This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
The Fukushima Waraji Festival is held every year in early August in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. The festival involves donating the largest straw sandals in Japan to Haguro Shrine on Mount Shinobu, and praying for good health and good health. To mark its 50th anniversary in 2019, the festival underwent a major overhaul
We will introduce how the Fukushima Waraji Festival has changed, the thoughts behind the renewal, and how to enjoy the new Fukushima Waraji Festival
Once you know the background of the festival and how to enjoy it, you'll be able to enjoy the Fukushima Waraji Festival to the fullest. If you're interested after reading this article, be sure to visit the festival in person
How has Fukushima's famous summer festival changed?
The Fukushima Waraji Festival in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. This summer festival has been held every year in early August since 1970 as a counterpart to the Shinobu Sanzan Akatsuki Mairi, a winter Shinto ritual that has been held since the Edo period. It is famous for featuring the largest straw sandals in Japan, and is counted as one of the six major festivals in the Tohoku region
The Fukushima Waraji Festival will be undergoing a major overhaul in 2019, the 50th anniversary of the festival. The "Waraji Festival Story" based on Fukushima legends and folk tales has been compiled, creating a story that will become the core of the Waraji Festival and be passed down to future generations
In addition to the traditional way for citizens to enjoy watching and listening to the songs and dances, the "Waraji Ondo" and "Waraji Odori" were also born, which allow dancers and spectators to experience a sense of unity
What is "The Tale of the Waraji Festival"?
This story was created in conjunction with the renewal of the Fukushima Waraji Festival in order to pass on the origins of the Waraji Festival and Akatsuki Mairi to future generations
The story goes that long ago, people were troubled by the evil of a giant snake that had taken up residence in a lake on Mount Shinobu, so they followed a prophecy from a Tengu and carried large straw sandals, which transformed them into giant centipedes and allowed them to defeat the snake
This Waraji Festival story is a fictional one, but it is based on legends and folk tales that remain in Fukushima. The story is structured so that it becomes the basis for all the elements that make up the Fukushima Waraji Festival, such as the movements, dance, music, and costumes of the giant waraji
What is "Waraji Ondo"?
The traditional "Waraji Ondo" song, composed by the famous Fukushima City-born musician Yuji Koseki, has been rearranged and adapted for live performance by a large audience after the festival was renewed. The song incorporates the rhythm of the Fukushima Bon Odori song, creating music that allows the entire venue to share a sense of dynamism
What is "Waraji Odori"?
The choreography was devised for the festival's renewal as a dance that anyone can enjoy, accompanied by lively music. Everyone, young and old, can dance to the rhythm of their bodies while holding a hoop called a "wara no wa" in each hand
The general producer of the major renovation in 2019 was musician Otomo Yoshihide, who has ties to Fukushima City. He is a musician with many accomplishments, including composing the music for the NHK drama series "Amachan."
In order to ensure that the Fukushima Waraji Festival remains a long-lasting Fukushima tradition, we undertook a major renewal, starting with the creation of the fundamental Waraji Festival story
From the perspective of creating a festival that others can be proud of, and ultimately creating a community that people can be proud of, the Fukushima Waraji Festival focuses on the fundamental question of "why do we hold the festival?" We hope that the passion of those who started the festival will connect with the passion of those who will continue it, and that it will be passed down to the future as a bright and lively traditional Fukushima event
How to enjoy the renewed Fukushima Waraji Festival
There are three ways to enjoy the new Fukushima Waraji Festival
Read the story of the Waraji Festival before participating
Make and prepare the straw basket
Participate in the Waraji Dance
In other words, the key to the Waraji Festival is to enjoy a sense of unity with the venue. The sense of exhilaration that comes from being part of the dynamic flow of a festival is something that is hard to find in everyday life
Fukushima is a place where people are very warm and welcoming. I would be delighted if people could experience the passion of this place and come to love Fukushima even more
You can find out more about the Waraji Festival story, how to make the straw bands, and the choreography of the Waraji Dance on the official website below
summary
This time, we introduced new ways to enjoy the Fukushima Waraji Festival, which underwent a major renewal in 2019
The Fukushima Waraji Festival has undergone a major renewal with the aim of creating a new tradition based on the traditions that have been continued up until now. I feel that the renewal is based on the hope that the future of Fukushima, which will inherit the festival, will be full of vitality
The story of the Waraji Festival is at the heart of the festival, and the music and dances of the Waraji Ondo and Waraji Odori are all part of it. Be sure to come and see for yourself how each of these is connected by a single thread
![Summer Tohoku Six Great Festivals](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/6dai_fes-150x150.jpg.webp "Information on the 2025 edition of the "Tohoku Six Great Festivals" that will brighten up the summer of Tohoku!")
![Tohoku Kizuna Festival 2024 Sendai](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/kizuna_ic-150x150.jpg.webp "[Miyagi Prefecture] Introducing the highlights of the upcoming "Tohoku Kizuna Festival 2024 Sendai"!")
