Hirugano Highland Bokka no Sato, run by Bokka Corporation (Headquarters: Gujo, Gifu Prefecture; President: Yoshiaki Takagi), is holding the 9th Original! Slipper-Throwing Contest – Championship Finals on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The finals bring together the winners of the daily preliminary rounds held throughout the park's green season, deciding a champion in each division. The event has run as a finals tournament since 2017.
Anyone from first grade and up who has won a daily preliminary round between April 18 and August 23 and earned a spot in the finals is eligible to compete. In a typical year, 100 to 200 finalists gather from as far as Hokuriku and Kansai, in addition to the core Aichi and Gifu crowd, making it a distinctive sporting event that caps off summer vacation.
A Charity Event That Has Run for Nearly 20 Years
The Slipper-Throwing Contest has been a signature Bokka no Sato event for close to 20 years, dating back to around 2006. On clear days it runs once a day on weekdays and twice a day on weekends, and it has become a fixture that many visitors look forward to.
The ¥20 entry fee is donated in full to the Japan Hospital Clown Association (NPO), supporting activities that bring smiles to children in pediatric hospital wards. Between June 9, 2025 and June 6, 2026, the contest collected ¥319,132 in donations, all of which was donated.
The competition itself is simple: throw a slipper and see how far it flies. It requires no special skill, making it a charity sports event that people of any generation can enjoy.
The 2025 Contest Was Featured on Texas ABC Affiliate KVUE
The 2025 tournament was distributed internationally through the Associated Press and picked up by overseas media, including in the United States.
Event Details
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2026 (held rain or shine in light rain; postponed in heavy rain, with the decision made on the morning of the event)
Time: Check-in 1:30 PM–2:00 PM / Competition starts 2:30 PM / Awards ceremony after the competition
Location: Lawn square inside Bokka no Sato
Entry fee: ¥20 (donated in full to the Japan Hospital Clown Association)
Eligibility: Holders of a 2026 entry ticket (distributed to first grade students and up between April 18 and August 23)
Format:
Elementary division: grouped by school grade, mixed gender
Junior high and up: separate men's and women's divisions
When a division has too many entrants, competitors are split into blocks
(Example: with 3 blocks, the top 3 from each block advance to a 9-person runoff)
Official accounts:
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/bokka_no_sato
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bokkanosato/
Facility information:
Hirugano Highland Bokka no Sato (run by Bokka Corporation)
2756-2 Takasu-cho, Gujo, Gifu Prefecture
