🏮 Kumo Gassen

蜘蛛合戦

Kajiki, Kagoshima (Aira City Hall Kajiki Branch Amikake Square) · Every year on the 3rd Sunday of June

Summer festival

279 days to go
Rooms around Kajiki, Kagoshima fill up while the festival is on.

The Kajiki Kumo Gassen (Spider Battle), held every year on the third Sunday of June in Kajiki-cho, Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is a traditional event rare anywhere in Japan, organized by the Kumo Gassen Preservation Society. In this contest, female golden orb-weaver spiders are made to fight. It was registered in 2018 as a UNESCO "Future Heritage" project, and is held at the Amikake Square at the Aira City Hall Kajiki Branch, with over 100 entrants each year, from elementary school students to veterans. The origin dates back to the Bunroku-Keicho campaigns (1592–1598), and it is said that the Sengoku daimyo Shimazu Yoshihiro gathered and fought golden orb-weaver spiders to encourage his soldiers in camp, giving it a history of about 400 years. The tournament consists of three divisions: the "Superior Spider Division," the "Battle Division," and the "King General Division." Matches are contested on a 60 cm horizontal bar called a Himoshi. At the local elementary school, fifth graders collect and raise spiders, and the day after the main tournament, "another spider battle," hosted by the children, is held on school grounds. The rule that all spiders are returned to their habitat is strictly observed, and this consideration for nature is also a highlight. Access: About 10 minutes on foot from JR Kajiki Station. The venue is Amikake Square at the Aira City Hall Kajiki Branch (253 Honmachi, Kajiki-cho, Aira City). Parking available.

Getting there

About 10 minutes on foot from JR Kajiki Station. The venue is Amikake Square at the Aira City Hall Kajiki Branch (253 Honmachi, Kajiki-cho, Aira City). Parking available.