namikiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture 517-0603
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event was scheduled for September 12 (Saturday) around Namikiri Fishing Port in Daio-cho, Shima City.
The venue is listed as Namikiri Shrine and other locations, where Waraji-Hiki and Waraji-nagashi rituals take place.
The event is usually held on the Day of the Monkey in September in the Gregorian calendar, but in years with more than one Day of the Monkey, the date of the ritual is determined differently.
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 Mie Prefecture / Shima City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Attractions around the festival venue include Namikiri Shrine, Namikiri Fishing Port, Daiozaki Lighthouse, and Sakiyama Park.
Daiozaki Lighthouse is an open-to-the-public lighthouse located in the southeastern part of Ise-Shima National Park.
If visiting the venue and nearby attractions, you can enjoy the coastal scenery of Namikiri while being mindful of the event proceedings and local residents’ daily lives.
Source: 大王観光駐車場 | スポット・体験 | 伊勢志摩観光ナビ - 伊勢志摩観光コンベンション機構公式サイト
ピレネー
三重県志摩市の志摩スペイン村にあるジェットコースター
伊雑宮
三重県志摩市磯部町上之郷にある神社
大王埼灯台
日本の三重県志摩市にある灯台
安乗埼灯台
三重県志摩市にある灯台
志摩スペイン村
三重県志摩市にある複合リゾート施設
志摩市歴史民俗資料館
三重県志摩市にある博物館
Origins and History of Waraji-Hiki
Waraji-Hiki is passed down as a festival for Ashiya Gongen, the ujigami deity of Namikiri.
While old documents describe the festival’s format, the origins of its establishment are not known in detail.
In later years, it became linked to the Dandarabocchi legend and came to be widely told as the story behind the festival today. In 1971, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Mie Prefecture.
Official information
According to the 2026 event information, the venue is Namikiri Shrine and other locations, and the date is September 12 (Saturday).
The Shima City Tourism Association’s phone number is provided as a contact, and its website is listed as the official URL.
Check the organizers’ announcements before the event for any changes and details about the day.
Waraji-Hiki at a Glance
Waraji-Hiki is a traditional event passed down in Namikiri, Daio-cho, Shima City, to pray for safe voyages and a good catch.
Children pull a giant straw sandal through town before it is sent out to sea. This series of rituals brings together the Dandarabocchi legend and local beliefs.
The 2026 event was scheduled for September 12 (Saturday) at Namikiri Shrine and other locations.
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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