Published October 20, 2026 at 2:45 PM JST

In Tomida, Yokkaichi, decorated whale boats chase a papier-mache whale across shrine grounds each August, in a lively tradition that is also part of Japan's UNESCO float festivals.

Quick answer: The Kujirabune festival of Toride Shrine takes place in the Tomida district of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, usually on August 14 and 15 during the Obon season, with organizers setting the details each year. Four boat-shaped floats stage a mock whale hunt on land, with songs, drums and a lively papier-mache whale. It is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and one of the 33 float festivals on the UNESCO list.

A Whale Hunt Without the Sea

Imagine a boat gliding across a shrine courtyard, a young harpooner dancing on its bow, and a giant whale made of paper and bamboo racing around the crowd. That is the Kujirabune event of Toride Shrine, held each summer in the Tomida district of Yokkaichi City, in Mie Prefecture. Kujirabune means whale boat, and the festival is a theatrical re-enactment of chasing and catching a whale, performed entirely on land.

The festival belongs to Yokkaichi, a port city on Ise Bay, and to Toride Shrine, the guardian shrine of the Tomida area. The Mie tourism pages describe the event as a prayer for a big catch and for protection from misfortune. In 1997 it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and in 2016 UNESCO inscribed it as one of the 33 float festivals.

For visitors, the appeal is the storytelling. Each performance has a beginning, a chase, a counterattack and a triumphant catch, so even first time viewers can follow the action without any explanation.

History and Origins

According to a city publication, before the war the event was held at Toride Shrine's autumn festival on September 23. Because the eastern Tomida area was a fishing community, it is said that the performance moved to the Obon period in August, when fishing was quiet. Today it is held on August 14 and 15.

The origin of the whale theme has several explanations. The city lists possibilities such as a military training whaling unit that existed in Matsusaka under the Kii domain, ceremonial boats of regional lords that sailed through Ise Bay, and festival boats of the shogunate and some feudal lords. Tomida itself was not a whaling area, which makes the tradition especially interesting as a cultural story and not a record of a local industry.

Shrine records reportedly say that the event began in 1781, according to a Mie tourism report, and a storage box dated 1853 suggests it was already being performed in the late Edo period. Because these dates come from shrine documents and local tradition, it is best to treat them as approximate.

The Four Whale Boats

Four boats take part, each maintained by a neighborhood group: Kitajima, Nakajima, Minamijima and Furukawa-cho. According to the city, they are named Jinjamaru, Shintokumaru, Kan'omaru and Gongenmaru, although local writers sometimes spell the names differently. The city explains that the boats are not copies of real historical whaling vessels. They are modeled on the lavish ceremonial boats used by shoguns and feudal lords in early modern Japan, which is why they carry carvings, embroidered curtains and rich decorations.

A Mie tourism report points out that each boat has its own style. The Nakajima boat is the only one with a deep red roof, while the others have gold roofs. Dragon embroidery appears on two of the boats, while others feature motifs such as plovers and waves. Comparing the boats side by side is one of the pleasures of the festival.

The neighborhood groups take turns in the main performance. In one recent year, the report says, the Nakajima group did not parade because of its rotation, so it is wise to check the schedule if you hope to see a particular boat.

How the Performance Unfolds

The story follows a clear sequence, according to the city. The crew searches for a whale while singing a flowing song. The harpooner, called the hasashi, spots the whale offshore, and the song changes to a more energetic one. The boat then chases the whale to the beat of drums and singing. When the whale is cornered it fights back and pushes the boat backward. After a back and forth struggle, the crew finally catches it.

The whale is a papier-mache creature carried by two performers, and it runs around the shrine grounds. Even when it is cornered in front of the shrine hall, it can slip away, so it is not easy to catch. Members of the crowd and the team help absorb its rushes. The city reports that some of the whale bearers are strong enough to lift a 100 kilogram whale on their own.

Each performance includes several traditional roles. The lead harpooner dances in a splendid costume to the drums and songs, and tourism sources say it is usually a child around the upper grades of elementary school. The youngest role is the oarsman, a child of about three to seven who mimes rowing on the rocking boat. Others support the harpooner, beat a drum inside the boat's cabin, or carry the whale. In Furukawa-cho, a small calf whale is carried by a child alongside the parent whale, and the city notes that women are increasingly taking part, for example by playing the drum in the Kitajima group.

The Two Festival Days

On August 14, the first day, each group visits Toride Shrine with torches for a purification rite and then parades through its neighborhood in the machi-neri, or town parade. According to a Mie tourism report, the parade passes through narrow streets as well as along a main road, which gives a close up view of the boats.

On August 15, the main parade, called hon-neri, takes place in the shrine grounds. Each group enters in turn and performs the whale hunt before the shrine. The report lists a sample schedule from 2024, with groups performing in the morning and early afternoon, though times change each year. After the last performance, the groups visit the shrine to give thanks and the festival ends with a lantern procession and a circle dance, according to the same report.

Visitors who want to see the boats up close in a wide space may prefer the main day, while those who like the atmosphere of narrow streets will enjoy the town parade on the first day.

Songs, Drums and Community

Music is essential to the festival. The city describes two kinds of songs, a flowing song that accompanies the boat on its search and an action song after the whale is found, and both are performed in time with the drum. The result is a rhythmic chant that carries across the shrine grounds.

Across Tomida, young and old take part, and the city notes efforts to hand the tradition on, including work with local schools and a university on conservation and measurement of the floats. Such efforts are part of what UNESCO recognizes about these festivals: communities share responsibility for designing, building and operating them across generations.

Visiting Tomida

Toride Shrine is a short walk from Tomida Station, about 5 to 7 minutes according to different local guides. Parking is not available at the shrine, so public transportation is recommended. A temporary toilet is set up at the shrine, according to the Mie tourism report.

The same report says there are no food stalls on festival days, so visitors may want to plan meals ahead, and that restaurants near the shrine may be closed for Obon. Bringing water and sun protection is sensible in mid August.

Because the event is a living tradition, details can change. Check the city's special festival website and the Yokkaichi tourism pages before you travel, and give the performers space as they move. Please do not touch the boats or the whale, and follow the instructions of the staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Kujirabune festival held?

It is held at Toride Shrine in the Tomida district of Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture. It is listed by UNESCO as part of the Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals.

When is the Kujirabune festival held?

It is usually held on August 14 and 15, during Obon. August 14 features the town parade and August 15 the main parade at the shrine. Organizers set the exact program each year.

Is there a real whale?

No. The whale is made of paper and bamboo and is carried by performers. The hunt is a staged story, with boats modeled on ceremonial vessels instead of working whaling boats.

Further reading: the UNESCO page for the float festivals, the Mie tourism report on the Toride Shrine whale boat event and the Mie tourism page on the Toride Shrine whale boat event.

Keep exploring: Kuwana Ishidori Festival: Japan's Thunderous Gong and Drum Floats; Ueno Tenjin Festival: Oni, Danjiri and Autumn in Iga's Castle Town; Sunari Festival in Kanie: 100 Days of Lanterns on the River; Kamezaki Shiohi Festival: Giant Floats Rolling Into the Tide.