Waraji Matsuri (Festival of Huge Straw Sandal)
Nakiri, Daio-cho, Shima-City

The most unique festival (Shima city)


A particular day in September every year, they throw a huge waraji (a straw sandal 3m X 1.2m) into the ocean and pray for peace as well as a rich fish harvest.

The straw sandal was much bigger than I imagined. In the legend, Daidara Bocchi is said to be a huge man with one eye and one leg with a straw sandal. I tried to understand this story while looking at Daio-zaki quay. The scenery of Daio gave me the feeling that Daidara Bocchi really existed.





※ A giant straw sandal is carried from Nakiri Shrine.

 　

This festival is from the legend of the giant, Daidara Bocchi. When I was a child, I wore straw sandals, which my grandmother knitted, and played here and there around town. I would like to hand down to all children a pair of straw sandals, which are good for their health, and the wonderful legend of the giant
(23-year-old woman)