Each year the residents of Hotaka use techniques passed down over generations to craft giant wooden, five ton, six meter tall floats shaped to resemble boats. On this premium tour, you can experience pulling one of these enormous floats through a local neighbourhood to Hotaka shrine, an activity usually limited to local residents. You will be welcomed onto the team with toasts of sake!* This is an in-depth tour granting insight into festival's history thanks to an English speaking guide. Enjoy interacting with the locals and learning about Japanese culture through first-hand experience.
On April 20, 2009, the "Hotaka Shrine Boat Festival Customs" were officially designated as an intangible folk cultural property of Nagano Prefecture. Hotaka Shrine itself is an impressive historic site and one of the three shrines of Shinano.
*Alcohol is only available to participants aged 20 or older.
Tour Price
Boat Festival 2025 - A unique festival where boats collide!
~Premium once-a-year experience~
- per person
- 148,000 yen (tax included)
*Participants must be at leat 18 years of age.
Plan Details
| Included Experiences | Hotaka Shrine Boat Festival, Boat pulling experience, Soba making experience, Wasabi field tour, Wasabi harvesting experience, Shinshu Salmon farm tour, Shinshu Salmon sashimi tasting. |
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| Dates | September 26 (Fri) to 28 (Sun) 2025 |
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| Included in the Tour Price | Accommodation (1 night), English Speaking Guide, Insurance, Hotel transfers, Lunch (x2), Dinner (x1), Boat pulling experience, Original festival T-Shirt, Mame-shibori towel, Rope gloves, Hotaka Shrine stamp, On day 3: English Guide, Bicycle Rental, Soba Noodle Making Experience, Wasabi Harvesting Experience (1 wasabi root per person), Shinshu Salmon Tasting. |
| Minimum Participants | 2 people |
| Maximum Participants | 10 people |
| Operating Company | OGS Local Trip (Office Global Support) |
| Licensed tour conductor | None (tours are led by unaccredited, English-speaking guides) |
| Start Time | 13:00 |
| Duration | 3 days, 2 nights |
| Reservation Deadline | August 31 (Fri), 2025 |
| Payment Method | Cash payment in person only |
Tour Itinery
| Day 1 | September 26 (Fri) ……… (on foot) *By car if raining. |
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| Day 2 | September 27 (Sat) ……… (on foot) |
| Day 3 | September 28 (Sun) ……… (on foot) *By car if raining. |
Meeting Place
Hotaka Station (JR Oito Line)
Please Note
・All activities will be held rain or shine (travel by car if it rains on Day 1 or 3)
・Please consider appropriate clothing to enter the wasabi field and harvest wasabi.
・Waterproof boots will be provided for entering the wasabi field.
Cancellation Fee
- 2-7 days before the tour
- 30％
- Day before tour
- 50％
- Day of Tour
- 100％
Company Responsible for Planning & Implementation
Office Global Support Co., Ltd.
Regional Travel Agency (Nagano Prefecture Governor Registered Travel Agency Region No. 644)
1838 Hotaka Kashiwabara, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture
Contact: 0263-55-0205
Reservations
Tour Contents
Day 2: Hotaka Shrine Boat Festival, Boat Pulling Experience
Join local residents to parade boat-shaped floats through town, arriving at Hotaka shrine. The boat festival is held annually on September 27 and is the largest festival held at Hotaka Shrine. Locals of all ages fill the shrine grounds, their smiles and energy creating a festive atmosphere. At the festival's climax the two largest boats clash together in a frenzied display that excites the crowd.
Arriving at Hotaka shrine; a sense of accomplishment.
Day 3: Explore Azumino's finest food by bicycle!
Cycling beneath the clear blue skies of Azumino.
Wasabi Field Tour
Nagano prefecture is one of the largest producers of wasabi in Japan, and over 90% of that is grown in Azumino. The area has an abundance of springs fed by meltwater from the peaks of the Northern Alps. Because it flows underground before welling up to the surface, the spring water remains at a constant 13 degrees, all year round. Walk among the gravel beds, usually off limits to the public, while listening to the stories of the wasabi farmers.
Experience making your own soba noodles under the guidance of a local expert.
When it comes to Shinshu cuisine, soba noodles come immediately to mind. These buckwheat noodles are prepared using plenty of Azumino's fresh water. After boiling, the noodles are firmed in cold water to produce their distinctive texture. They taste even better when you make them yourself!
Shinshu Salmon; reared with care.
When it comes to Shinshu cuisine, soba noodles come immediately to mind. These buckwheat noodles are prepared using plenty of Azumino's fresh water. After boiling, the noodles are firmed in cold water to produce their distinctive texture. They taste even better when you make them yourself!
Shinshu Salmon Sashimi; packed with flavor.
Hotaka Shrine's Boat Festival
Take a look at this video from the festival!
YouTube video (Azumino City Tourism Association, 2023)