A Gion Festival that carries on the memory of a port town, with mikoshi and dashi parading through Unoshima
Unoshima Gion
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, May 3–5 / Every year
- Location
- Unoshima Shrine and the Unoshima district
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Buzen 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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/14
Unoshima Gion is a spring shinkosai held at Unoshima Shrine and throughout the Unoshima district, where a and 6 parade through the streets. It began as a memorial to an event connected with the construction of Unoshima Port during the Bunsei era and has been passed down through the community.
About Unoshima Gion
Unoshima Gion is a local festival held as the spring shinkosai of Unoshima Shrine.
The festival commemorates an event connected with the construction of Unoshima Port in Bunsei 8 (1825), and the Gion Festival began to be held the following year, Bunsei 9 (1826).
Every year from May 3 through the 5th, a mikoshi and 6 dashi parade through the streets of the Unoshima district.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the mikoshi and 6 dashi parading through the streets as part of the shinkosai, which begins at Unoshima Shrine.
The festival extends beyond Unoshima Shrine to the entire Unoshima district.
Another distinctive feature is how the port town’s history is linked to the procession through the streets, as the festival commemorates an event from the Bunsei era.
A Gion Festival that carries on the memory of a port town, with mikoshi and dashi parading through Unoshima
What to expect
The festival takes place at Unoshima Shrine and throughout the Unoshima district.
During the festival, a mikoshi and 6 dashi parade through the streets, forming a shinkosai that connects the shrine with various parts of the community.
The confirmed dates are every year from May 3 through the 5th.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Unoshima Shrine and the Unoshima district (70-1 Unoshima, Buzen City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
Address 70-1 Unoshima, Buzen City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, May 3–5
- Frequency
Every year
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 / Buzen City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Unoshima Gion
Unoshima Gion began as a memorial to an event that took place in 1825, during construction of Unoshima Port.
It is said that when Lord Ogasawara Tadakata, ruler of the Kokura Domain, encountered a severe storm while traveling by sea, fishermen from Unoshima, Kame-machi, and Horai-machi came to his aid in fishing boats and towed him to Unoshima Port.
Starting the following year, Bunsei 9 (1826), the Gion Festival was held as the Lord’s Festival, and it has continued as today’s Unoshima Gion.
Official information
Information is provided on Buzen City’s official website under “Gion Festivals of Buzen” and by the Buzen Tourism and Community Development Association under “Unoshima Shrine Spring Shinkosai (Unoshima Gion).”
Unoshima Gion at a Glance
Unoshima Gion is the spring shinkosai of Unoshima Shrine, which began as a memorial to a rescue during the construction of Unoshima Port in the Bunsei era.
Every year from May 3 through the 5th, a mikoshi and 6 dashi parade through the streets of the Unoshima district.
Set around Unoshima Shrine and the local streets, this festival brings the history of a port town into the present.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/14
