Yamakasa bring color to Hakata as they race through the summer tradition and excitement
Hakata Yamakasa
The 2026 edition of Hakata Yamakasa has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/01 〜 2026/07/15Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, from July 1 through the 15th / Every year
- Location
- Kushida Shrine and locations around Fukuoka City, across the Hakata area
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Fukuoka City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event centered on offerings to Kushida Shrine, in which lavish kazari-yamakasa and spirited kaki-yamakasa bring color to the streets of Hakata.
About Hakata Yamakasa
Hakata Yamakasa is a traditional event dedicated to Kushida Shrine’s summer festival and handed down through Hakata’s nagare community groups.
Kazari-yamakasa are displayed around Fukuoka City, while the kaki-yamakasa of each nagare race through the streets.
It is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and was also inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016.
A signature summer festival that lets you feel the ties between the people and community of Hakata.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース / 博多祇園山笠 | イベント | 【公式】福岡県の観光/旅行情報サイト「クロスロードふくおか」
Festival highlights
Highlights include the lavish kazari-yamakasa and the main events featuring running kaki-yamakasa.
During the Oiyama Narashi on July 12, teams race against the clock along an approximately 4-kilometer course. In the Shudan Yamakasa-mise on the 13th, the yamakasa proceed from Gofukumachi to the front of Fukuoka City Hall.
In the early morning on the 15th, the yamakasa are carried into Kushida Shrine to the sound of drums and calls.
The tall “running kazari-yamakasa” of Kamikawabata-dori is another distinctive feature.
Yamakasa bring color to Hakata as they race through the summer tradition and excitement
What to expect
The events begin with the display of kazari-yamakasa and the toban-machi’s Oshioi-tori on July 1, followed by the Oshioi-tori on the 9th and Nagare-gaki on the 10th.
On the 11th, Asayamakasa and Takaryu-gaki are held; on the 12th, the Oiyama Narashi; on the 13th, the Shudan Yamakasa-mise; and on the 14th, Nagare-gaki.
On the final day, the 15th, yamakasa from each nagare enter Kushida Shrine, and the festival concludes with the Oiyama, in which they race through the streets.
How to take part
The event of carrying yamakasa has been passed down through Hakata’s nagare groups and neighborhood organizations.
General visitors can view the display of decorative yamakasa, the procession along the route, and the Kushida-iri ceremony.
When watching, enjoy the event while respecting the people who support it and the local arrangements.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kushida Shrine (1-41 Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture), as well as locations around Fukuoka City and across the Hakata area.
- Train and bus
A 2-minute walk from Kushida Shrine Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Nanakuma Line, or a 6-minute walk from Gion Station or Nakasu-Kawabata Station on the Airport Line.
A 2-minute walk from the Nishitetsu Bus stop “Canal City Hakata-mae,” or a 6-minute walk from “Kawabata-machi / Hakataza-mae.”
- By car
Traffic restrictions will be in effect.
Address 1-41 Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture 812-0026 (Kushida Shrine)
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The event ran from July 1 through the 15th in 2026. Kazari-yamakasa were displayed on the 1st, the Oshioi-tori for all nagare took place on the 9th, and Nagare-gaki and other events were held from the 10th through the 14th.
The Oiyama Narashi took place from 3:59 p.m. on the 12th, the Shudan Yamakasa-mise from 3:30 p.m. on the 13th, and the Oiyama from 4:59 a.m. on the 15th.
The times of the Oshioi-tori, Nagare-gaki, and other events may vary by nagare.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Fukuoka Prefecture / Fukuoka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Oiyama begins at 4:59 a.m., so it is a good idea to decide in advance where to watch and how to get there.
The area around Kushida Shrine gets extremely crowded, and it may be difficult to pass through.
Do not get too close to roads or intersections where the yamakasa pass, and follow staff instructions and traffic restrictions.
Nagare-gaki and routes vary by event, so check the route before attending.
Nearby attractions
Kushida Shrine, the festival’s focal point, is cherished as Hakata’s principal guardian shrine, and a kazari-yamakasa is on display in its grounds year-round.
Jotenji Temple has a monument marking the birthplace of Hakata Yamakasa and is introduced as a place connected with the festival’s origins.
Tochoji Temple and Canal City Hakata are also nearby spots close to the yamakasa routes and kazari-yamakasa display sites.
You can explore the history and culture of Hakata’s Old Town alongside the festival.
Source: 博多の守り神「櫛田神社」とは？見どころや御朱印、アクセス情報など徹底解説 | 旅の特集 | 【公式】福岡県の観光/旅行情報サイト「クロスロードふくおか」
Sumiyoshi Shrine
福岡県福岡市博多区住吉にある神社
博多ポートタワー
博多港にあるタワー
Ohori Park
福岡市中央区の公園
写真：Tzuhsun Hsu from Taipei, Taiwan / CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source ·
志賀海神社
福岡県福岡市東区にある神社
海の中道海浜公園
福岡県福岡市東区にある国営公園
福岡アジア美術館
福岡市博多区にある美術館
福岡タワー
福岡市早良区の電波塔
福岡城
福岡市中央区にある城
福岡市動植物園
福岡市の動物園及び植物園
福岡市博物館
福岡市早良区にある博物館
福岡市美術館
福岡市中央区の大濠公園にある美術館
Origins and History of Hakata Yamakasa
Hakata Yamakasa is said to have originated when Saint Shoichi Kokushi, who founded Jotenji Temple, prayed for an end to an epidemic that had spread through Hakata in 1241 and rode on a segaki platform through the town.
The event has been handed down through Hakata’s nagare community groups as an offering to Kushida Shrine’s summer festival.
In the past, tall yamakasa were carried through the streets, but as the city became more built up, they were divided into kazari-yamakasa for display and kaki-yamakasa that race through the streets.
Official information
For official information, visit the official website of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Promotion Association.
Information on the 2026 event schedule and routes, spectator maps, and traffic restrictions is also available on the Fukuoka City tourism information website.
Hakata Yamakasa at a Glance
Hakata Yamakasa is a traditional festival in Hakata, centered on offerings to Kushida Shrine, with displays of kazari-yamakasa and processions of kaki-yamakasa.
In 2026, the Oiyama Narashi, Shudan Yamakasa-mise, and Oiyama were held from July 1 through the 15th.
You can enjoy both quietly admiring the lavish craftsmanship of the yamakasa and watching the thrilling sight of them racing by to the sound of calls and drums.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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