Sat
Jun 14th
Rice planting festival at the Sumiyoshi Shrine
Rice planting festival at the Sumiyoshi Shrine (Photo: Mandy Bartok)

Otaue Rice Planting Festival 2025

An age-old festival celebrates Japan's staple food

Mandy Bartok   - 1 min read
Venue : Sumiyoshi Taisha When : Saturday - Jun 14th 2025, 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Rice is Japan's staple crop and there is no better way to celebrate that crucial relationship than at the annual Otaue Rice Planting Festival at Sumiyoshi Shrine. Shinto priests oversee the symbolic planting of the shrine's flooded rice paddy, while entertainment in the form of dancing, singing and play sword-fighting accompanies the proceedings. It's a unique event that is definitely worth seeking out if you are in the region in June.

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Find out more about Sumiyoshi Taisha.

Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok @mandy.bartok

Japan resident for 10 years, with time spent in Okinawa, Kumamoto and Tokyo.