Hokkaido · FuranoFestival
Four thousand dancers paint faces on their stomachs, hide their heads under giant hats, and dance down the main street of the town that calls itself Hokkaido’s navel.
Overview
Furano sits at the geographic centre of Hokkaido, and the town’s citizens’ charter says so. In 1969 someone took that literally and invented the Hokkai Heso Matsuri (北海へそ祭り) — the “Hokkaido Belly-Button Festival”.
The mechanics are simple and deeply silly. Dancers paint a face on their torso, called a zubara, and cover their actual head with a large kasa hat, so the belly becomes the performer’s face. Arms become the figure’s arms. The first edition managed to recruit only eleven dancers. The 2026 edition was the 58th.
When and Where
Fixed dates every year: 28 and 29 July, regardless of the day of the week — a pattern held since the third edition, the first having been in August. In 2026 that fell on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The main venue is Ekimae-dori and Shin-Aioi-dori in central Furano, with the Omatsuri Hiroba stage nearby. JR Furano Station is about three minutes’ walk away and free parking is available.
What to Expect
- The grand dance contest, 19:00–20:00 on both evenings on Ekimae-dori; a children’s version runs 17:30–18:00 on 28 July.
- Roughly 4,000 dancers and around 70,000 spectators across the two days, with 36 or more registered teams in 2026 — companies, schools, the JA Furano co-op and the JGSDF Kamifurano garrison among them.
- Four codified dance forms: the formal seicho Hokkai Heso Odori, a parade version, the zubara dance and a stage version.
- The “Furano Heso Gourmet” market and kitchen-car plaza: 15:00–21:00 on 28 July, 10:00–21:00 on 29 July.
- Stage oddities including a baby crawling race and a “Heso Song King” contest on the 29th, plus Furano Yasaka taiko and a mikoshi procession each evening at 18:15.
- The festival doubles as the annual grand festival of Heso Shrine (Hokushin Shrine), whose Hahako-do hall, built in 1978, safekeeps umbilical cords sent from across Japan.
Admission and Tickets
Free to watch. Entering a team in the dance contest requires separate application through the organising committee, which sits within Furano City Hall’s Commerce and Tourism Division.
Tips for Visitors
Stand along Ekimae-dori rather than at the stage — the joke works best when a wall of painted stomachs is coming toward you at ground level. The gourmet market opens earlier on the second day, so 29 July is the better one if you want to eat properly first. Furano in late July is also lavender season at Farm Tomita, roughly 15 minutes away, which makes the trip worth more than one afternoon.
Access and Map
| Dates | 28–29 July every year (2026: 28–29 July, 58th edition) |
|---|---|
| Time | Dance contest 19:00–20:00 both nights; market from 15:00 (28th) / 10:00 (29th) |
| Venue | Ekimae-dori and Shin-Aioi-dori, central Furano, Hokkaido |
| Nearest station | JR Furano Station (Nemuro Main Line / Furano Line), 3 min walk |
| Admission | Free (dance contest entry by application) |
| Official site | hesomatsuri.com |
Source: Hokkai Heso Matsuri Official Site
Image: Existing site image retained — no verified photograph of this festival could be sourced under a suitable licence.
