The Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property 'Yobuko Giant Tug-of-War' Will Be Held Again This Year.

The nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property 'Yobuko Giant Tug-of-War' will be held again this year. This traditional festival, which began when Toyotomi Hideyoshi was stationed at Hizen Nagoya Castle, was originally organized to boost the morale of his troops by having the camps of Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori compete using ship ropes. The town is divided into two groups, the Hama-gumi and the Oka-gumi, who compete in a best-of-three tug-of-war using a rope 15 cm in diameter and 200 meters long. It is said that if the Hama-gumi wins, it will be a year of a big catch, and if the Oka-gumi wins, it will be a year of a bountiful harvest. The 2026 'Yobuko Giant Tug-of-War' photo contest will also be held simultaneously. The event will take place on June 6-7, 2026. The 'Children's Tug-of-War' will be held at the Karatsu City Hall Yobuko Citizen Center on June 6 at 1:00 PM, and the 'Adult Tug-of-War' will take place in front of the San-jinja Shrine (Otsunahiki-dori) on June 7. For inquiries, please contact the Karatsu City Hall Yobuko Citizen Center.