Naha tug of war

Fonze · 09-23-2007, 08:05 PM

Has anyone been and how crowded and easily accesible is it?

P_chan · 09-23-2007, 08:24 PM

I've never been! First year I was here I missed it by a day! Last year I was on TDY so I didn't get to go. So you bet your ass I'm going this year!

Muku · 09-23-2007, 08:52 PM

The tug of war itself is held right in the middle of HWY 58 in downtown Naha. The center of the rope is in the middle of the Kumoji Crossing. Parking can be a problem, because it isnt free.

However if you can get there, it is a blast, people on both sides pulling the biggest friggin rope you probably have ever seen.

It is great too as the national holiday has been moved from October 10th, (Sports Day) to the second monday of October, creating what we call "Happy Monday". The tug of war coincides with the Naha festival held at Onoyama Park.

There is always a decent fireworks display on Sunday night as well. This year it will be on October 7th

Fonze · 09-23-2007, 09:02 PM

Is it a good place for a 3 and 1 year old? We missed it in 05, 06 the baby was born and this is our last year here and my wife is wondering if we should get a sitter or take them to experience it.

Muku · 09-23-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fonze

Is it a good place for a 3 and 1 year old? We missed it in 05, 06 the baby was born and this is our last year here and my wife is wondering if we should get a sitter or take them to experience it.

If you stay off to the sides, on the side walk and towards the back end of the rope you should be fine.

I took my youngest when she was still under one year old. That was a great time too.

Here I was a great looking, tall, handsome "gaijin" young guy

in my mid-twenties, pushing a stroller with a cute kid, all by his lonesome, wife was at work, down Hwy 58. Talk about a magnet for females......that is another story.

If you get a sitter, you guys can pull the rope, but if you have little ones all I could say is it would be better just to watch, as it gets nasty, sweaty, and hot stuck together with about 15,000 to 20,000 other sweaty, nasty, smelly, sometimes drunk, "other" types of people.

If that is your kind of thing.......get a sitter. If you want to watch the festivities, save your money and sit one the sidelines.

dk · 09-23-2007, 09:52 PM

You might want to get there a few hours early too. The one time I went, we were about 10 feet away from the rope but couldn't see it at all. If you can somehow manage to find a spot overlooking the rope it'll probably be more interested. My wife and I aren't fans of this though. It's just too crowded.

I personally recommend this one more. http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=3443

OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand · 09-23-2007, 10:19 PM

Once the tug-of-war is over, taking a piece of the rope home is considered to bring you good luck in the coming year. A lot of folks bring utility knives and the like to hack off a piece. Problem I noticed last year was that a lot of older local types were hacking at the rope with their knives before a winner was declared, and people were still pulling. Talk about dangerous!

Fonze · 09-24-2007, 12:25 AM

Can anybody stand on the rope? Is it allowed before or after the competetion?
Reason is my wife wants a picture on top of it and I;m thinking take and avoid all the after birth.

OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand · 09-24-2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fonze

Can anybody stand on the rope? Is it allowed before or after the competetion?
Reason is my wife wants a picture on top of it and I;m thinking take and avoid all the after birth.

During the actual event, only various officials and performers are allowed there. After the event, I've seen spectators there for photo ops. Allowed? Dunno. Doable? Absolutely.

socalheart · 09-24-2007, 02:28 AM

You can check if MCCS or ITT has a tour going to it. You can save money and time on parking. It's supposedly quite an experience. I don't recall ever going though. I might've gone as a tyke, but I don't remember.

It looks like a great time, when I see it on TV or in photos.

09-23-2007, 08:05 PM	#1
Fonze Oki mayors B4 & After. Tournaments Won: 1 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Camp Foster Posts: 2,942 My Mood: Thanks: 235 Thanked 152 Times in 112 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 98 Times in 98 Posts Credits: 100,984,344	Naha tug of war Has anyone been and how crowded and easily accesible is it?

09-23-2007, 08:24 PM	#2
P_chan アホ Join Date: May 2007 Location: The land of incest and wannabe Amish people! Posts: 15,687 My Mood: Thanks: 8,592 Thanked 6,216 Times in 3,927 Posts Groans: 1,018 Groaned at 882 Times in 772 Posts Credits: 1,663,815,255	I've never been! First year I was here I missed it by a day! Last year I was on TDY so I didn't get to go. So you bet your ass I'm going this year! __________________

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09-23-2007, 08:52 PM	#3
Muku Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Home Posts: 10,775 Thanks: 2,619 Thanked 3,430 Times in 2,058 Posts Groans: 68 Groaned at 528 Times in 461 Posts Credits: 5,400,001,616	The tug of war itself is held right in the middle of HWY 58 in downtown Naha. The center of the rope is in the middle of the Kumoji Crossing. Parking can be a problem, because it isnt free. However if you can get there, it is a blast, people on both sides pulling the biggest friggin rope you probably have ever seen. It is great too as the national holiday has been moved from October 10th, (Sports Day) to the second monday of October, creating what we call "Happy Monday". The tug of war coincides with the Naha festival held at Onoyama Park. There is always a decent fireworks display on Sunday night as well. This year it will be on October 7th

09-23-2007, 09:02 PM	#4
Fonze Oki mayors B4 & After. Tournaments Won: 1 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Camp Foster Posts: 2,942 My Mood: Thanks: 235 Thanked 152 Times in 112 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 98 Times in 98 Posts Credits: 100,984,344	Is it a good place for a 3 and 1 year old? We missed it in 05, 06 the baby was born and this is our last year here and my wife is wondering if we should get a sitter or take them to experience it.

09-23-2007, 10:19 PM	#7
OCanadaOurHomeAndNativeLand Ban Cannon GO!!! Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3,983 Thanks: 51 Thanked 588 Times in 436 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 203 Times in 201 Posts Credits: 76,646	Once the tug-of-war is over, taking a piece of the rope home is considered to bring you good luck in the coming year. A lot of folks bring utility knives and the like to hack off a piece. Problem I noticed last year was that a lot of older local types were hacking at the rope with their knives before a winner was declared, and people were still pulling. Talk about dangerous!

09-24-2007, 12:25 AM	#8
Fonze Oki mayors B4 & After. Tournaments Won: 1 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Camp Foster Posts: 2,942 My Mood: Thanks: 235 Thanked 152 Times in 112 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 98 Times in 98 Posts Credits: 100,984,344	Can anybody stand on the rope? Is it allowed before or after the competetion? Reason is my wife wants a picture on top of it and I;m thinking take and avoid all the after birth.

09-24-2007, 02:28 AM	#10
socalheart all about the cheese Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Uruma-shi, Okinawa Posts: 5,398 My Mood: Thanks: 3,518 Thanked 1,889 Times in 1,200 Posts Groans: 46 Groaned at 141 Times in 124 Posts Credits: 1,301,091,317	You can check if MCCS or ITT has a tour going to it. You can save money and time on parking. It's supposedly quite an experience. I don't recall ever going though. I might've gone as a tyke, but I don't remember. It looks like a great time, when I see it on TV or in photos.

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