Kanda’s traditional festival, with dashi floats that change their appearance 3 times
Kanda Yamagasa
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- From mid-September to the first week of October each year / Every year
- Location
- Parking lot east of Kanda Town Hall
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Kanda Town(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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Participation fee
- Spectator seating for the -float clash: ¥2,000 (advance and same-day tickets)
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Kanda Yamagasa is a traditional event in Kanda Town, passed down as the shinkō festival of Ubara Shrine. During the festival, the dashi floats change their appearance 3 times, becoming tōriyama, noboriyama, and iwayama, and travel through the town and its districts. The festival is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukuoka Prefecture and is also known as “Kenga Yamagasa,” where dashi floats collide with great force.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Hiruya Nobuaki File:Atumari1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Hiruya Nobuaki File:Hiyama1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Hiruya Nobuaki File:Iwayama1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Kanda Yamagasa
Kanda Yamagasa is a traditional event in Kanda Town held as the shinkō festival of Ubara Shrine.
During the festival, the dashi floats change their appearance 3 times: first tōriyama, lit with lanterns; then noboriyama, with banners raised; and finally iwayama, decorated with figures against a rocky backdrop.
It is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukuoka Prefecture and is introduced as a festival that brings color to Kanda.
Festival highlights
The biggest highlight is how the dashi floats change their appearance, becoming tōriyama, noboriyama, and iwayama.
Lanterns adorn the tōriyama, banners the noboriyama, and figure decorations set against rocks the iwayama.
Look out for the 15-meter-tall yama floats and the worn by each district. The force of the dashi floats colliding is another hallmark of “Kenga Yamagasa.”
Kanda’s traditional festival, with dashi floats that change their appearance 3 times
What to expect
Festival events include the kane-oroshi at Ubara Shrine, the Renga Festival, tōriyama floats touring the districts, shiokaki in front of Kanda Station, and the main festival.
The dashi floats change their appearance and decorations for each event and travel through the town and its districts.
At the main festival, a head-on clash between dashi floats is presented at the parking lot east of Kanda Town Hall.
How to take part
Advance and same-day tickets for spectator seating at the dashi-float clash in 2026 will be sold by the Kanda Tourism and Community Development Association from September 1 to October 2.
Tickets cost ¥2,000 and can be purchased on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is no parking at the advance-ticket sales location; same-day tickets are sold beneath the headquarters tent.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Parking lot east of Kanda Town Hall, 1-19-1 Tomihisa-cho, Kanda Town / Ubara Shrine, 410 Baba, Kanda Town / In front of JR Kanda Station, 3434 Tsutsumi, Kanda Town
- Train and bus
About a 15-minute walk from Kanda Station on the JR Nippo Main Line
- Parking
There is no parking at the festival venue.
Visitors are advised to use public transportation.
Address 1-19-1 Tomihisa-cho, Kanda Town, Miyako District, Fukuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
In 2026, the kane-oroshi will begin at around 8 p.m. on September 19, the Renga Hono Festival will begin at 11 a.m. on September 24, and tōriyama events will take place at around 8 p.m. in front of JR Kanda Station on September 26, and from 7 to 8 p.m. in each district on September 27.
Shiokaki is scheduled from noon until evening on October 3, and the main festival is scheduled for around noon on October 4 at the parking lot east of Kanda Town Hall.
The official notice states that the kane-oroshi procession enters Ubara Shrine at 12:30 a.m. on September 20.
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 / Kanda Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
According to the 2026 notice, visitors are encouraged to use public transportation; there is no parking at the venue.
In the early hours of September 29, visitors are asked to be understanding and considerate of the surrounding area regarding the sound of the kane-oroshi.
The event is announced as canceled in severe weather.
Nearby attractions
Places of interest near the Kanda Yamagasa venues include Ubara Shrine, the Kanda Town History Museum, Ishizukayama Kofun, Tonogawa Green Space Park, and Goshoyama Kofun.
These are all places of interest in Kanda Town where you can experience the area’s history and scenery alongside the festival.
Origins and History of Kanda Yamagasa
Kanda Yamagasa is introduced as a festival in Kanda with a history of more than 570 years.
Passed down as a dashi float tradition associated with the shinkō festival of Ubara Shrine, it is now an event in which the floats change their appearance 3 times during the festival, becoming tōriyama, noboriyama, and iwayama.
It is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukuoka Prefecture, preserving dashi float culture to this day.
Official information
The official website of the Kanda Yamagasa Preservation and Promotion Association provides information on the festival dates, tōriyama and noboriyama in each district, events in front of Kanda Station and at the Kanda Town Hall parking lot, and how to purchase spectator seating.
Kanda Yamagasa at a Glance
Kanda Yamagasa is a festival in Kanda Town with a history of more than 570 years.
The dashi floats change their appearance 3 times, becoming tōriyama, noboriyama, and iwayama, and events take place at Ubara Shrine, in front of JR Kanda Station, in various districts, and at the parking lot east of Kanda Town Hall.
The 2026 main festival is scheduled for October 4. There is no parking at the venue, so visitors are advised to use public transportation.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
