Shio Matsuri at Sakanoshita Beach (坂ノ下海岸 汐まつり)

What Is the Shio Matsuri at Sakanoshita Beach?

The Shio Matsuri (汐まつり) is a Shinto rite held every January 11 at Sakanoshita Beach (坂ノ下海岸) in Kamakura (鎌倉) to pray for a good catch and safety at sea in the new year. It is said to have begun in the mid-Edo period, when local fishermen prayed for a big catch during a time of poor fishing. Sakanoshita Beach continues west from Yuigahama Beach (由比ヶ浜). There is no harbor here, so the fishermen pull their boats up onto the sand and launch them straight from the beach. Following the Funaoroshi (船おろし) held on the same beach on January 2, it is one of the fishermen’s New Year events.

Date and Time

The Shio Matsuri takes place every January 11 and usually begins around 10:00 AM and is over in about 30 minutes. It is held on the sand at Sakanoshita Beach.

Highlights

Green bamboo poles are set up on the sand with a shimenawa (しめ縄), a sacred straw rope, strung between them, and an altar is placed facing the sea with offerings of kagami mochi (鏡餅), round New Year rice cakes, and sacred sake. Inside this sacred space, a Shinto priest recites norito (祝詞), Shinto prayers, and offers prayers while ringing a bell. After the rite, kagura (神楽), a sacred Shinto dance, is performed as an offering. The priest dances with a bell and a fan in hand.

Behind the sacred space, fishermen in matching hanten (半纏), short traditional work coats, stand in a row and pray toward the sea for a good catch and a safe year. The sight of the rite unfolding on the beach, with the blue sea and sky behind it, is what makes this event special.

Watching the Event

Watch from the sand outside the sacred space. Apart from the fishing community, only a handful of people come to watch, so you can see the rite and the kagura up close. On the same day, January 11, the Shio Kagura (潮神楽) is also held at Zaimokuza Beach (材木座海岸). Both start at around 10:00 AM, but if you walk east along the shore for about 30 minutes after the Shio Matsuri, you will be in time for the dondon-yaki bonfire at Zaimokuza (usually from 11:00 AM).

Access | Visiting During Your Stay at Toshi’s Place

Sakanoshita Beach is about a 5-minute walk toward the sea from Enoden (江ノ電) Hase Station (長谷駅). It is just a short walk from Toshi’s Place, so if you are staying with us, we recommend stopping by for a quiet moment in the morning.

At Toshi’s Place, fully unstaffed smart hotels with fully equipped kitchens and room-only stays, you can head out to New Year morning events at your own pace.

Summary

The Shio Matsuri at Sakanoshita Beach is a Shinto rite held on the sand every January 11, where a priest recites prayers and offers kagura while fishermen pray for a good catch and safety at sea. Also see the Funaoroshi at Sakanoshita Beach on January 2. For Yuigahama’s highlights throughout the year, see Yuigahama Beach.

Basic Information

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