Naha Hari

Overview

The Naha Hari is a traditional event centered on dragon-boat races held every year during Japan's Golden Week holidays (May 3 to 5) in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture. The sight of the hari boats, decorated in brilliant colors in the shape of dragons, coursing valiantly across Naha Port is widely cherished as a feature announcing the arrival of early summer in Okinawa, and the event draws hundreds of thousands of visitors over its run.

The hari is not merely a competition; it strongly bears the character of a religious rite praying to the sea deity for safety at sea and bountiful catches. Amid the sounds of drums and gongs, the rowers slice through the water with perfectly synchronized strokes, conveying to the present day the life and faith of the people of Okinawa, who have lived alongside the sea.

History and Origins

The origin of the hari is said to lie in the custom of dragon-boat racing from southern China, transmitted around the fourteenth to fifteenth centuries during the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom, when trade with the Chinese mainland flourished. At that time, Naha prospered as the maritime gateway of the Ryukyu Kingdom, thriving on intermediary trade with China and Southeast Asia. For a people who lived by shipping and fishing, prayers to the sea deity were an earnest wish, and the dragon-boat races took root in connection with such supplication.

In earlier times it was conducted as a sea rite held on the fourth day of the fifth month of the old lunar calendar, and the tradition of the three districts that make up Naha, namely Kume, Naha, and Tomari, each fielding its own dragon boat to compete has been handed down. The inter-district races were, beyond mere victory or defeat, a place to affirm the solidarity and pride of each community.

Although there were periods when it was interrupted in the course of history, it was revived after the war and has since developed into a large-scale civic event held to coincide with Golden Week in the new calendar. While retaining its character as a traditional rite, it has become an event representative of early summer in Okinawa, a modern festival that tourists too can enjoy.

Highlights

The Brilliantly Colored Dragon Boats The stars of the hari are the dragon boats, distinctive craft with a dragon's head at the bow and a dragon's tail at the stern, their hulls painted in vivid colors such as red, yellow, and blue. The design, descended from the dragon boats transmitted from China, fused with the aesthetic sensibility unique to Ryukyu, and the boats coursing across the water are gorgeous indeed.

The Main Race Among the Three Districts At the heart of the competition is the main race, in which the three districts of Kume, Naha, and Tomari compete with their traditional dragon boats. It is a serious contest with the honor of each district at stake, and the sight of the rowers pulling their oars with all their might in time with the commands of the drums overwhelms the onlooker. This bout, in which the bearers of the tradition compete with one another, is the very core of the hari as a religious rite.

A Variety of Racing Events The hari offers a variety of events, including the prayer race dedicated to the sea deity, the full-fledged competitive races, and general races open to ordinary groups and companies. The open competition, in which not only locals but also tourists and corporate teams can take part as rowers, adds a modern approachability to the traditional event.

Fireworks and Stage Events Together with the races, fireworks color the sky over Naha Port at night, and stage events and food stalls line the venue. The valiant races on the sea and the lively festival atmosphere on land come together as one, enlivening early-summer Naha throughout the three days.

Event Information

• Location: Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture (Naha Port and the Naha New Port wharf area)
• Period: Golden Week each year (the three days of May 3, 4, and 5)
• Main Events: The prayer race, the main race among the three districts, the general race, fireworks, and stage events
• Access: About a 15-minute drive from Naha Airport, or from stations such as Asahibashi on the Yui Rail. Traffic is restricted in the surrounding area during the event, so public transport is recommended
• Admission: Free to watch at the venue
• Official Information: Dates and programs are announced through the Naha Hari Event Committee and Naha City

Nearby Attractions

The area around Naha Port, the stage of the Naha Hari, has been a maritime gateway since the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Nearby are the World Heritage site of the Shurijo Castle ruins, which convey the splendor of the Ryukyu Kingdom to the present, and Kokusai Street, famous as an international shopping district, so that alongside the festival one can savor both the history and the modern vitality of Okinawa.

In the center of Naha City are scattered sights unique to Okinawa, such as the Tsuboya Yachimun Street, where kilns of the traditional Ryukyu craft of Tsuboya ware gather, and the First Makishi Public Market, where one can experience the local food culture. After enjoying the fervor of the hari, a stroll around the food and culture of Okinawa is also recommended.

Early-summer Okinawa is enveloped in the air of a subtropical summer that arrives ahead of the mainland. The hari, unfolding beneath the blue sea and sky, becomes a highlight of Okinawa tourism in itself, and is positioned as a starting point for trips to the surrounding beaches and outlying islands.

Related Information

• Month: Early May (Golden Week)
• Prefecture: Okinawa Prefecture
• Origin: Dragon-boat racing from southern China transmitted to the Ryukyu Kingdom around the 14th to 15th centuries
• Body: A sea deity festival by Naha's three districts (Kume, Naha, and Tomari)
• Main Events: The prayer race, the main race, and the general race
• Character: A traditional rite praying for safety at sea and bountiful catches

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