An early-summer festival where giant kites and Goten Yatai floats bring color to Hamamatsu
Hamamatsu Festival
The 2026 edition of Hamamatsu Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/03 〜 2026/05/05Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, May 3–5 / Every year
- Location
- Nakatajima venue and downtown venue
- Area
- Shizuoka Prefecture・Hamamatsu City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h–1 h 30 min · bullet train)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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Hamamatsu Festival is an urban festival held every year in Hamamatsu during Golden Week. During the day, giant kites soar over the Nakatajima kite-flying venue, while at night Goten floats process through downtown and nerimono processions take place. Rooted in the custom of hatsuiwai, which celebrates the birth of a child, kites, floats, and trumpet sounds fill the streets of Hamamatsu.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Sb6000 File:Hamamatsumatsuri rinji Nakatajimasakyu.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Hamamatsu Festival
Hamamatsu Festival is a community-run city festival, not a festival held by a particular shrine or temple.
Rooted in the custom of hatsuiwai, it has been passed down as an event celebrating the birth and growth of children.
The festival’s main events are daytime kite battles and nighttime Goten Yatai float processions and nerimono. The festival reflects the ties among Hamamatsu’s neighborhoods.
Source: 浜松まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the kite battle, in which giant kites bearing the emblems of different neighborhoods try to cut one another’s strings in midair.
At night, Goten Yatai floats adorned with elaborate carvings, banners, and lanterns make their way through downtown, while shamisen and flute music is played inside the floats.
Nerimono processions accompanied by shouts and trumpet rhythms are another distinctive sight at Hamamatsu Festival.
An early-summer festival where giant kites and Goten Yatai floats bring color to Hamamatsu
What to expect
During the day, towns and groups fly giant kites at the Nakatajima kite-flying venue and hold kite battles in which they try to cut one another’s strings.
At night, nerimono processions begin from the homes of families who sponsored hatsudako, or first kites, and the Goten Yatai floats continue their procession through downtown.
The sounds of trumpets, shouts, and festival music enliven the proceedings at the venues and in the neighborhoods.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The main venues are the Nakatajima venue and the downtown venue.
Traffic restrictions are in place around the kite-flying venue in Nakatajima-cho and Shiraha-cho, and at the downtown venue from around Hamamatsu Station toward Hamamatsu City Hall.
- Train and bus
From bus stop 6 at Hamamatsu Station Bus Terminal, take the Entetsu Bus Nakatajima Line and get off at “Nakatajima Sand Dunes”; the ride takes about 15 minutes.
In 2026, paid shuttle buses from Hamamatsu Station or Iida Park were announced, with boarding and drop-off at the Hamamatsu Festival Pavilion.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the venue.
- By car
Traffic restrictions around the kite-flying venue were scheduled from May 3, 2026 through the 5th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and downtown from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Take care when driving through restricted areas and note that vehicles may not be movable after parking.
- Parking
There is no parking for private cars at the kite-flying venue.
Cars parked downtown may not be movable while traffic restrictions are in effect.
Source: 2026年 浜松まつり 開催情報（まちなか版） - まちなかNEWS ｜ 浜松まちなかにぎわい協議会 / 浜松まつり2026期間中の交通規制について | 交通タクシーの浜松交通株式会社 / 浜松まつり会館／浜松市
Event venue 静岡県浜松市 中田島会場
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held over 3 days, from May 3 through the 5th.
Kite battles take place at the Nakatajima kite-flying venue, and children’s kite flying was also scheduled for May 5.
Goten Yatai float processions and a concert band parade, among other events, were scheduled on different days downtown.
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 Shizuoka Prefecture / Hamamatsu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Traffic restrictions are in effect at the kite-flying venue and downtown during event hours.
If you are driving to the kite-flying venue, you will need to use a shuttle bus or taxi, as there is no parking for private cars at the venue.
Crowds and traffic congestion are expected around the Goten Yatai float procession downtown, and cars in parking lots within restricted areas may not be movable.
Nearby attractions
スズキ歴史館
スズキ株式会社の企業博物館
五社神社 · Suwa Shrine
静岡県浜松市中央区利町にある神社
佐久間レールパーク
静岡県浜松市の中部天竜駅にあった博物館
浜松城
静岡県浜松市にある城
浜松市楽器博物館
静岡県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
秋葉山本宮秋葉神社
静岡県浜松市天竜区にある神社
Origins and History of Hamamatsu Festival
Hamamatsu Festival has its roots in hatsuiwai, a celebration of the birth of an heir associated with the Boys’ Festival.
As hatsudako became more common, the custom expanded to celebrate the birth of children in ordinary households. Today, it may be observed not only for boys, but also for second and later sons and for girls.
Kite battles resumed after the war. In 1950, Hamamatsu Festival was adopted as the event’s official name, and from 1966 onward, the kite-flying venue was fixed at Nakatajima.
Official information
The official Hamamatsu Festival website is titled “Hamamatsu Festival.”
The 2026 event information listed activities at the Nakatajima and downtown venues, traffic restrictions, and plans for kite battles and Goten Yatai float processions.
The Hamamatsu Festival Organizing Committee Secretariat is listed as the contact point.
Hamamatsu Festival at a Glance
Hamamatsu Festival is a city festival in Hamamatsu where visitors can enjoy giant kites by day and Goten Yatai floats and nerimono by night, rooted in the tradition of hatsuiwai.
At the kite-flying grounds, giant kites from different neighborhoods compete with their strings, while float decorations, festival music, and trumpet sounds bring downtown to life.
In 2026, the festival was held from May 3 through the 5th, with traffic restrictions at each venue.
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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