The Karatsu Kunchi is the autumn grand festival of Karatsu Shrine, held each year on 2–4 November, and is designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its centrepiece is a procession of 14 hikiyama floats — enormous, brilliantly lacquered sculptures depicting red lions, sea bream, samurai helmets, and mythological creatures — pulled through the streets by thousands of men in happi coats. Each float took decades to construct using traditional Japanese lacquerwork techniques and represents a specific neighbourhood of Karatsu. The festival draws over 500,000 visitors to this small coastal castle town and is considered one of the three great float festivals of Kyushu.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Autumn
- Month
- November 2–4
- Region
- Kyushu
- Prefecture
- Saga
- City
- Karatsu
Highlights
- ◆14 UNESCO-listed lacquered hikiyama floats, each unique to its neighbourhood
- ◆Centuries of traditional Japanese lacquerwork craftsmanship on display
- ◆Over 500,000 visitors attend the three-day autumn event
- ◆Procession departs from the historic Karatsu Shrine
- ◆One of the three great float festivals of Kyushu