A traditional Sone festival featuring a dashi in three forms and 7 figure-decorated floats
Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji)
The 2026 edition of Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku ) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/03Ended
- Location
- Watatsumi Shrine
- 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji) is a traditional festival passed down around Watatsumi Shrine. Highlights include the transforming and the figure-decorated floats of the Sone and Kusami districts.
About Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji)
The Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji) is a festival passed down in the Sone and Kusami districts, centered on Watatsumi Shrine.
It is said to have begun in Bunsei 2 (1819), when Watatsumi Shrine was built as the guardian shrine of Sone Shinden, which had suffered severe damage from a violent storm, and prayers were offered for bountiful harvests and protection from wind and high tides.
It is also designated an intangible folk cultural property by the city.
Source: 曽根の神幸行事（開作神事） - 北九州市
Festival highlights
The main highlight is a unique format found nowhere else in Kitakyushu City: a single dashi transforms into three forms—a -yama, a nobori-yama, and a ningyo-kazari-yama.
May 3, 7 ningyo-kazari-yama from the Sone and Kusami districts gather in one place.
The transformations of the dashi and the gathering of multiple ningyo-kazari-yama (dashi decorated with figures) are defining features of this festival.
A traditional Sone festival featuring a dashi in three forms and 7 figure-decorated floats
What to expect
During the festival, the dashi take 3 different forms: chochin-yama, nobori-yama, and ningyo-kazari-yama.
On May 3, all 7 ningyo-kazari-yama from the Sone and Kusami districts gather in one place.
Held at Watatsumi Shrine, this grand festival is dedicated to prayers for a bountiful harvest and protection from wind and tidal damage.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Watatsumi Shrine (2-chome Sone Shinden Minami, Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyushu City)
Address 2-chome Sone Shinden Minami, Kokuraminami-ku, Kitakyushu City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
May 3, 2026 (public holiday), 12:30–15:30.
In case of rain, the event will be postponed to May 4. If it also rains on the 4th, it will be postponed to May 5. If it rains on the 5th as well, the event will be canceled.
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 2026 schedule states that in case of rain, the event will be postponed to May 4; if it rains again, it will be postponed to May 5. If it rains on May 5, the event will be canceled.
Nearby attractions
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 Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji)
The Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji) is said to have begun in Bunsei 2 (1819).
It originated with the construction of Watatsumi Shrine as the guardian shrine of Sone Shinden, which had suffered severe damage from a violent storm, and the holding of a grand festival to pray for bountiful harvests and protection from wind and high tides.
In Heisei 30, the 200th anniversary of its beginning was marked, and a commemorative video was produced.
Official information
北九州市公式「曽根の神幸行事（開作神事）」曽根の神幸行事（開作神事） - 北九州市
Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji) at a Glance
The Sone Shinko Festival (Kaisaku Shinji) is a festival of the Sone and Kusami districts that began in 1819.
One dashi transforms from a lantern-covered float into a banner float and then a float decorated with figures. The festival is distinctive for bringing together 7 figure-decorated floats.
As a grand festival at Watatsumi Shrine praying for bountiful harvests and protection from wind and high tides, it is designated an intangible folk cultural property of Kitakyushu City.
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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