Hakata Gion Yamakasa

About

Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a Gion festival of Kushida Shrine in Fukuoka's Hakata district, where local residents dedicate decorated floats known as yamakasa to the shrine. The festival is closely tied to neighborhood groups called nagare, whose members prepare the events together and pass on the rituals. Its climax is the Oiyamakasa: teams enter Kushida Shrine in sequence to make their dedication, then carry their floats at a run along a set route, competing as their calls ring out. One origin legend tells of the monk Shoichi Kokushi riding a wooden platform carried by residents during an epidemic and sprinkling water while praying for the disease to end. Combining faith, neighborhood cooperation and competition, the festival is inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list as part of Japan's Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals.

Details

Location

Japan・Fukuoka

Frequency

Held every year