This weekend is an event-packed weekend at the Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark! Whether you’re visiting for our mountains or our sea, there’s something for you this Sunday!
The Itoigawa Fish Festival will be held on Sunday, June 5 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Do you like seafood? Have you ever wanted to participate in a fish auction? Then you need to come down to the Itoigawa Fish Market (Map) at Port Himekawa this Sunday! Local fishermen will gather to share the very best of their catches at the 25th Annual Itoigawa Fish Festival. In addition to a stunning array of fresh, locally caught fish, visitors can enjoy a bluefish tuna cleaning demonstration, an amateur fish auction, and a variety of local foods and drinks including freshly grilled seafood! The festival runs until 2:00 p.m., but usually sells out early, so get here as soon as you can!
Visitors pack into the Itoigawa Fish Market to see the day’s catch!
Visitors enjoy festival food from trucks and stalls
A special retro bus will shuttle visitors from Itoigawa Station to the Fish Market, departing 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00.
If you’re more interested in Itoigawa’s mountains, then join us in the Umidani Gorge Geosite for the Spring Umidani Festival.
Mt. Senjogatake forms one wall of the Umidani Gorge
The Umidani Spring Festival celebrates the opening of Umidani Sankyo Park (Map) and its campground and many hiking trails. In addition to enjoying wild vegetables, local food and cultural demonstrations, visitors are invited to join in the opening climb of Mt. Komagatake. The climb will be accompanied by a Shinto priest who will give a special blessing at the top of the mountain. (Opening climb departs promptly at 8:00 a.m.)
The “Yamabiraki” or “Mountain Opening” Ceremony
Whether you get excited for the sea or the mountains, you’re sure to experience something new and exciting at Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark this weekend! See you there!