The Awaji Island Tourism Association (一般社団法人淡路島観光協会) will hold its 18th Hamo Dochu (はも道中) on Monday, July 6, 2026. The event centers on carrying Awaji Island's prized pike conger (hamo) in a procession to Yasaka Shrine, where it will be offered as part of a traditional ceremony timed to Kyoto's renowned Gion Festival.
The Gion Festival is sometimes called the "Hamo Festival" (ハモ祭り), reflecting how deeply pike conger is intertwined with Kyoto's summer food culture. Awaji Island was historically designated a 御食国 (miketsu-kuni) — a land that supplied food to the imperial court — and this event continues that tradition by presenting hamo to Yasaka Shrine during the festival.
Event Details
| Venue | Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社), 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto |
| Date & Time | Monday, July 6, 2026, from 1:30 PM |
| Schedule | 1:30 PM — Hamo Dochu procession (from Yasaka Shrine along Shijo-dori) |
| 2:00 PM — Hamo offering ceremony (はも奉納神事) | |
| 2:20 PM — Taiko drum performance offering (Numashima Elementary School) | |
| After the ceremony — Hamo bonekiri demonstration and hamosuki tasting (200 servings) |
What to Expect
After the procession along Shijo-dori in front of Yasaka Shrine, attendees can enjoy a free serving of 「ハモすき」(hamosuki) — a local Awaji Island dish prepared with hamo, onions, and Awaji Island hand-stretched somen noodles — limited to 200 portions.
The program also features a taiko drum performance offering (太鼓演奏奉納) that brings together the Awaji Ningyo Joruri — a traditional puppet theater with more than 500 years of history — and elementary school students from Numashima (ぬしま), a small island off Awaji Island's southern tip known as a hamo fishing ground.
