Hakata becomes decorated with beautiful Japanese Yamakasa during the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

The Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival has been around for about 770 years. It is a ceremony to offer Yamakasa (山笠) to the Kushida Shrine which protects Hakata, Fukuoka. The ceremony is a registered Important Cultural Property of Japan. Yamakasa are special floats that are seen during the festival. For around 2 weeks, the city of Hakata is decorated with beautiful Yamakasa. At the end, the amazing Oiyama (追い山) ritual is held. Come visit Hakata and experience an exciting Japanese festival.

Magnificent from all angles! Canal City Hakata’s Kazari-yama float is easily accessible from the hotel

The Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival is held for 2 weeks from July 1st to July 15th. A ritual is performed almost every day. On the 1st, a total of 14 Kazari-yama (飾り山, type of Yamakasa) become open for public viewing. Several of these Kazari-yama are walking distance from Kushida Shrine, so we recommend exploring the city as you look for them. Canal City Hakata, directly connected to Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel, has its own extravagant Kazari-yama. Be sure to check it out. Unlike other Kazari-yama, you can look at Canal City Hakata’s Kazari-yama from all sides. Enjoy the delicately crafted, beautiful decorations up close. At the hotel, there are Kyushu sightseeing experts, English-speaking staff, Korean-speaking staff, and Chinese-speaking staff. Don’t hesitate to ask them any questions about sightseeing or the festival.

Address	Canal City Hakata 2 Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
Access	Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel: Direct connection to the hotel
URL	https://canalcity.co.jp/english

Breathtaking! Watch the climax event of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival: the Oiyama ritual

On July 15th, the climax event of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival is held. It is called Oiyama (追い山). Starting at 4:59AM, a total of 8 Yamakasa start to enter the Kushida Shrine in an event called “Kushida-iri” (櫛田入り). After that, they run through the city of Hakata. Oiyama is an extremely popular event, so you need to buy a ticket to see the Kushida-iri. They carry these Yamakasa weighing over a ton and run around the city. It’s a breathtaking sight. The event starts early, so it’s nice to stay at Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel which is near Kushida Shrine. People go even earlier to save spots to see the Oiyama, so make sure you prepare before you go.

Event time	Early morning of July 15th
Address	Kushida Shrine 1-41 Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
Access	Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel: 3-min. walk from the hotel
URL	Hakata Gion Yamakasa Official Website https://www-hakatayamakasa-com.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja&_x_tr_pto=nui

The center of the festival: Kushida Shrine. You can see Kazari-yama year-round.

Kushida Shrine is the central point of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. Originally, the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival started as an offering to the god, Susano-o-no-mikoto (スサノヲノミコト). Now, it is a festival that not only represents Hakata but Japan as a whole. The shrine is where Oiyama takes place, and, excluding June, you can see Kazari-yama year-round. If you can’t visit during the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival, come see the Yamakasa at the shrine. Kushida Shrine is walking distance from Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel, so it’s a great spot for your trip.

Regular hours	4:00AM – 10:00PM Office: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Address	1-41 Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
Access	Canal City Fukuoka Washington Hotel: 3-min. walk from the hotel
URL	Hakata Gion Yamakasa Official Website https://www-hakatayamakasa-com.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja&_x_tr_pto=nui