Spain's unique "Tomato Festival." The town of Bunol and its people turn bright red!

*The information in this article is current as of March 2024. Please check the official website for the latest information.

What is the Tomato Festival (La Tomatina)?

La Tomatina, or "Tomato Festival," is held every August in Bunol, a small town in the Valencia region of eastern Spain. It is a strange festival in which people throw tomatoes at each other and get covered in them from head to toe.

The Tomato Festival is not a standalone festival, but rather one part of the St. Louis Festival, which lasts for about two weeks, and is held for only one day. There are various events during the festival, and on the day before the festival, there are live performances and other events that last until late at night.

The Tomato Festival starts at around 11am with "Palo Habón" (meaning "Soap Stick"). A long stick covered in soap is set up in the Pueblo Plaza, almost in the middle of the street where the Tomato Festival is held, and people compete to grab a whole bone-in ham hanging from the end of the stick. The stick is slippery, so it's not easy to reach it. Apparently, there are some years when no one manages to grab the ham.

After the excitement of the opening act, the starting gun went off at noon, and the one-hour Tomato Battle finally began. First, a truck loaded with tens of tons of tomatoes entered the venue from St. Louis Street, and the person riding in the truck started throwing tomatoes at the participants and tilting the truck to drop them.

In no time, the whole area was covered in a sea of tomatoes. After that, people just kept picking up the tomatoes and throwing them away, and before long, pools of tomato juice appeared on the road instead of puddles. By the way, in 2023, six trucks passed by every hour, and a total of about 150 tons of tomatoes were used.

The History of the Tomato Festival (La Tomatina)

The festival originated in 1945. It is said to have originated when young people got into a fight during a festival celebrating Saint Luis, the town's patron saint, which has long been held in Bunol from late August to early September, and started throwing tomatoes that were lined up at a nearby greengrocer's at each other.

When is the Tomato Festival (La Tomatina)?

The Tomato Festival is held every year on the last Wednesday of August. In 2024, it will be on August 28th. The reason it was chosen on this day is because the day of the fight that marked the beginning of the Tomato Festival was the last Wednesday of August. It's simple and clear.

The official rules of the Tomato Festival that you should know

Because it is such a rare and wild festival, there are strict rules. Let's take a look at the rules as stated in the official Tomato Festival pamphlet.

(1) Tomato Battle must be completed on time.

The Tomato Festival begins at noon with a time limit of one hour. After the gun goes off at 1 pm to signal the end of the festival, throwing tomatoes is prohibited.

(2) Do not bring in bottles or hard objects

Hard objects that may injure people, such as bottles, cans, and plastic bottles, cannot be brought into the venue. Backpacks and bags are also prohibited.

(3) Do not tear or throw the T-shirt.

Please do not tear or throw away any T-shirts, including those of other participants.

(4) Don't throw tomatoes as they are.

One of the rules is to crush the tomatoes with your hands before throwing them. If you leave them as they are, they can hurt, so be sure to crush them.

(5) Be careful of trucks entering and exiting the road.

Trucks loaded with tomatoes come several times along the way, but the roads are slippery, so please be careful not to come into contact with them. Some people throw tomatoes from the back of the trucks, but only local people from Buñol who have won a lottery can do this.

(6) Follow the instructions of security staff.

Even the slightest carelessness can lead to an accident, so be sure to listen carefully to the instructions of the security staff.

If you want to attend, get your tickets first.

In the past, the Tomato Festival was free and open to anyone, but it became a festival that attracted more than 30,000 people to a town with a population of just under 10,000, and safety concerns arose. Therefore, in 2013, a fee was imposed and only those who purchased a ticket can enter the venue (free for local residents). Currently, the festival is limited to 22,000 people, including local town residents. Children under the age of 16 are not allowed to participate.

The 2020 and 2021 events were canceled due to the impact of COVID-19, but looking at the 2018 participants by country, Australians were the most popular at 12.4%, followed by Japanese at 10.2%. Surprisingly, local Spanish people came in third at 10.1%, so it was surprising that foreigners made up about 90% of the participants. The average age of participants was young, between 20 and 25 years old, and the male-female ratio was 7:3.

Tickets are sold on the official website and cost 15 euros (about 2,500 yen at the exchange rate as of March 2024). According to the Buñol Tourist Board, same-day tickets are also available, but considering the hassle of finding the ticket booth, it is better to get them in advance. Tickets purchased online are printed out and exchanged for a wristband on site. Please note that you cannot enter the venue without this wristband.

If you need assistance in Japanese, consider a day tour run by a Japanese travel agency from Barcelona every year, or a tour from Japan that includes the Tomato Festival as part of its itinerary.

[Checklist] This is useful! Recommended items for participation

From here on, we will introduce some recommended items that you should definitely get before participating in the festival.

A white shirt that highlights the bright red tomatoes

To make the most of it, we recommend wearing white clothes that will make the red tomatoes stand out. Since you will end up throwing them away, it's best to wear old clothes. Since it will get soaked and see-through, it's a must for women to wear a swimsuit underneath.

Goggles to protect your eyes

Goggles are useful during battles where tomato juice is flying around. Tomato juice is quite tough, and if it gets in your eyes it hurts a lot. Also, during the opening act "Palo Habon", the residents of the houses in the venue may spray water on you with a hose. Goggles are effective in dealing with those situations.

A waterproof case that can be worn around the neck

If you want to bring your smartphone, a waterproof case that can be worn around your neck is a must-have item, but please be careful as there is a risk of theft.

Sneakers or water shoes that cover your feet

Please note that wearing flip-flops is not permitted. They will easily come off in the sea of tomatoes and may also be stepped on by other people, so choose sneakers or water shoes that completely cover your feet.

Padlocks to protect your luggage

You can leave your luggage, including your change of clothes for the return trip, at the baggage check facility (fees apply). Even at the baggage check facility, it is a good idea to put a padlock on the zipper of your bag just to be safe and prevent the contents from being stolen.

How to get to Bunol, Spain, where the story takes place. Enjoy the surrounding area too.

The town of Bunol is about 40km west of Valencia, Spain's third largest city facing the Mediterranean Sea. If you enter Spain from Madrid's Barajas Airport, you can reach Valencia in two hours by train from Chamartin Station, or from Barcelona's El Prat Airport, you can reach Valencia in three hours by train from Sants Station. By air, it takes just under an hour to fly from either city to Valencia.

You can also get to Valencia Airport from Japan via other European cities or the Middle East. Local trains run from Valencia North Station to Bunol once or twice an hour, and the journey takes about an hour.

There is only one small hotel and a few bed and breakfasts in Buñol, and they are fully booked for months before and on the day of the Tomato Festival. It is best to stay in Valencia, which has lots to offer, and enjoy the surrounding area as well. Finally, we will introduce some recommended spots in Valencia.

Valencia Cathedral - where you can see the Holy Grail used during the Last Supper

There are many tourist spots scattered throughout the "Valencia Old Town", which was once surrounded by city walls. These include the World Heritage Site "La Lonja", the "National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts" which is housed in an 18th century aristocrat's mansion, and the "Iglesia de San Nicolás" with its beautiful ceiling frescoes painted in the 17th century. If I had to choose one to recommend, it would be the "Valencia Cathedral". This church has a magnificent history, with construction starting in the 13th century and undergoing numerous renovations and expansions until the 17th century.

There is also an audio guide in Japanese, so you can tour the inside of the church while listening to the explanations at your leisure. The Holy Grail, which is said to have been used at the Last Supper by Christ, is on display here. There are many such relics around the world, but this one has the Vatican's stamp of approval! Also, if you climb the Miguelete Tower, you can get a 360-degree view of the city of Valencia from a height of about 50 meters above the ground.

Valencia Cathedral

If you love food, you can't miss the Central Market

Valencia is blessed with bounty from the sea and mountains, and agriculture has been thriving since ancient times, so it has an abundance of food. The Central Market, one of the largest in Europe, is an indoor market that is about 8,000 square meters, just the size of a soccer field, and is packed with a variety of foods, making it a great place to see. You can also buy sausages, cut fruit, bread, and more to eat on the spot. The modernist building, built about 100 years ago, is also very charming.

By the way, Valencia is the home of paella, a representative Spanish dish. Be sure to try it during your stay. Authentic Valencian paella contains rabbit and chicken instead of seafood.

Mercado Central

Valencia is synonymous with blue skies and blue seas

Valencia has a beach that stretches for over 3km in length, and is crowded with many foreign tourists in the summer. You can rent a parasol and beach chair and relax, try some marine sports, or have a drink while watching the ocean at sunset. Enjoy beach life in any way you like.

There are also many restaurants where you can eat paella along the promenade along the beach and near the yacht harbor, which was the city course for the F1 European Grand Prix, so we recommend enjoying those as well.

So, have you decided to get covered in tomatoes? Let's start planning your trip to Valencia and the Tomato Festival right away!

Tomato Festival

Interview and photography: Keiko Tagawa

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