Ito Matsukawa Tub Race 2025

This race was held Sunday July 6th, and it was so much fun to watch! Tarai-bune (tub boats) are traditional Japanese wooden boats which were originally used for fishing. This event has been held along the Matsukawa River since 1956. This competition involves people riding in one meter diameter boats, rowing with small paddles. The 400 meter long course runs from Ideyu Bridge to Matsukawa Wisteria Square. The categories include groups, tourists (wearing yukata from Ito hotels), and children (4th to 6th grade elementary school students). 

We arrived early, with little stools, cold drinks, and sunscreen and had great seats near the start of the race. I was able to walk around and look at the race course before the start.

The famous, historic Tokaikan Hotel is on the river at the start of the race.

This is the finish.

First there were some introductions of city officials and some teenagers from the sister city in Italy.

Some Shinto priests had a few words, threw out some petals, then they took off down the river without paddles.

The race lasted several hours and we watched it all. I’ve picked out some representative photos. It may seem like a lot, but these are just a few of the many many I took. Some people wore costumes. There were some who went out of their boats and into the cold water. The participants were young and old.

The children wore life jackets, but the water wasn’t deep for most adults.

Sometimes the current turned boats around.

Some of the competitions were with four boats tied together. When one of the four turned over, it was a drag on the whole team.

A few times the boat got away from the paddler.

The middle paddler in this group (#8) didn’t paddle at all and just let the current take her down stream.

At the end of the race course, the boats are loaded on a truck and driven back to the start to use again.

The team in the center were dressed up in school girl uniforms. The guy in the last of the four was so confident, he could stand in the boat.

This little guy needed and received some help.

It was a very good time! If you are in Shizuoka Japan in July next year, check it out!