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The 56th Naha Great Tug-of-War (US Navy photo)

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Naha Great Tug-of-War

那覇大綱挽 · Naha, Okinawa, Japan

Photo: Petty Officer 2nd Class John Miller · Public domain

In October, a rice-straw rope about 200 m long is laid along National Route 58 in Naha, and tens of thousands of people split into East and West teams to haul it.

Know before you go

  • Do not rush into the rope area once the tug has started
  • do not scramble and grab at the rope
  • do not cross the roadway at will

This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.

Stories & people

Stories & people

History

A revival after 36 years

Naha's great tug-of-war lapsed after 1935. In 1971, to mark the 50th anniversary of Naha's city status, the mayor called for the tradition to be restored and chose October 10, the anniversary of the great air raid on Naha in 1944. It has been held every year since and has become the signature event of autumn in Naha.

Source: Wikipedia (Japanese): Naha Great Tug-of-War Festival

Culture

Culture & customs

Background

Tug-of-war in Naha dates back to the 17th century as a rite praying for good harvests and good health; it lapsed after 1935. In 1971 the mayor revived it to mark the 50th anniversary of Naha's city status, first holding it on October 10; since 2000, when Sports Day moved to the second Monday of October, the tug has taken place on the Sunday before Sports Day. Together with the Naha Hari dragon-boat races and the Juri Uma parade, it is counted among Naha's three great festivals. The tug takes place at the Kumoji intersection on National Route 58, where the median barrier is removed for the day. The rope is made of eastern and western halves joined together, about 200 m long and weighing around 40 tonnes (it varies a little from year to year), with about 280 smaller ropes attached so that more people can pull. Before the East (Agari) and West (Iri) teams face off, a giant confetti-filled kusudama ball is opened to start the contest. Afterwards, people cut off pieces of the rope to take home as charms for good health. Residents, tourists and US service members all join in, and in 1995 the rope was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest rice-straw rope used in a tug-of-war.

Local customs

  • Join the East or West team and haul the rope
  • watch the opening kusudama
  • cut a piece of rope to take home as a charm
  • see the traditional performing arts parade and the hatagashira banner procession.

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Rules that apply here

Essential restrictionsSafetyCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Japan: At fireworks festivals, don't tape off spots in advance, and never fly drones

Do

  • Spread your sheet where there is actual space when you arrive, leaving room for neighbours
  • Follow police and staff directions and move with the crowd
  • Bring plenty of water and cooling gear to prevent heatstroke
  • Riverbanks have lots of insects, so bring repellent
  • Festivals usually go ahead in light rain, so bring a raincoat
  • Take your rubbish home

Don’t

  • Don't mark spots in advance with tape or spray paint on roads or in parks
  • Don't fly drones
  • Don't use selfie sticks in crowds; the Sumida River festival bans them
  • Don't stop in the middle of the path to watch and block the flow

Spots marked in advance are cleared by the organisers, and flying drones is prohibited by law. City-centre festivals run one-way crowd flows, and going against the flow or stopping can cause dangerous crushes.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Excite News: Sumida River Fireworks, access and viewing guide

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Mixed, open-air and private baths: read the signs, don't stare, never take photos

Do

  • Check the signs before entering; mixed baths are clearly marked, and joining is entirely your choice
  • Most mixed baths are nude only, with no swimwear; some allow or lend special bathing wraps or towels, so follow the bath's rules
  • If you prefer not to bathe mixed, use the separate men's and women's baths or a private bath
  • Outdoor baths are slippery and the temperature changes sharply; hold the handrails when moving
  • Use a private bath only within your booked slot and leave on time
  • Tohoku and other regions still have many therapeutic hot springs with mixed bathing; for long therapeutic stays, follow the ryokan's and your doctor's advice

Don’t

  • Don't stare at other bathers, strike up conversations, or linger to watch
  • Don't take photos or videos in the bath area
  • Don't overstay a private bath; the next group is waiting

Mixed bathing works only because bathers keep their eyes to themselves; staring or taking photos will get you asked to leave, and filming others in a bath may break local law.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia (Japanese): Konyoku

Essential restrictionsPhotos & dronesCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Stay off private land, and ask before photographing children or people

Do

  • Ask parents' permission before photographing their children
  • Ask geiko, maiko, and other working people before photographing them
  • Check for 撮影禁止 (no photography) signs, and ask staff if there are none
  • Photograph trains and stations themselves without disrupting operations

Don’t

  • Do not enter private homes or land for a shot
  • Do not photograph the inside of homes
  • Do not aim your camera at individual passengers on trains or buses
  • Do not step into rice paddies, flower beds, or along railway tracks for photos
  • Do not use selfie sticks or tripods in crowds or dangerous spots
  • Do not chase or stop geiko or maiko

Trespassing on private land is illegal and can get you told to leave or to delete your photos. Shooting in no-photo areas will be stopped, and photographing children is seen as an invasion of privacy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Aichi Now: Sightseeing Manners

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Bathe nude in the onsen and keep your towel out of the water

Do

  • Bathe fully nude, without swimwear or underwear
  • Rest your small towel on your head or the edge of the bath
  • Tie up long hair so it stays out of the water
  • Enter the bath slowly and keep quiet
  • Leave your phone in the locker
  • Keep your first soak short, and dry off before returning to the changing room

Don’t

  • Do not dip your towel into the bath
  • Do not swim, dive, or talk loudly in the bath
  • Do not take photos anywhere in the bathing area
  • Do not wrap your yukata right side over left; that is how the deceased are dressed

Most of these are written bathhouse rules. Breaking them gets you a reminder from staff, and in serious cases you may be asked to leave. Soaking too long can also make you dizzy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Authentic Local Japan: Onsen Etiquette

Don’t DON'T

  • Do not rush into the rope area once the tug has started
  • do not scramble and grab at the rope
  • do not cross the roadway at will

Locals appreciate DO

  • Follow the staff's directions when joining the East or West team
  • travel by monorail or other public transport
  • take turns when cutting pieces of rope

Plan your visit

Practical info

2027 datesOctober 9 – 11, 2027

Travel tips

  • The Naha Great Tug-of-War Festival runs over the three-day weekend that includes Sports Day (the second Monday of October), and the tug itself is on the Sunday before Sports Day. A traditional performing arts parade fills Kokusai-dori on the first evening, and a hatagashira banner procession takes place on the morning of the tug
  • check the official announcement for times. Participation is free, there is no parking, and roads are closed, so take the monorail to Kenchomae or Miebashi station and walk.

2027 schedule

  • By the usual rule, Sports Day 2027 is October 11, so the festival should run about October 9–11 with the tug on Sunday, October 10
  • the exact schedule awaits official announcement.
Sources & verification notes

Wikipedia (Japanese): Naha Great Tug-of-War Festival

Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau: Naha Great Tug-of-War Festival

Festival Calendar

Other festivals in Oct

All festivals in Oct