Noteworthy point of Itoman Hare festival
Itoman Hare is a festival held to pray to the sea god for bountiful ocean harvests and safe voyages at sea for Itoman’s fishermen, and for prosperity in the homes of Itoman. At 9:30 am a parade begins around the Itoman port area. In the first race young members of the Itoman Fishermen’s Union compete in the Ugan Bare. Next is the unique Kunukase, in which boats are purposely capsized, followed by various other events, and then last of all the Agai Subu. Amongst the general entry events is a duck catching race.
The opening of the Itoman Hare begins one week before the festival day with the ringing of a bell on top of Santinmo, a hill that overlooks the Itoman Port. The bell is rung to let everyone know that Hare time has arrived.
On the morning of the festival the Nanzan priestess, Itoman priestess, ninchu (local village’s female shamans), heads of Itoman munchu (patrilineal family clans), and representatives from the three villages that participate in the Hare (Nishimura, Nakamura, and Mijima), gather on top of Santinmo to pray. Since the Nanzan period, the role of waving the start flag has been passed down through the heads of the Tokuya family. The Tokuya family head waves the flag in the direction of the port from the top of Santinmo, and upon this signal the race between the three villages begins.
| Competition | Distance | Helmsman | Steer | Defi | Rowers |
| Ugwan Bare | ８５０ｍ | One | One | One | ten |
| Kunnukase,Youth Bare | ８５０ｍ | One | One | --- | ten |
| Agai Subu | ２，１６０ｍ | One | One | --- | ten |
Young members of the Itoman Fishermen’s Union compete in Ugan Bare a ceremonious boat race to show respect to the gods. After the race the competitors visit Hakugin Shrine, in the order they finished the race, to pray for bountiful ocean harvests and safe voyages at sea throughout the coming year.
＜Youce Bare＞
A race to prepare the next generation of Hare rowers.
＜Kunnukase＞
In Kunnukase, Itoman Hare’s most peculiar race, all of the boats are simultaneously capsized, then whilst swimming in the water the rowers must right the boat, get back in and row to the finish line. It is a race that tests the Itoman seamen’s shiphandling skills.
＜Agai Subu＞
This is the last race of the festival. Each village enters their most skilled and powerful rowers in this race. It is the highlight of the festival being two-and-a-half times longer than any of the other races. Winning this race is the festival’s highest honor.
Other race categories include junior high school students, senior high school students, occupation-based and munchu (patrilineal family clans). One of the festivals main attractions is the duck-catching race. This is a very unique race in which ducks are released in the port and then race participants swim out to catch them. It’s fun to watch the battle of wits between the race participants and the ducks! Participants can keep any ducks they catch.
The festival date
June23,2012(Saturday)
June23,2012(Saturday)