Matsuri BiyoriCalendar of Japan's UNESCO-listed festivals

A shared illustration for this type of festival, not this festival itself. Photos are welcome.

Yama, Hoko, Yatai
Calculated

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

Japanese name: 博多祇園山笠行事（はかたぎおんやまかさぎょうじ）

Fukuoka, Fukuoka

2027

  • Thu, Jul 1 – Thu, Jul 15

    Kazariyamakasa display period

  • Mon, Jul 12

    Oiyamakasa Narashi (rehearsal)

  • Tue, Jul 13

    Shudan Yamamise (group display)

  • Thu, Jul 15

    Oiyamakasa

Check with the organizers or local government
ABOUT

About the festival

This summer event is offered to Kushida Shrine, the guardian shrine of Hakata. Tradition says it began in 1241, during an epidemic, when the priest Shoichi Kokushi of Jotenji Temple prayed while sprinkling water from atop a platform carried on people's shoulders. Seven nagare neighborhood groups race through the town carrying kakiyamakasa floats, and kazariyamakasa floats decorated with dolls stand at sites across the city.

  • Oiyamakasa, as the floats race one by one into Kushida Shrine before dawn

  • Men in shimekomi loincloths running with floats weighing about 1 ton

  • Kazariyamakasa decorated floats made by Hakata doll makers

DETAILS

Key facts

Category
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals
Location
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Main venue
Kushida Shrine and the old town of Hakata
Getting there
About a 2-minute walk from Kushida-jinja-mae Station on the Nanakuma subway line to Kushida Shrine.

Sources

This description was written by Matsuri Biyori based on public information. Dates and details may change. Please check the organizers' latest information before you go. Translated from the Japanese original.

FAQ

FAQ

When is Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival held in 2027?
In 2027, it is scheduled for Thu, Jul 1 – Thu, Jul 15 (Calculated from the usual rule).
Where is Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival held?
It is held in Fukuoka, Fukuoka. The main venue is Kushida Shrine and the old town of Hakata.
How are the dates of Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival set?
July 1 to 15. On the 9th, Zen-nagare Oshioitori (all groups' sand purification); on the 10th, Nagarekaki; on the 11th, Asayamakasa and Tanagarekaki; on the 12th, Oiyamakasa Narashi (rehearsal); on the 13th, Shudan Yamamise (group display); on the 15th, Oiyamakasa (at 4:59 a.m.).