One of the biggest and most popular events on Miyako Island, the Miyako Island Summer Festival boasts a long history and tradition.

The festival features a number of shops selling Miyako's specialty products, food stalls, street performances, the announcement of Miss Miyako and more. The East-West Great Tug-of-War, a competition between teams representing the eastern and western parts of the island, is the highlight of the event. The tug-of-war is open to everyone, with locals and tourists often competing together. After the contest, the members of the winning team will do “kachinanori,” celebrating their victory, followed by the climax of the evening, acrobatic performances by local youth groups. You can bring a piece of the rope home as a keepsake or a lucky charm.

Date: Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24, 2016
Time: 10:00-21:00 on July 23 (ceremony praying for a good harvest 10:00-12:00), street closed 17:00-21:00); 14:00-20:30 on July 24
Place: Miyako City’s main boulevards (Shimozato Street, Nishizato Street and Miyako Shijo Street)
Admission: Free