Tokiwakai will take part in the Kawabiki, part of the Okihiki held toward the once-in-20-years Shrine renewal. We are recruiting companions for two summer days in Ise — from the Tsuitachi-mairi (Hassaku-sangu) on Saturday, August 1, to the Kawabiki on Sunday, August 2. Through the cooperation of the Furuichi hauling group, 13–15 slots have been made available, centered on students.

What the Kawabiki is

The Kawabiki is part of the Okihiki held toward the 63rd Shikinen Sengu of Ise Jingu (scheduled for 2033). The sacred timber for the new shrine buildings is hauled up the Isuzu River to the Inner Shrine. Participants enter the summer river and haul the rope soaking wet — a bracing festival unique to Ise.

By tradition the Kawabiki is carried by the Shinryomin — residents of the former shrine domains — and is not open to just anyone. This time it is made possible through the cooperation of the Furuichi hauling group, who are sharing their slots with us thanks to the ties Tokiwakai has built through its grounded activity in the region. The next occasion will come around only in about 20 years.

The two days

**Saturday, August 1 — Hassaku-sangu**

In Ise, visiting the Shrine early on the morning of August 1 to pray for a good rice harvest and good health has long been called the "Hassaku-sangu" — a special day even among the monthly Tsuitachi-mairi. The Tsuitachi-mochi of the day, the "Hassaku awamochi," carries on the Ise custom of eating millet cakes on this occasion. In the evening we hold a gathering with local residents at Ise Vegas, a private house in the Ise area.

**Sunday, August 2 — Kawabiki (final day)**

Gather at 8:30 in front of the Furuichi Post Office, then haul the rope on the Isuzu River as a member of the Furuichi hauling group. It is a day of joining the festival as a bearer of the tradition, not watching it as a tourist.

Details

・Dates: Saturday, August 1 – Sunday, August 2, 2026 ・Capacity: about 15 people ・Participation fee: Full details — the amount, how to pay, and what it covers — will be shared individually via Tokiwakai's official LINE. Travel to and from Ise is arranged and paid separately by each participant. ・To apply: via Tokiwakai's official LINE. A participant guide with the day's detailed schedule, what to bring, and safety notes will follow separately.

Note that students join Tokiwakai through our student-organization affiliation program. Students of an affiliated organization can join Tokiwakai free of charge and take part in this event. For details, please see our "Student Organization Affiliation" page.

Tokiwakai is a community based in Ise, dedicated to passing on Japanese traditional culture and nurturing the younger generation. This summer, why not stand with us in the midst of a festival of the people that has been handed down once every 20 years?