The event draws some 275,000 attendees annually, and is preceded on the prior day with a parade celebration on Kokusai Street (also in Naha). In 1997 the event was first logged in the
Guinness Book of World Records as being the largest
tug-of-war event in the world. The rope weighs over 40
metric tons.
Tug-of-war The tug of war is an international event with Japanese nationals, American military, and tourists in attendance. Anyone can take part. The main rope, over in diameter, has 280 very long, but much thinner ropes extending from it. It is these ropes that the participants pull these during the contest. The contest lasts for a maximum of 30 minutes and the challenge is to pull the other team a total of 5 meters. If neither side pulls the other the 5 meters, whichever side has pulled the other the furthest at the end of 30 minutes wins.
Aftermath After one side is declared the victors, they are allowed to climb on top of their rope to celebrate. It is customary for participants to cut apart the rope, and take a length of it as a token, and so throngs of people using tools ranging from their pocket knives, scissors and hacksaws set on the rope, cutting lengths of it to commemorate the festival. File:Naha tug o war Ryuku Royalty.JPG File:Naha Rope 001.jpg File:Naha Rope 002.jpg File:Naha Matsuri Giant tug rope.jpg ==Further reading==