A spring festival in Shimonoseki where scenes from history unfold over the Kanmon Straits
Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival
The 2026 edition of Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/02 〜 2026/05/04Ended
- Season / frequency
- May
- Location
- Locations throughout the city, including the area along the Kanmon Strait, Sister City Plaza, Akama Shrine, Karato Pier, and Ganryujima Island
- Area
- Yamaguchi Prefecture・Shimonoseki City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 35 min–1 h 55 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.
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free (some events require payment)
- Age restrictions
- The Children’s Samurai Procession is open to elementary school students who live in the city.
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival is a spring festival in Shimonoseki, staged along the Kanmon Strait and featuring the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival, the Genpei Festival, the Genpei Naval Battle, and more. Historical processions, a maritime parade, and stage events take place at locations throughout the city.
About Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Ka23 13 File:Shimonoseki 3MAY2008 Yamaguchi Japan.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: Ka23 13 File:Shimonoseki 20080503 114546.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: Ka23 13 File:Shimonoseki 3MAY2010 1450 Yamaguchi Japan.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival is a spring festival held throughout the area along the Kanmon Strait in Shimonoseki City.
The festival features the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival, which honors the Taira clan and Emperor Antoku, who perished in the Genpei Battle of Dan-no-ura, as well as the Genpei Festival and the Genpei Naval Battle.
Venues include Sister City Plaza, Akama Shrine, and the Karato area, among other locations throughout the city.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival’s Joro Procession, where a tayu in splendid costume performs the distinctive “soto-hachimonji” walking style.
In the Genpei Naval Battle, boats carrying samurai in armor travel across the Kanmon Strait, while the red and white banners of the Genji and Taira forces color the water.
At Sister City Plaza, visitors can enjoy stage events and buy jumbo fuku hot pot.
Source: ５月２日からしものせき海峡まつり/「下関市を内外に発信」 | 山口新聞 電子版
A spring festival in Shimonoseki where scenes from history unfold over the Kanmon Straits
What to expect
The festival spans several days and features ceremonies at Akama Shrine, the Joro Procession and Genpei Samurai Procession through the city, and stage events at Sister City Plaza.
The Genpei Naval Battle takes place on the water, and the Hacchohama Grand is also performed around Karato.
Times vary by venue, so one way to enjoy the festival is to travel between venues according to the events you want to see.
How to take part
Whether the general public can participate in the festival as a whole depends on the event, so details should be checked for each one.
In 2026, the “Children’s Samurai Procession” was held for the first time as part of the Genpei Festival, for elementary school students living in the city.
Samurai participants were also sought for the Genpei Festival, with recruitment for specific roles.
It was announced that recruitment for samurai participants in the 2026 Genpei Festival would begin on February 2.
Details on eligibility and how to apply should be checked in the published recruitment notice.
Source: しものせき海峡まつり | Yes！Enjoy！Go！～明るく・楽しく・元気よく・YEG～ | 下関商工会議所青年部
Location and access
- Venue and address
Sister City Plaza in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture (main venue), Akama Shrine (Joro Visit to the Shrine), and other locations throughout the city.
- Train and bus
10 minutes by bus from JR Shimonoseki Station; get off at the “Akama Jingu-mae” bus stop.
Sister City Plaza is a 2-minute walk away, and Akama Shrine is right by the stop.
- By car
15 minutes by car from the Shimonoseki IC on the Chugoku Expressway.
Visitors are advised to use public transportation, as it gets very crowded during the festival.
- Parking
Kamon Wharf parking lot: 90 spaces; Karato Market parking lot: 572 spaces; Akama Shrine parking lot: 300 spaces; Kaikyokan parking lot: 395 spaces.
All are paid parking lots.
Address Sister City Plaza in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture (main venue), Akama Shrine (Joro Visit to the Shrine), and other locations throughout the city
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the festival was held from May 2 through the 4th at locations along the Kanmon Strait and on Ganryujima Island, among other places.
The main events were concentrated on May 3, including the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival’s Joro Procession, Joro Visit to the Shrine, the Genpei Festival, the Genpei Samurai Procession, the Genpei Naval Battle, and the Hacchohama Grand Bon Odori.
Events and times vary by day.
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 Yamaguchi Prefecture / Shimonoseki City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The areas around the venues get very crowded during the festival, so visitors are advised to use public transportation.
In case of rain, some events may move to different venues, while the Genpei Naval Battle and Hacchohama Grand Dance are canceled.
As the venue and times vary by event, it’s best to check the details of the event you want to attend before setting out.
Nearby attractions
At and around the festival venues are Akama Shrine, where the Joro Visit to the Shrine takes place; Karato Market, which sells seafood; and Kaikyo Yume Tower Mall (Kamon Wharf), lined with restaurants and souvenir shops.
The Green Mall Shopping Street is also one of the locations along the Genpei Samurai Procession route.
You can explore the area around the Kanmon Strait by combining festival events with sightseeing spots around the city.
はい!からっと横丁
山口県下関市にある遊園地
下関市立しものせき水族館
山口県下関市にある水族館
下関市立歴史博物館
山口県下関市長府にある博物館
下関市立美術館
山口県下関市長府にある美術館
下関市立考古博物館
山口県下関市にある博物館
下関市立近代先人顕彰館
日本の山口県下関市にある博物館
下関市立長府博物館
山口県下関市長府にあった博物館
写真：Wiki708 at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
乃木神社
山口県下関市にある神社
亀山八幡宮
山口県下関市にある神社
大歳神社
山口県下関市にある神社
彦島八幡宮
山口県下関市にある神社
Iminomiya Shrine
山口県下関市にある式内社
Origins and History of Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival
The festival’s background includes the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival, which honors the Taira clan and Emperor Antoku, who perished in the Genpei Battle of Dan-no-ura.
The Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival features the Joro Procession and Joro Visit to the Shrine, keeping the history of Dan-no-ura alive today.
The 2026 Genpei Festival marked its 41st edition and was given the title “A New Step to Connect History.”
Official information
Official information is available on the “Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival” page of the Shimonoseki City Official Tourism Website.
In addition to festival details, the page lists the phone number for the Shimonoseki Festival Joint Executive Committee Secretariat for inquiries.
Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival at a Glance
The Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival offers events that bring Shimonoseki’s history and the Kanmon Strait to life, including the Emperor Antoku Memorial Festival, the Joro Procession, the Genpei Samurai Procession, and the Genpei Naval Battle.
In 2026, the festival was held from May 2 through the 4th, and the main events took place on May 3.
As the venues cover a wide area and crowds are expected, it is recommended to travel between them by public transportation.
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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