A summer festival that brings Kitakyushu together through yamakasa and dance
Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival
The 2026 edition of Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/19 〜 2026/09/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- The third Saturday and Sunday of September / Every year
- Location
- Komoji-dori, the area around Katsuyama Park, and other locations
- 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A citywide summer festival where yamakasa, , , and dancing from across Kitakyushu come together along Komoji-dori and around Katsuyama Park. Enjoy a variety of events, including the Hyakuman Odori, , stage performances, and food.
About Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Nissy-KITAQ File:Wasshoi Hyakuman Natsumatsuri.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival is one of Kitakyushu's signature community-participation festivals.
It began in 1988, marking the 25th anniversary of Kitakyushu City, as a festival where residents could come together and everyone could have a good time.
Local festivals, dances, parades, and stage performances take place mainly along Komoji-dori and around Katsuyama Park.
The event brings together the cultures of neighborhoods across Kitakyushu, offering a sense of unity throughout the city.
Festival highlights
Highlights include a showcase of yamakasa, dashi, mikoshi, and more from across Kitakyushu, as well as the Hyakuman Odori, which draws around 10,000 participants.
At YOSAKOI, enjoy team performances featuring naruko clappers, costumes, and original choreography.
The venues also feature the Children's Dream Stage, live music, food stalls, and food trucks.
The 2026 information described it as a festival bringing together dance, parades, music, fireworks, and food.
Source: 第39回「わっしょい百万夏まつり」が開催されます！ - 福岡県庁ホームページ
A summer festival that brings Kitakyushu together through yamakasa and dance
What to expect
The festival features the “Matsuri Grand Gathering,” bringing together yamakasa, dashi, mikoshi, and other festival traditions representing neighborhoods across Kitakyushu.
At the Hyakuman Odori, residents and groups attend lessons and rehearsals ahead of the festival, then perform a synchronized dance.
YOSAKOI performances, parades, stage events, and live music take place at different venues.
In 2026, “Everyone Dance the Hyakuman Odori,” where visitors could take center stage and dance, was also scheduled.
How to take part
This is a festival that welcomes public participation, with local businesses and community groups taking part in the Million Dance.
In 2026, the finale event will feature “Everyone’s Million Dance,” where visitors take center stage and dance, offering a chance to join in rather than just watch.
Participation by groups and the requirements for joining on the day vary by event, so check the latest information.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Komoji-dori Street, the area around Katsuyama Park, and other locations.
The festival takes place in central Kokura, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu.
- Train and bus
About 20 minutes on foot from JR Kokura Station and about 10 minutes from JR Nishi-Kokura Station.
To get to the area around Kitakyushu City Hall, take a Kitakyushu City Bus or Nishitetsu Bus and get off at “Kitakyushu City Hall”; it is just a short walk from the stop.
- By car
About 3 minutes from the Katsuyama exit and about 5 minutes from the Otemachi exit of the Kitakyushu Urban Expressway.
- Parking
There is a municipal Katsuyama Park Underground Parking Lot.
Entry and exit are permitted from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on September 19, 2026, and from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on September 20.
Crowding is expected after traffic restrictions are lifted.
Source: わっしょい百万夏まつり | 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 / わっしょい百万夏まつり開催に伴う市営駐車場の入出庫時間の変更について - 北九州市
Address Komoji-dori and the area around Katsuyama Park, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (the listed dates have passed)
The 39th Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival in 2026 was scheduled to run from September 19 (Saturday) through September 20 (Sunday).
Venues included Komoji-dori and the area around Katsuyama Park. The festival opening ceremony was scheduled for September 19, and the finale event for September 20.
From 2025 onward, the format changed to a 2-day event on the third Saturday and Sunday of September.
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
Traffic restrictions will be in effect during the event period in 2026, and the entry and exit hours for the municipal Katsuyama Park Underground Parking Lot will also differ from usual.
Crowding when leaving the parking lot is expected, especially after traffic restrictions are lifted, so if you are driving, allow plenty of time.
Events take place at several venues, including Komoji-dori Street and the area around Katsuyama Park, so it’s a good idea to check the locations of the events you want to see in advance.
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 Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival
The festival's predecessor was “Matsuri Kitakyushu,” launched in 1973 by the Kitakyushu Junior Chamber to bring the former 5 cities together.
In 1988, marking the 25th anniversary of Kitakyushu City, the city took over the event, and its current name was chosen through a public naming process.
The festival's name embodies the idea of residents joining hands and forming a circle, sharing the fervor of a million citizens through their hospitality and vitality.
In 2020 and 2021, it was held online due to the effects of infectious disease, among other years when its format changed.
Official information
公式情報は、わっしょい百万夏まつり公式サイト（Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival）で案内されています。
The official website also provides the 2026 event overview, contact information for the day, and information on disaster prevention and emergency response.
Event details and venue operations may change, so check the latest information before you visit.
Source: Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival
Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival at a Glance
Wasshoi Hyakuman Summer Festival is a community-participation festival where you can enjoy Kitakyushu's yamakasa, dashi, mikoshi, dancing, music, food, and more in central Kokura.
In 2026, it was scheduled to take place from September 19 through the 20th, mainly along Komoji-dori and around Katsuyama Park.
Some events let visitors join in the dancing, offering a chance to experience the region's diverse festivals and the enthusiasm of its residents all at once.
If you are arriving by car, be sure to check traffic restrictions and the hours when parking lots allow entry and exit.
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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