Village in Gifu Pref. Holds the 32nd annual Tsuchinoko Festival; 800 participants search for snake-like creature

GIFU – A festival where people search for the legendary snake-like creature called the tsuchinoko was held Friday in Higashi-Shirakawa, a village in Gifu Prefecture. Many participants brought their families, looking for adventure as they hunted for the mysterious beast. Tomoki Imai, a villager who directed a feature-length documentary about the tsuchinoko, also attended the festival to promote his film and liven up the festivities.

The festival, in its 32nd year, features a variety of events surrounding the search for the tsuchinoko, sightings of which have long been reported in the village. Participants had to register in advance and were not allowed to welcome more than 2,200 people.

Anyone who catches a tsuchinoko gets a reward, but no one has succeeded yet. On this day, about 800 people chased the cryptid, hoping to claim the ¥1.32 million reward, a prize that grows every year. But this time too, no one managed to capture the creature.

Imai, who made his film after researching and verifying tsuchinoko legends and eyewitness accounts, promoted his work saying, “The film helps viewers understand why the village puts so much effort into searching for the tsuchinoko.” He added: “The appeal of the tsuchinoko lies in the fact that its true nature is shrouded in mystery, even though there have been many eyewitnesses.” The film will premiere at Polepole Higashi-Nakano in Tokyo on May 18, followed by other theaters later.