Held annually in July and designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa has been celebrated for over 770 years. Teams of bare-chested men in fundoshi race giant kazariyama floats weighing up to one tonne through the streets of Hakata in the climactic Oiyama race on 15 July, starting at 4:59 a.m. Elaborate display floats called kazariyama, standing up to 15 metres tall, are erected around the Hakata district throughout the festival period. The event is rooted in the traditions of Kushida Shrine and draws hundreds of thousands of spectators each year.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Summer
- Month
- July
- Region
- Kyushu
- Prefecture
- Fukuoka
- City
- Fukuoka (Hakata)
Highlights
- ◆Pre-dawn Oiyama race on 15 July through historic Hakata streets
- ◆Towering kazariyama display floats up to 15 m tall
- ◆770+ years of unbroken festival tradition
- ◆Rooted in the rituals of Kushida Shrine
- ◆Designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage