Fukushima Waraji Matsuri: A 12-Meter Straw Sandal Parade

Every year, usually from the first Friday to the first Sunday of August, the centre of Fukushima City fills with drums, dancers and one very large sandal. The Fukushima Waraji Matsuri is built around a straw sandal 12 metres long and 1.4 metres wide, said to be the largest in Japan, which is carried along Shinobu Dori, part of National Route 13. Around it hundreds of dancers perform the waraji odori. The festival grows out of the Shinobu Sanzan Akatsuki Mairi, a rite more than 400 years old in which a giant sandal is offered to Haguro Shrine on Mount Shinobu.

The Giant Sandal on the Move

The sandal is unquestionably the star. Twelve metres long, 1.4 metres wide, woven from rice straw into a dark, dense mass, it draws a gasp from the crowd the moment it is lifted. The bearers move in unison, and as they pass you hear the dry rasp of straw and catch the heat rising off the team. At night the road is closed to traffic and given over to the festival, and the sandal advances slowly over asphalt still warm from the day. Seen from below against the lit office buildings, its scale finally registers.

Dancing and Live Music

Columns of dancers follow the sandal. The theme song, Waraji Ondo, was composed by Yuji Koseki, a composer born in Fukushima City, and it was rearranged in 2019 when the festival reached its fiftieth edition. The choreography was created by the dancer Chieko Ito and is marked by a low stance and strong, stamping steps. The drums and flutes are played live rather than piped from speakers, and once the beat and the massed shouts lock together, spectators along the road start clapping along without being asked. There is a strong participatory streak here, with a giant sandal parade, a creative sandal parade, and even a tug of war using straw rope.

Roots in a Winter Pilgrimage

The origin of the festival is the Shinobu Sanzan Akatsuki Mairi, held in mid February. Haguro Shrine stands on Mount Shinobu, the hill at the centre of the Fukushima Basin, and once had a gate housing a pair of guardian Nio statues. Tradition holds that people wove a sandal to fit the feet of those statues and offered it to the shrine, a custom carried on for more than 400 years since the Edo period. Worshippers pray for strong legs, good harvests and the safety of the household. The summer festival reworks that faith as a civic celebration, and on the final day the sandal is formally offered at Haguro Shrine.

Tips for Visiting

The venue is a main road in the city centre, so the asphalt holds the heat of the day well into the evening. Bring water, something salty, and a towel. Kerbside viewing spots fill up quickly once the parade time approaches, so choose your position early. In some years there are slots for visitors to join the dancing columns, so check the executive committee's announcements in advance if you want to take part. If you are curious about the origins, walk up Mount Shinobu the next day and look up at the offered sandal at Haguro Shrine.

Getting There

The festival area begins right outside the east exit of JR Fukushima Station, with the station approach road and Shinobu Dori forming the main stage. Access by shinkansen or local line is easy, but there is no festival car park. Nearby paid car parks fill early, and the organisers recommend public transport. Roads are closed during the event, so drivers should park outside the restricted zone and walk in.

Practical Information

• When: Usually from the first Friday to the first Sunday of August; the final day is the offering of the giant sandal at Haguro Shrine
• Where: National Route 13 (Shinobu Dori) and the station approach road, central Fukushima City; Haguro Shrine on Mount Shinobu
• Organiser: Fukushima Waraji Matsuri Executive Committee, c/o Fukushima Chamber of Commerce and Industry, tel. 024-572-7118
• Access: A short walk from the east exit of JR Fukushima Station
• Parking: No festival car park. Use nearby paid car parks or public transport
• Official website: https://www.waraji.co.jp/

* Dates, details and prices are subject to change. Please check the official website before you go.

(Sources: Fukushima Waraji Matsuri official website, Fukushima City official website, Fukushima City Tourism and Convention Association official website)