Two ropes of woven wisteria vine, each eighty metres long and weighing two tonnes, are locked together in the middle of a hot-spring street and then pulled apart.
Overview
Misasa Onsen, in central Tottori, is known for radon-rich waters and for one strange annual event. Jinsho is a great tug of war held on 4 May, the centrepiece of the wider Hanayu Matsuri, and it is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. Ropes made from twisted vine rather than rice straw are unusual anywhere in the country.
The town divides east against west. Tradition holds that if the east wins the harvest will be good, and if the west wins business will prosper, which conveniently means the result is always welcome to someone.
When and where
The 2026 festival ran on Sunday 3 and Monday 4 May, inside the Golden Week holiday, with the tug of war itself on the 4th. It takes place in the hot-spring street of Misasa, where a ceremonial gate is set up at the point that divides the town into its eastern and western halves.
Getting there
Misasa is reached from Kurayoshi station on the Sanin main line, about 20 minutes by bus. Kurayoshi is served by the Super Hakuto from Kyoto and Osaka and by local trains from Tottori and Yonago. Since the festival falls in Golden Week, book a room in the onsen well ahead or plan to come in for the day.
What to expect
The two ropes, a male and a female, are dragged into place with their thick looped ends thudding against the road. Once they face each other across the gate a priest performs a purification, and then young men lift both ropes upright into the air with a man riding each looped end to steer it. After three or four rounds of grappling, the male loop is passed through the female and locked with a wooden bar. The great lantern over the gate is put out, and the pull begins. Before that, the festival fills the street with stalls, drumming and hot-spring events.
Admission and practicalities
Free to watch. The street is narrow and the ropes are enormous, so follow the stewards and keep clear of the loops when they are being raised. There is a small museum in the town devoted to the rite, which explains the rope-making and is open year round if you visit outside the festival.
Tips for visitors
Come on the 4th for the tug of war and stay the night of the 3rd if you can, since the town is at its liveliest in the evening. Misasa has free public footbaths and a riverside open-air bath in the middle of the street. Mount Mitoku, with its cliff-side temple hall, is 15 minutes away by car and pairs well with a night here.
Access and map
| Dates | 3-4 May 2026; the tug of war is on the 4th |
|---|---|
| Venue | Misasa Onsen hot-spring street, Misasa, Tottori |
| Access | About 20 minutes by bus from JR Kurayoshi station |
| Admission | Free |
| Status | Designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan |
Source: Misasa Onsen official portal site
Image: No image yet – a licensed photograph is being sourced.
