Just like the 10,000 Eisa Festival, I had been wanting to experience bullfighting in Okinawa ever since we moved to the island. We didn’t make it until two months before our move, but I’m so glad we got to experience it! I admit I was skeptical about going to see a bullfight, as I guess a lot of people are because thoughts of Spanish bullfights come to mind. Thankfully Okinawan bullfighting is very different and it does not feature a fancy dressed matador, a red flag and ends with death bulls.
In Okinawa bullfighting is called Ushiōrasē and dates back to the early 1900s. There are about 20 bullfighting tournaments per year, which take place at the Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome in Uruma City. Bulls come from all over Japan to compete, and the 10 matches of each tournament are organized by weight class. Every match was different, some lasted seconds (yes, seconds) and others lasted over 20 minutes. I was sure we would get tired and leave early, but we were thoroughly entertained and stayed until the end.
Matches are pretty PG with bulls simply locking horns and trying to force each other to give up. Each bull has a leash and a coach who helps keep it in the game and encourages it to win. The match is over when one of the bulls gets tired and walks away. Coaches and other team members are always around to prevent the bulls from harming one another and the fight is immediately over if one of them gores the other. Although in one of the matches that day, a lighter colored bull did bleed and he kept fighting…
This specific tournament we went to was the All-Island Bullfighting Tournament which happens three times a year in May, August, and November. Another big tournament happens every Father’s Day. No knowledge of bullfighting is needed to enjoy it because they have an English speaking announcer that translates and explains everything!!
Make sure you scroll all the way down to see my tips for your first Okinawan bullfight experience!
^^ the show started with a flamenco performance and then a sanshin performance by a young boy ^^
^ winners get decked out in a fancy outfit and paraded around with its team, sometimes kids get to ride them ^
^^ this photo made me giggle ^^
Tips for your next Okinawan bullfighting experience:
– Park at the Ishikawa Town Hall and take the shuttle to the Ishikawa Dome.
– Bring enough yen for tickets and snacks.
– Tickets can be purchased at the entrance, they were ¥2,000 for foreigners!
– They have festival food stands outside the dome and inside they have a few food options, popcorn, beer, etc. You can also pack your own snacks!!
– Seats are concrete, so save your butt some hours of pain and bring a pillow. Grab cheap ones at Daiso.
Have you been to an Okinawan bullfight? Would you go if you had the chance? Let me know in the comments!