Otaru Tide Festival is the biggest summer event in Otaru, one of Hokkaido's most popular tourist destinations. 2024 will be held from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28, starting with the "Tide Furekomi" dance through the streets and ending with a big fireworks display on the last day. In this issue, we will introduce in detail the highlights of the "Otaru Tide Festival," which attracts more than 1 million visitors every year.

Otaru Tide Festival started in 1967 and this year is the 58th festival. It is a citizens' participation type festival started to bring vitality to the city in appreciation of the sea and to wish for the development of Otaru. This year, the festival is held under the theme of "Now is the time! A New Summer with a Pulse that Beats to the Heart", the festival will be held for three days from July 26 (Fri.) to 28 (Sun.).

On the first day of the festival, "Tide Furemomi" will be held to announce the beginning of the festival by dancing through the streets of the city. The Tide Furekomi will start from Yangagawa-dori Street.

During the opening ceremony, the "dedication of sacred water" will be held, in which sacred water pumped from Ishikari Bay will be offered to the gods, and tidal drums will also be played.

On the second day, neighborhood associations, schools, and businesses in the city will form groups and parade "Ushio Nerikomi" from the city center to the port to the tune of Ushio Ondo. There will also be a "Tobiiri DE Odori-tai" (Tobiiri De Odori-tai), in which people can jump in and join in from the street on the day of the festival.

On the final day, participants from inside and outside of the city carry the portable shrines in a heroic procession from Sun Mall Ichiban-gai through the city. The sight of the mikoshi undulating in the air amidst the lively shouts of the parade is a sight to behold.

From 8:00 p.m., the "Grand Fireworks Display" will be held as the festival's finale, with approximately 3,000 fireworks being shot off. This year, there will be a paid viewing area (No. 3, Minato-cho, Otaru City).

Enjoy Otaru Tide Festival, the biggest summer event in Otaru!

Other events such as various stages and kitchen car stalls will be held during the festival to enliven the three days of summer in Otaru. Please join us for Otaru's biggest summer festival!

*Photographs show the past events.

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