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- 2025 Nagato City Street Whale Festival
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Events
2025 Nagato City Street Whale Festival
Start/End Dates:July 20, 2025(Sun)
Organizer: Dori Whale Festival Executive Committee
Reproduction of the heroic scene of old-style whaling
In 2025, the event will be held on Sunday, July 20!
The Dori area on Aomi Island in Nagato City has a bay-like topography that makes it easy for whales to stray into the area, and in the Edo period (1603-1868) it flourished as a base for the old whaling method that used harpoons and nets. The "Dori Whale Festival" is an event that recreates such old-fashioned whaling. The "whale team," dressed in red loincloths, chases the whales in rowing boats and finishes them off by harpooning and climbing over them. In the latter half of the ceremony, a traditional "whale song" is performed to express condolences for the whales.
*Photos are from the past.
[Program details]
(Japanese Boat Rowing Competition)
9:00 - Opening Ceremony
9:10 - Vocational/Group (Preliminary)
9:50 - Elementary School Division
10:10 - Vocational/Group (Final)
10:30 - Awards Ceremony
(Old Whaling)
11:30 - Takeuri Shobu, Old Whaling demonstration
12:15 - Whale Song Performance
The Dori area on Aomi Island in Nagato City has a bay-like topography that makes it easy for whales to stray into the area, and in the Edo period (1603-1868) it flourished as a base for the old whaling method that used harpoons and nets. The "Dori Whale Festival" is an event that recreates such old-fashioned whaling. The "whale team," dressed in red loincloths, chases the whales in rowing boats and finishes them off by harpooning and climbing over them. In the latter half of the ceremony, a traditional "whale song" is performed to express condolences for the whales.
*Photos are from the past.
[Program details]
(Japanese Boat Rowing Competition)
9:00 - Opening Ceremony
9:10 - Vocational/Group (Preliminary)
9:50 - Elementary School Division
10:10 - Vocational/Group (Final)
10:30 - Awards Ceremony
(Old Whaling)
11:30 - Takeuri Shobu, Old Whaling demonstration
12:15 - Whale Song Performance
Basic Info
| Venue | Dori（Kayoi Koura reclaimed land（100m before Whale Museum) |
|---|---|
| Location | Near 382-1, Dori, Nagato, Yamaguchi 759-4107 |
| Access | ・Take a bus bound for Dori (Kayoi) from Nagato City Station on the JR Sanin Honsen Line (about 30 minutes), get off at Koura bus stop, and walk shortly. ・About 60 minutes by car from the Mine IC on the Chugoku Expressway. |
| Parking | Approximately 100 cars will be parked at the event site "Dori Koura Reclaimed Land" as the first parking lot *If the lot is full, the "Dori Junior High School Ground" will become the second parking lot |
| Parking Fees | free |
Contact
- Dori Whale Festival Executive Committee Secretariat
- Phone Number: 0837-28-0008
Map
Event Flyer
Tap & click to enlarge image
Whale festival participants wanted!
The “2025 Nagato City Street Whale Festival” is looking for people who would like to participate in the reenactment of an old-style whaling. Please refer to the PDF below for details.
Application form for "Second Hometown Support Transportation Subsidy" for out-of-prefecture participants
Transportation assistance is available for out-of-prefecture participants. Please refer to the PDF below for details.
→”Second Hometown Development Support Transportation Subsidy” application form PDF here
