2025 “Dori Whale Festival” was held（7/20)

Traditional festival in Dori district reenacting the old-style whaling

On Sunday, July 20, 2025, the "Dori Whale Festival" was held in the Dori district of Nagato City. This is a traditional festival in the Dori area, which prospered as a base for old-style whaling in the Edo period (1603-1868), and includes a "Japanese boat race" and "old-style whaling demonstration.

This article introduces the festival site and the "old-style whaling demonstration" with photos.

The festival site

Food stalls and kitchen cars will line the Tong Fishing Port.
Many people came to watch the "Japanese boat race" and "demonstration of old-style whaling," and the event was crowded with visitors.

Demonstration of "old-style whaling

The performance features a model whale boat floating offshore of a fishing port, which is driven to the port by the "Tsugeigumi" in loincloths, and then captured inside the port by a Japanese-style boat.

The "Street Whale Team" will be made up of local residents and those who applied in advance from all over the country.

*This year there was trouble with the whale boat, so the old-style whaling was demonstrated only in the bay.

A model whale boat appears in the bay and the whale crew sets sail.

This year we drove the whale in three boats.

After driving them in, the harpoon is thrown from the boat.

A net is cast over the weakened whale, and a representative climbs up to perform a "blade stabbing" to finish the job.

After the final performance, the whale is hauled out.

After the whale is hauled in, a "whale song" is performed in front of the Dori Whale Museum, which was sung during the memorial service for the whales caught.

This year there was some trouble with the whale boat, but we overcame it and were able to see a brave demonstration under the blue sky.

When the whale song is over, the festival is the finale. Look forward to next year's festival!

Recommended Links

Whale Museum

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