Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival (July 1st to July 15th) will be held!
The “Hakata Gion Yamakasa” festival will be held again this year from July 1st (Saturday) to July 15th (Monday).
Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a representative festival of Hakata with a history spanning over 770 years, and it’s registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Held annually from July 1st to 15th, the festival features magnificent decorated floats, some measuring over 10 meters, lining the city in about 10 locations, captivating an audience of approximately 3 million people.
During the latter half of the festival, from the 10th, floats weighing up to 1 ton, including those passing through Doi Dori right in front of WeBase Hakata (a must-see!), dash through the streets. Then, at 4:59 AM on the 15th, the “oiyama” or chase begins, with seven floats aiming for a goal 5 kilometers away, racing through the dawn-lit streets of Hakata to mark the climax of the festival.
For a glimpse of past Yamakasa festivals, please visit our blog.
This year is finally here… Hakata Gion Yamakasa will be held in 2023!
