Itoman Hārē

Overview

The Itoman Hare is a traditional event centered on dragon-boat races, held every year on the fourth day of the fifth month of the old lunar calendar in Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture. Among the hare held in various parts of Okinawa, Itoman is known as one of the foremost fishing towns, and the event has been handed down as a valiant yet sacred festival of the sea, strongly reflecting the spirit of the uminchu, the sea people who live alongside the sea.

Whereas the Naha Hari is an event with a strong tourist character held during Golden Week in the new calendar, a great distinguishing feature of the Itoman Hare lies in its strict adherence to the tradition of the fourth day of the fifth lunar month. Strongly retaining its character as a rite praying to the sea deity for safety in navigation and bountiful catches, it is cherished most of all in the region as an event that conveys to the present day the very spirit of the sea-people culture of Itoman.

History and Origins

The origin of the hare is said to lie in the custom of dragon-boat racing from southern China, transmitted around the fourteenth to fifteenth centuries in an age when trade between the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Chinese mainland flourished. For the people of Ryukyu, whose livelihoods were shipping and fishing, the sea was an existence with both faces of blessing and threat, and prayers to the sea deity were earnest ones. The hare of Itoman too took root in connection with such faith in the sea deity.

In particular, Itoman prospered from ancient times as the foremost fishing town of Okinawa, and its fishermen have been known for their high boat-handling skill and bravery. The uminchu of Itoman are said to have gone out to fish not only around the Okinawa main island but far overseas, and pride in living alongside the sea has become the identity of the region. The hare has been conducted as the most important annual event, in which such sea people pray for a year of safe navigation and bountiful catches.

The Itoman Hare strictly continues to observe its date of the fourth day of the fifth lunar month. This day falls on the special festival day called yukka-nu-hi in Okinawa, and in Itoman, even as other regions shifted to holding the event in the new calendar, the tradition of the old calendar has been deliberately maintained. This almost stubborn insistence can be said to have preserved the purity of the Itoman Hare as a religious rite.

The hare of Itoman has been handed down in the form of the various settlements that make up Itoman, such as Aratani, Nakandakari, and Nishimura, each fielding its own dragon boat to compete. The inter-settlement races are, beyond mere victory or defeat, a place to affirm the solidarity and pride of each community, and the spirit unique to a fishing town appears in them strongly.

Highlights

Races Overflowing with the Spirit of the Sea People The greatest highlight of the Itoman Hare is the full-fledged racing unique to a fishing town. Because the uminchu, who actually handle boats at sea daily, serve as the rowers, their boat-handling skill and strength draw a line apart from the hare of other regions. The speed and force of the dragon boats advancing as if slicing through the water in time with the commands of the drums are truly a moment of witnessing the skill of professionals of the sea.

Prestige as a Rite of the Fourth Day of the Fifth Lunar Month The Itoman Hare is one of the few events that strictly continues to observe its date of the fourth day of the fifth lunar month, and this insistence itself is a great highlight. Strongly retaining its character as a rite praying to the sea deity for safe navigation and bountiful catches, the origin of its being a rite of prayer before it is a competition has been preserved to this day by the sea people of Itoman.

The Brilliantly Colored Dragon Boats The dragon boats used in the races are distinctive craft with a dragon's head shaped at the bow and the hull painted in vivid colors. This design, descended from the dragon boats transmitted from China, fuses with the aesthetic sensibility of Ryukyu to present a gorgeous appearance. There are differences in the colors and designs that adorn the boats of each settlement, and the sight of them coursing over the sea adds color to the festival.

The Valiant Competition of Kunnukase The Itoman Hare has a distinctive competition called kunnukase, in which a boat is deliberately capsized and then righted again to row on. The sight of the rowers leaping onto the capsized boat, bailing out the water while restoring their posture and competing, mirrors the skill of the sea people in dealing with unforeseen situations in actual fishing, and it is a valiant showpiece that thrills the spectators.

The Fierce Contest Among Settlements The inter-settlement races, in which the various settlements making up Itoman compete with the pride of each at stake, are also a highlight. For the local people it is a serious contest bearing the honor of the settlement, and the spectators and rowers, rejoicing and grieving over the outcome, become as one, and the fervor unique to a fishing town spreads across the whole shore.

The Vitality of the Festival Coloring the Shore Together with the races, the area around the Itoman Fishing Port that serves as the venue bustles with many onlookers and is wrapped in the vitality unique to a fishing town. The cries of the sea people and the sound of the drums mingle with the cheers of those supporting the dragon boats, and the sight of the early-summer shore of Itoman colored with heat conveys in full the charm of a festival in which the sea life and prayer of Okinawa become one.

Event Information

• Location: Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture (the area around Itoman Fishing Port)
• Period: The fourth day of the fifth lunar month each year (early summer in the new calendar)
• Main Events: The dragon-boat races, the prayer race, kunnukase, and the inter-settlement races
• Access: About a 20-minute drive from Naha Airport. Congestion is expected around the venue, so confirming transportation in advance is recommended
• Admission: Free to watch at the venue
• Official Information: Dates and programs are announced by Itoman City and the organizers of the Itoman Hare event

Nearby Attractions

Itoman City, the stage of the Itoman Hare, is a fishing town located at the southernmost tip of the Okinawa main island. At Itoman Fishing Port one can savor fresh seafood, and there are ample marine-product direct-sales shops and eateries. The lively harbor scenery unique to a town of the sea people lets one truly feel the life of Itoman that lies in the background of the hare.

Itoman City also has a history as a site of fierce fighting in the Battle of Okinawa, and in the city gather facilities conveying the memory of the Battle of Okinawa to the present, such as the Peace Memorial Park and the Himeyuri Monument. After encountering the valiant fervor of the hare, one can set out on a pilgrimage reflecting on the preciousness of peace, and can experience the layered history unique to Itoman.

Around Itoman, located in the southern part of the Okinawa main island, beautiful coastlines and beaches are scattered, and its charm as a subtropical resort is also rich. Itoman, with its many faces of a fishing port where the traditions of the sea people live on, historic sites conveying the memory of war, and beaches where the blue sea spreads out, serves as a base for a trip touring the many-sided charms of Okinawa, with the hare as its starting point.

Related Information

• Month: The fourth day of the fifth lunar month (early summer in the new calendar)
• Prefecture: Okinawa Prefecture
• Origin: Dragon-boat racing from southern China transmitted to the Ryukyu Kingdom around the 14th to 15th centuries
• Feature: Strongly reflects the sea-people culture of Itoman, the foremost fishing town of Okinawa; strictly maintains the old calendar
• Main Competitions: The prayer race, kunnukase (a competition of capsizing and righting a boat), and the inter-settlement races
• Character: A traditional rite praying for safe navigation and bountiful catches

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