2nd Kobe Tug-of-War Championship 2026

Dates & time: October 3, 2026 (Sat) 11:30–13:15（受付 10:00–10:45）
Price & booking: Free to watch. Entry fee: 1,000 yen (tax incl.), or 2,000 yen (tax incl.) including an official event towel, plus a 212 yen system fee. No refunds if the event is cancelled. No booking needed to watch. Competitors are chosen by lottery via moshicom, with entries open 1 Aug 00:00 – 16 Aug 23:59, 2026. Results are announced from 17 Aug; payment is due by 23:59 on 6 Sep. Capacity is 300 (150 per team). Open to those aged 10 and over who live, work or have ties to Kobe. Long sleeves, long trousers and sneakers are required on the day. Lottery entries have now closed (no same-day entry is advertised).
Venue & access: Sannomiya Central Street, in front of Ikuta Shrine's first torii (KOBE AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2026 "THE WALK" area) About a 5-minute walk west from Sannomiya Station (JR / Hankyu / Hanshin / subway). Sannomiya Central Street is closed to traffic on the day, so drivers should use a nearby coin parking lot and walk in.

There are 12 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Sannomiya Central Street, in front of Ikuta Shrine's first torii (KOBE AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2026 "THE WALK" area), and 2 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

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Why You Should Visit

A citizen tug-of-war where Team Sannomiya and Team Motomachi haul on a rope about 50 metres long, with neighbourhood pride on the line. Now in its second year, the 2026 edition takes place inside the car-free KOBE AUTUMN FESTIVAL. A Shinto rite by Ikuta Shrine opens the programme, followed by a demonstration from Kobe Fire Department — back-to-back national champions — and then five rounds between the two town teams. Motomachi, the inaugural winner, defends its title. Taking part requires a lottery entry, but watching from the roadside is free.

Programs

Timetable & Map

NOTE

Held inside the THE WALK zone of KOBE AUTUMN FESTIVAL 2026 (Oct 3–4), the car-free street festival.

Highlights: a rope roughly 50 m long pulled between Team Sannomiya and Team Motomachi; a demonstration by Kobe Fire Department, national champions in 2025 and 2026; Motomachi won the inaugural edition, after which a flag marking the boundary between the two districts was raised on Kyomachi-suji.

Competitors receive official Showa Glove gloves — purple for Sannomiya, red for Motomachi.

MC on the day: Gakuto Kondo, Kiss FM KOBE sound crew.

Weather: held in light rain, cancelled in severe weather. The decision is made at 17:00 the day before and announced on the official site and social media.

Sannomiya Motomachi Nankinmachi Sports Activity Events Festivals Family Free Cheap

出典: 神戸大綱引き大会公式サイト（RUN JOURNEY）

Kobe · Gluten-free

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FAQ

Is it free just to watch?

Yes. Watching from the roadside is free and needs no booking; only competitors pay a fee.

Can anyone take part in the tug-of-war?

Entry is open to those aged 10 and over who live, work or have ties to Kobe. Places are limited to 300 and allocated by lottery; applications close at 23:59 on 16 August.

What happens if it rains?

It goes ahead in light rain and is cancelled in severe weather. The call is made at 17:00 the day before and posted on the official site and social media. Entry fees are not refunded if it is cancelled.

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2nd Kobe Tug-of-War Championship

Why You Should Visit

Programs

NOTE

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FAQ

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