The Shibukawa Heso Festival is one of the representative summer festivals of Shibukawa City, Gunma Prefecture, held every July. The festival is famous for its unique Hara Odori, or “belly dance”, in which participants paint large, humorous faces on their stomachs and dance through the streets to a lively rhythm.
The festival was created around the idea that Shibukawa is known as the “belly button” or geographical center of Japan. Its official name is “Nihon no Mannaka Shibukawa Heso Matsuri,” meaning “Shibukawa Heso Festival in the Center of Japan.” First held in 1984, the festival was designed to revitalize the local community and promote tourism. Today, it has become one of the defining signs of summer in Shibukawa.
The main attraction is the Heso Odori Parade, in which participants paint humorous faces on their stomachs and dance through the city streets. The festival is open not only to local residents but also to visitors, making it a lively community event. On summer evenings, the center of Shibukawa fills with dancers, spectators, laughter, and festive energy.
Shibukawa City is located roughly in the center of Gunma Prefecture and is surrounded by mountains including Mount Haruna, Mount Akagi, and Mount Komochi. The Tone and Agatsuma rivers flow through the area, which is blessed with abundant natural scenery.
The city has also long been an important transportation hub. During the Edo period, Shibukawa developed as a post town along the Mikuni Kaido, a major route used by travelers and merchants.
One reason Shibukawa is known as the “belly button of Japan” is its location near the geographical center of the Japanese archipelago when considering a line connecting Cape Soya in Hokkaido with Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture. Shibukawa has embraced this geographical feature as an important symbol of the city, promoting itself as “the center of Japan.”
Shibukawa is home to a legendary stone known as Hesoishi, or the “Belly Button Stone.” According to local legend, the Heian-period military commander Sakanoue no Tamuramaro visited this area on his return from campaigns against the Emishi people and declared, “This must be the center of Japan.”
The story says that a stone resembling a belly button was subsequently given the name Hesoishi. The stone remains an important local symbol and is carefully preserved as a reminder of Shibukawa’s identity as the “belly button of Japan.”
The origins of the Shibukawa Heso Festival can be traced to the Yorii-cho Heso Festival, held in 1983. At the time, the central shopping district was losing some of its vitality as large suburban shopping centers expanded, creating a need for new attractions that could bring energy back to the city center.
With the Shibukawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry playing a central role, organizers developed a unique festival based on the city’s identity as “the center of Japan.” They visited the Hokkai Heso Festival in Furano, Hokkaido, and used ideas from that event as inspiration while developing a festival with its own distinctive Shibukawa character.
The first event attracted considerable attention, with the prepared Heso Manju sweets selling out quickly. Following its success, the event officially became the Nihon no Mannaka Shibukawa Heso Matsuri the following year.
The most distinctive feature of the festival is the hara-e, or “belly paintings,” drawn on the participants’ stomachs. The belly button is incorporated as the mouth of a humorous face, creating an entertaining expression.
The designs vary widely, ranging from anime characters and kabuki faces to cute smiles and exaggerated comic expressions. Each participant or group can create a unique character of their own.
Dancers wear large hats that hide their faces and arms, drawing attention to the painted faces on their stomachs. As they dance, it can look as though the painted faces themselves are moving down the street, delighting spectators along the parade route.
During the parade, dancers move from side to side while following the lively chant “Heso dase yoi-yoi, hara dase yoi-yoi,” roughly meaning “Show your belly button, yoi-yoi; show your belly, yoi-yoi.”
The upbeat rhythm and humorous movements create a cheerful atmosphere. From evening into the night, the streets of central Shibukawa are filled with laughter, cheers, and applause.
The Heso Odori Parade is an open community event in which visitors as well as local residents can participate. Several different dance styles are available, allowing participants to enjoy the parade in their own way.
Hara Odori is the signature dance of the Shibukawa Heso Festival. Participants paint faces on their stomachs and move through the streets while performing simple steps. Their faces are hidden beneath large hats so that the painted “belly faces” become the main focus of the performance.
Yukata Odori features participants wearing colorful yukata, traditional lightweight summer kimono, while performing coordinated choreography as they parade through the streets.
The bright colors and patterns of the yukata add to the festive atmosphere and create a particularly colorful summer scene.
Free-style dancing allows participants to create their own costumes and choreography. Companies, community groups, groups of friends, and other teams take part with original costumes, props, and performances.
Costumes and equipment are also available for rental, making it possible for first-time visitors to join the festivities without having to prepare everything in advance.
In front of the community center in the Yorii-cho area of Shibukawa stands a distinctive stone statue known as Heso Jizo. A large belly button is carved into the statue, and local tradition says that touching it while making a wish will bring good fortune.
Visiting Heso Jizo alongside the festival provides a closer connection to Shibukawa’s unique cultural identity as the “belly button of Japan.”
Hesoishi can also be found near Heso Jizo. Nearby, visitors can find a decorative manhole cover featuring the concept of “the center of Japan” against a background of hydrangeas, the official flower of Shibukawa City. It makes a fun photo spot unique to the area.
The festival concludes with a powerful performance by the local taiko group Shibukawa Kaminari Daiko.
The deep, thunder-like sound of the drums echoes through the nighttime festival grounds, bringing the event to its climax. Junior performers and shows incorporating new choreography are also featured, allowing younger generations to participate in and carry on the local festival tradition.
Shibukawa City has helped establish the National Association of Heso Towns together with municipalities across Japan that use the concepts of “belly button” or “center” as themes for regional development.
The association was established in 1997 through an initiative involving Furano City in Hokkaido, Shibukawa City in Gunma, Nishiwaki City in Hyogo, and Soyo Town in Kumamoto, among others. Member communities continue to interact through tourism events, local product fairs, and other activities that introduce the unique attractions of each region.
The Shibukawa Heso Festival is a signature summer event in Shibukawa with more than 40 years of history. Local residents, companies, schools, and community groups come together to create a lively celebration through belly dancing, music, and taiko performances.
The humorous hara-e belly paintings, energetic dancing, powerful drums, and enthusiastic spectators combine to create a festival atmosphere unlike that of most other Japanese festivals.
When visiting Shibukawa, consider experiencing this unique celebration of the city’s identity as “the center of Japan.” Rather than simply watching from the sidelines, joining the dancing yourself is a memorable way to become part of the festival and enjoy a summer evening together with the people of Shibukawa.