Spring Prayers Passed Down Along the Chikugo River at Suitengu Shrine
Suitengu Spring Grand Festival
The 2026 edition of Suitengu Spring Grand Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/03 〜 2026/05/07Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, May 3–7 / Every year
- Location
- Suitengu Shrine, Head Shrine of Suitengu Shrines Nationwide
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Kurume 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A spring grand festival is held at Suitengu Shrine in Kurume, where people pray for safe childbirth, protection from water-related disasters, and the well-being of children. A variety of ceremonies continue over five days, including the Tea Offering Ceremony, an outdoor tea gathering, and the Goshinkosai Procession associated with the Chikugo River.
About Suitengu Spring Grand Festival
Suitengu Spring Grand Festival is a spring festival held at Suitengu Shrine in Kurume, the head shrine of Suitengu shrines nationwide.
Along with the worship of the water deity, it is cherished as a festival for praying for safe childbirth, protection from water-related disasters, and the well-being of children.
Each year, from May 3 through the 7th, events such as the Tea Offering Ceremony, the Goshinkosai Procession, and the Grand Festival are held, making this a Kurume tradition that heralds the arrival of early summer.
Festival highlights
Highlights include the Tea Offering Ceremony, held jointly with Bairinji Temple as a syncretic Shinto-Buddhist event; an outdoor tea gathering where you can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets in the shrine precincts; and the Goshinkosai Procession, during which offerings are released into the Chikugo River to purify it.
Local elementary school students also perform the Urayasu Dance at the Grand Festival.
Each ceremony offers a different cultural experience through tea, the river, and dance.
Spring Prayers Passed Down Along the Chikugo River at Suitengu Shrine
What to expect
On May 3, the Tea Offering Ceremony and outdoor tea gathering are held; on the 4th, the Goshinkosai Procession; on the 5th, the Grand Festival and Evening Food Offering Ceremony; on the 6th, the Following-Day Festival; and on the 7th, the Closing Festival.
At the outdoor tea gathering, matcha and local Japanese sweets are served. During the Goshinkosai Procession, offerings are presented to the deities before being released into the Chikugo River.
The Urayasu Dance is performed at the Grand Festival on the 5th.
How to take part
Visitors can watch events held on the festival grounds, and those attending the outdoor tea ceremony on May 3 can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets.
The outdoor tea ceremony is free, but is canceled in rainy weather.
The tea-offering ceremony is described as a ceremony conducted by shrine priests and Buddhist monks; participation by the general public inside the is treated separately.
The outdoor tea ceremony on May 3 takes place in the grounds of Suitengū from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with matcha and local Japanese sweets served.
The tea-offering ceremony begins at 2 p.m. on the same day.
You can visit the grounds in time for the sacred procession, annual grand festival, and other events to watch the ceremonies.
Source: 水天宮春大祭 - Wikipedia
Location and access
- Venue and address
Suitengu Shrine, Head Shrine of Suitengu Shrines Nationwide (265-1 Seshamachi, Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture)
- Train and bus
About a 10-minute walk from the west exit of JR Kurume Station.
Another guide says it is about a 10-minute walk from the Suitengu Exit of JR Kurume Station, or about an 8-minute walk from the Nishitetsu Bus stop at JR Kurume Station.
- By car
About 20 minutes from Kurume IC on the Kyushu Expressway.
It is about 20 minutes from Tosu IC.
- Parking
Available.
The First Parking Lot is open during the event period, and the Second Parking Lot is open at all times.
Festival information lists parking as free.
Source: アクセス | 全国総本宮 水天宮
Address 265-1 Seshamachi, Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (The dates listed have passed)
In 2026, the festival was held from May 3 through the 7th.
The schedule is the Tea Offering Ceremony and outdoor tea gathering on May 3, the Goshinkosai Procession on the 4th, the Grand Festival and Evening Food Offering Ceremony on the 5th, the Following-Day Festival on the 6th, and the Closing Festival on the 7th.
The outdoor tea gathering ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Tea Offering Ceremony was at 2 p.m., and the Goshinkosai Procession began at 3 p.m.
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 / Kurume City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The outdoor tea ceremony is canceled in rainy weather, so check the forecast if you’re visiting for the matcha service.
Each ceremony has a different start time, and the outdoor tea ceremony runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Parking is available, but availability may vary during the event period, so public transportation is another option.
Nearby attractions
Suitengu Shrine, the festival venue, is itself presented as a Kurume tourist attraction. The precincts include Sanshika and a bronze statue of Maki Izumi no Kami.
Nearby attractions listed include the Nichirinji Kofun and the birthplace of Sakamoto Hanjiro.
You can visit places connected with Kurume's history along with attending the festival.
Source: 水天宮 | 久留米の観光スポット | 久留米公式観光サイト ほとめきの街
久留米市美術館
福岡県久留米市にある美術館
水天宮
福岡県久留米市にある神社
高良大社
福岡県久留米市の高良山にある神社
Origins and History of Suitengu Spring Grand Festival
According to tradition, Suitengu Shrine began when Ise, a court lady known as Azechi no Tsubone, fled to the banks of the Chikugo River after the Taira clan was defeated at the Battle of Dan-no-ura and enshrined the deity there.
It was later moved to its present location overlooking the Chikugo River in 1650, during the time of Lord Arima Tadayori, the 2nd feudal lord.
As a shrine associated with water, it is widely worshipped as a guardian deity of seafaring and a deity of safe childbirth.
Official information
The venue is Suitengu Shrine, Head Shrine of Suitengu Shrines Nationwide.
For inquiries, contact Suitengu Shrine, Head Shrine of Suitengu Shrines Nationwide, at 0942-32-3207.
In addition to the festival schedule and venue details, the shrine's official website provides information on access by train and car, as well as parking.
Suitengu Spring Grand Festival at a Glance
Suitengu Spring Grand Festival is a spring festival held at Suitengu Shrine in Kurume from May 3 through the 7th.
Enjoy events associated with syncretic Shinto-Buddhist traditions and water, including the Tea Offering Ceremony, an outdoor tea gathering, the Goshinkosai Procession set against the Chikugo River, and the Urayasu Dance.
In 2026, the venue was Suitengu Shrine, Head Shrine of Suitengu Shrines Nationwide, about a 10-minute walk from JR Kurume Station, and parking was free.
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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