Event Information

島前神楽

This is a list of the main events that happen throughout the year.
For more information, contact the tourism association.
If your visit is at the same time as a local festival, make sure you join in – the people here will make you very welcome!
There are other events happening around Nishinoshima and on the other islands throughout the year.
For more information, visit the Oki Islands Tourism Association page.
>> Website

We recommend you visit the Oki Islands from spring – autumn.
Please be aware that due to COVID-19 most of the events are cancelled for 2021.

Spring

April

Kuniga-Biraki Spring Campaign
Get 6 FREE beautiful postcards of Nishinoshima Island!

How:
1. Upload your photos or videos of Sightseeing spots of Nishinoshima Island on your SNS
2. Show it at Nishinoshima Tourism Association
That’s it!

When:
Throughout the year

Kuniga Biraki

Kuniga Coast Beach Clean 
(Kuniga Beach, Kannon-iwa Rock Area)

In April (usually on a Sunday, exact date to be advised) 
9:30 – 12:00
This is an annual spring event to clean the rubbish gathered from the current during winter.

Come help clean the beach, enjoy morning tea with the locals, learn about the environment!
国賀びらきフェスタ ビーチクリーン

Sunset Cafe
Usually offered on one Saturday in April (exact date to be adivised)
17:30 – 19:00
Join other tourists and locals to watch the sunset and enjoy homemade sweets, tea and coffee.
We provide free shuttle there and back:
Pick up from Nishinoshima Tourism Information office @17:20, Urago Tourism Center @17:40, Kuniga beach @17:50
*Please help reduce waste by bringing your own mug to the event 🙂
国賀びらきフェスタ サンセットカフェ

May

Totte-Oki Two Day Walk とって隠岐ツーデーウォーク
Date : End of  May  (Not offered in 2021)
Location in Nishinoshima: Uragō Port – Matengai Cliff – Tsūtenkyō Arch – Uragō Port (10km walking course)

Walk around the three Oki-Dozen area islands with locals and walking enthusiasts from around Japan! Enter in advance.
>> Website

3DAYSウォーク

Summer

July

Takada Shrine Festival 高田神社例大

Cancelled for 2021

Enjoy watching local heroes carry the heavy mikoshi (portable shrine) through the streets, watch Kagura (traditional Shinto dance and music) and join locals in honoring the gods of Takada Shrine. If you become friends with someone, they might invite you into their home for supper!

Date : 18 – 19 (odd years)
Location : Funakoshi/Komukai Area

2017 Festival Information
Mikoshi (Portable Shrine) Parade: From 19:00 onwards (both days)
Kagura (Shinto Music & Dance) Display: From 21:00 onwards (only on 18th July)
Fireworks: Not at this festival

高田神社祭り

Kai Shrine Festival 海神社例大祭
Enjoy watching local heroes carry the heavy mikoshi (portable shrine) through the streets and on to a special boat, watch Kagura (traditional Shinto dance and music) and join locals in honoring the gods of Kai Shrine. The local men (mikoshi carriers) try to push each other into the sea – almost everyone goes home wet!

Date : 21 – 22 (odd years)
Location : Beppu Area

2017 Festival Information
Mikoshi (Portable Shrine) Parade: From 19:00 onwards (both days)
Kagura (Shinto Music & Dance) Display: From 21:00 onwards (only on 21st July)
Fireworks: Not at this festival

海神社

Takuhi Shrine Festival 焼火神社例大祭
Climb up to Takuhi Shrine (15 – 20 minutes from the carpark) and spend the evening with local people enjoying special shrine food and watching traditional shrine dance and music. We recommend you contact the priest in advance if you wish to join in.

Date : 23 July (even years) Kagura is cancelled for 2020
Location : Takuhi Shrine (Mt. Takuhi)
>> Website (Japanese only)

焼火神社祭り

Yurahime Shrine Festival 由良比女神社例大

Cancelled for 2021

Enjoy watching local heroes carry the heavy mikoshi (portable shrine) through the streets and on to a special boat, view a fireworks display on Saturday night, watch Kagura (traditional Shinto dance and music) and join locals in honoring the gods of Yurahime Shrine. 

Date : Last Saturday and Sunday in July (odd years)
Location : Uragō Area

2017 Festival Information
Mikoshi (Portable Shrine) Parade: From 19:00 onwards (both days)
Kagura (Shinto Music & Dance) Display: From 21:00 onwards (both days, 29th outside JF fisheries port, 30th at Yurahime Shrine)
Fireworks: From 20:30

由良比女神社

August

Obon Dance 盆踊り
Meet with local people to celebrate the Obon Festival by joining in the special rhythmical dance Bon-odori. Obon is celebrated all throughout Japan as the period during which ancestral spirits are said to return to their homes.

Date : 14, 15, 16
Location : Villages around the island

盆踊り

Shara-bune Spirit Boats シャーラ船
Obon is celebrated all throughout Japan as the period during which ancestral spirits are said to return to their homes. Many places place lanterns laden with lights and offerings to symbolize the return of the ancestors following Obon. In Nishinoshima Island the tradition is quite different. Instead of lanterns, ancestors are bid farewell with Shara-bune. These boats (made by junior high school students and village elders) are laden with offerings and the sails are decorated with colorful Buddhist sutras. It is thought that the word shara is derived from shoryo, which means ‘spirit of the deceased’.

Date : 16
Location : Funakoshi Port, Uragō Port and smaller villages around the island

シャーラ船 sharaboat

Autumn

September

Shūhaira 十方拝礼(しゅうはいら)
Shūhaira, meaning ‘to worship in ten directions’ has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. It is uncertain when these dances began, but according to documents about the religious festivals, it was already being performed by the end of the Muromachi Period (1338 – 1573).  The rhythm of the drums and chanting while dancing is very intriguing.  A small sumo tournament is held during the main festival inside the shrine grounds.

Date : September
Location : Beppu Area or Urago Area

2019 Festival Information
Dress Rehearsal (Kasa-soroe)
Location: Chōfuku-ji Temple (diagonally across the supermarket Yours)
Date: Saturday 7th September
Time: 14:00 (for approx. 1 hour)

Main Event
Location: Mita Hachiman Shrine (diagonally across the bar Orenji in Beppu)
Date: Sunday 8th September
Time: 10:00 (for approx. 1 hour)
Ceremony, Shūhaira Dance, Ritual Sumo Tournament

Shūhaira Dance consists of 3 parts: Deity’s Sumō (Kami-no- sumō), Lion Dance (Shishi-mai) and Dengaku dance, a traditional dance dedicated to rice-planting.

しゅうはいら

Mikado Festival 2018 帝祭 (An Even Year Event)

★Emperor Godaigo was exiled to the Oki Islands, most likely to the area around Beppu Port known today as Kuroki-gosho (Imperial Residence Site). The local tourism office plans events including a history tour, festival parade, food stalls and free museum entry during the day, then a fireworks display in the evening.

Date : 8 September (Cancelled for 2020)
Location : Kuroki-gosho

帝祭り

October

Nishinoshima Half Marathon 2021(Road Race) 西ノ島ハーフマラソン2021
Date : 24 October (Sun) Cancelled for 2021 
Location : Uragō Port (Start) –> Akao Lookout –> Onimai Lookout –> Urago Port (Goal)

Run up and down the hills along the spectacular Kuniga Coast with locals and running enthusiasts from around Japan! Enter in advance. 島RUN

Gyogyogyo Sakana Festival ギョギョギョ魚フェスタ
Date: End of October 
Location: Urago Tourism Center (Noa Hall, Urago Port)

Come and enjoy many different types of fresh local seafood, taiko drum performance, and many more!