Matsuri Guide

Name in Japanese and English

• 北海道 女だけの相撲大会
• The Hokkaidō Women-Only Sumō Tournament (Fukushima)

History

The Hokkaidō Onna Dake no Sumō Taikai（北海道 女だけの相撲大会, Hokkaidō Onna Dake no Sumō Taikai）is held in Fukushima, in a “sumō land” that gave birth to two great yokozuna（横綱, yokozuna）, Chiyonoyama（千代の山, Chiyo no Yama）and Chiyonofuji（千代の富士, Chiyo no Fuji）. The event has established itself as a popular and unique gathering: a sumō（相撲, sumō）tournament reserved for women, held annually around Mother’s Day（母の日, haha no hi）.

Its modern origin dates back to 1991, as part of local initiatives linked to Kawaso Jinja（川濯神社, Kawaso Jinja）, a shrine associated with a protective deity of women, and celebrations held in Fukushima around the major local shrine. Over the years, the format has been structured into a tournament while retaining its signature features: participants from all over Japan (and sometimes abroad), often humorous shikona（四股名, shikona）, and a festive atmosphere where the audience actively supports the “rikishi” of the day（力士, rikishi）.

Event Location and Date

• Location: Fukushima Daijingū（福島大神宮, Fukushima Daijingū）, on the dohyō（土俵, dohyō）set up within the shrine grounds（境内, keidai）.
• Address: 〒049-1312 北海道松前郡福島町字福島219番地（Hokkaidō, Matsumae-gun, Fukushima-chō, Aza Fukushima 219）.
• Access: from Kikonai（木古内, Kikonai）, Hakodate bus（函館バス, Hakodate basu）to the stop “Fukushima”（福島, Fukushima）about 60 min, then ~5 min on foot. By car from Kikonai: ~30 min. Temporary parking depending on the edition, and sometimes free shuttle service.
• Date: every year: 2nd Sunday of May（母の日, haha no hi）. Recent example: 2025: Sunday, May 11.

Event Progression

The tournament takes place over one day and is experienced as a local “big show”: a real dohyō（土俵, dohyō）outdoors within the shrine grounds, a crowd close to the ring, and short but intense matches. People come as much for the “festival” spirit as for the competition, with prizes (and sometimes surprise “small rewards”) for the participants.

Regarding the format, the event follows a tournament logic: participants face off in torikumi（取組, torikumi）and, depending on the edition, the first match is used to divide the competitors into two brackets (A and B). The organization also highlights the ceremonial and “shrine” aspect of the day: arrival/registration, warm-ups, then a series of matches, announcements over the microphone, audience cheers, and prize-giving in the late afternoon.

What makes the event particularly photogenic and unique: the often very creative shikona（四股名, shikona）, the “supporter” atmosphere, and the closeness to sumō culture while remaining accessible (many participants are amateurs who come to “challenge themselves” with friends, colleagues, or sports clubs).

Practical Tips

Photos

Arrive early to find a good angle around the dohyō（土俵, dohyō）and avoid being “blocked” behind 2 or 3 rows of spectators. To freeze the action, favor a high shutter speed and aim for key moments: tachi-ai（立合い, tachi-ai）at the start, circle exits, audience reactions. If you want portraits, look for calm moments before matches (warm-up, preparation, announcements).

Weather

Early May in the far southwest of Hokkaidō can still feel cool, with wind and possible showers. Bring a windbreaker and plan to stand for a long time. In case of rain, some editions move indoors to a gymnasium: anticipate a plan B and indoor photo settings.

Transport

The easiest access is via Kikonai（木古内, Kikonai）then bus to Fukushima. If you come by car, leave early: limited parking and heavier traffic on big event days. For some editions, a dedicated parking lot with free shuttle is arranged: check the official information for the year.

Visitor Tips

To make the most of it, aim for the start of the program: the atmosphere builds quickly and the best spots fill up early. Useful phrases: がんばって！（ganbatte!, “Good luck!”）or ナイス！（naisu!, “Well done!”）. If you also want to see the “sumō soul” of the area, combine with spots related to the local yokozuna (museum/monuments in town).

What to Bring

Cash（屋台があれば現金, yatai ga areba genkin）, windbreaker, comfortable shoes, poncho or umbrella, external battery, and a small towel (useful if drizzle or damp benches). If you plan to photograph for a long time, bring a versatile lens (standard zoom).

Sources & References

• BE HAPPY FUKUSHIMA: 女だけの相撲大会 (event page)

  Reference page from the Fukushima tourism office/association: description, location, access, indicative schedule, and reminder of “母の日”.

• Hokkaido News Link: article “Call for Participants” (historical context)

  Local press article explaining the context and modern origin (1991, link with 川濯神社) and reminder of the “母の日” framework.