Hakata Gion Yamakasa

博多祇園山笠

Fukuoka's second-largest festival, drawing up to a million spectators, is famous for the Oiyama parade float race. The elaborately-decorated yamakasa floats, around 5 m tall and weighing up to, have no wheels; they're picked up and carried by teams of loincloth-clad men, each team representing one of the seven historic districts of Hakata. The race takes place on July 15; teams line up around 01:00, and at 04:59, drums signal teams to begin in 5-minute intervals. The 5-kilometer race takes about half an hour for the fastest teams. Much larger kazariyama floats, which are up to 13 m tall, are on display at street corners across the city, and are displayed indoors for the remainder of the year.

history

Hours: July 1–15
Website: hakatayamakasa.com (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Fukuoka, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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