8 yamakasa and Gion music race through Kurosaki in summer
Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival
The 2026 edition of Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/17 〜 2026/07/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Mid to late July every year / Every year
- Location
- Throughout Kurosaki (including Fureai-dori)
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Kitakyushu 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival is a traditional event held in conjunction with the Gion festivals of three shrines in Kurosaki. Yamakasa from each neighborhood parade through Kurosaki to the sound of festival music and calls.
About Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival
The Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival is held in conjunction with the Gion festivals of Kasuga Shrine, Okada-gu, and Ichinomiya Shrine in Kurosaki, Yahatanishi Ward, Kitakyushu.
8 yamakasa set out from the local neighborhoods and are pulled through the Kurosaki area.
There are two forms, sasa yamakasa and decorative yamakasa, and the tradition is carried on by local shrine parishioner neighborhoods and preservation associations.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
Highlights include the bold maneuvers of weaving the yamakasa, tilting it forward and backward, and making wide turns at intersections.
During the eve-of-festival event, the yamakasa are illuminated, and the Yamakasa Performance features showy maneuvers known as “fighting yamakasa.”
Gion music played on large and small drums, gongs, and conch shells also brings the festival to life in time with the yamakasa.
Source: 黒崎祇園山笠 | 観光スポット・体験 | 【公式】北九州市観光情報サイト 北九州パレット
8 yamakasa and Gion music race through Kurosaki in summer
What to expect
The event begins with Oshioitori in mid-July, when the sasa yamakasa are purified with seawater, beach sand, and seaweed.
The sasa yamakasa are then pulled through the neighborhoods, making weaving, spinning, and tilting maneuvers to the sound of calls and festival music.
After the parade, the sasa yamakasa is dismantled and rebuilt as a decorative yamakasa. The decorative yamakasa proceed through Kurosaki during the eve-of-festival event and the sacred procession.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kurosaki, Yahatanishi Ward, Kitakyushu, around JR Kurosaki Station.
Events take place throughout Kurosaki, including on Fureai-dori.
- Train and bus
A 5-minute walk from JR Kurosaki Station.
- By car
About 8 minutes from either the Kurosaki or Higashida exit of the Kitakyushu Urban Expressway.
Source: 令和8年度イベントカレンダー - 北九州市
Address Kurosaki, Yahatanishi Ward, Kitakyushu, around JR Kurosaki Station
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The listed dates for 2026 were from July 17 (Friday) through the 20th (Monday).
The festival is usually held from mid to late July, with events including Oshioitori, which marks the start of the festivities, the eve-of-festival event, and the sacred procession.
Since the dates were listed as tentative, check for any changes before attending.
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 / Kitakyushu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The yamakasa parade through Kurosaki and its streets, making bold maneuvers that include weaving, spinning, and tilting.
When watching, pay attention to the yamakasa route and the movement of people around you. Watch from a place that does not obstruct pedestrian traffic.
Since the 2026 dates were listed as tentative, we recommend checking the event status and schedule before setting out.
Nearby attractions
Nearby spots mentioned around the festival venue include the Kurosaki Shopping Street and Magarisato Pine Grove.
These places can also be visited as part of an exploration of the Kurosaki and Koyanose area, where the Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa is held.
Tourism websites also recommend nearby attractions such as the Yaskawa Electric Mirai-kan and Boat Race Wakamatsu.
九州鉄道記念館
北九州市にある鉄道博物館
北九州市立いのちのたび博物館
北九州市八幡東区にある博物館
北九州市立松本清張記念館
日本の文学館
北九州市立美術館
北九州市にある美術館
Mekari Shrine
北九州市門司区にある神社
小倉城
福岡県北九州市小倉北区にあった城
写真：No machine-readable author provided. Historian~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
河内藤園
福岡県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
Origins and History of Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival
It is said that the Gion shrine in Kurosaki was established when Kuroda Nagamasa entered Chikuzen Province in Keicho 5 (1600), and that Gion worship spread afterward.
References to the yamakasa date back to Tenpo 14 (1843). During the Meiji period, decorative yamakasa floats carrying figures were made.
Today, a total of 8 floats are brought out by the parishioner neighborhoods of the three shrines, and preservation associations carry on the tradition.
Official information
The dates and venue are listed in Kitakyushu City’s Reiwa 8 fiscal year event calendar.
The festival’s origins, event structure, forms of yamakasa, and parade are documented in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.
The Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Preservation Association office is listed as a contact.
Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival at a Glance
The Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa Festival is a traditional event held in conjunction with the Gion festivals of three shrines, with 8 yamakasa parading through Kurosaki.
Highlights include the transformation from sasa yamakasa to decorative yamakasa, nighttime parades with illuminated floats, and spirited performances accompanied by drums and gongs.
In 2026, it was listed as scheduled to take place throughout Kurosaki from July 17 through the 20th.
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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