Tobata Gion Yamagasa
Tobata Gion Oo-Yamagasa is one of the most exciting summer festivals in
Kitakyushu .festival
The Festival is registered on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
The festival has a lot of energy and is very dynamic as is the case with festivals such as the
Hakata Gion Yamagasa，with young men wearing the happi (festival costume) and hachimaki
(head band)， carrying the Yamagasa (festival float) and walking around the town shouting
“yoitosa yoitosa”.
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What is remarkable is the way the character of the Yamagasa changes from daytime，with the
Nobori Yamagasa (festival floats with flags); to nighttime，with the Chochin Yamagasa
( festival floats with lanterns).
The highlight is the Chochin Yamagasa Contest held in Tobata Ward Office on Saturday night.
The Nobori Yamagasa used during the daytime is dismantled，and the 10 metre-high Chochin
The Nobori Yamagasa used during the daytime is dismantled，and the 10 metre-high Chochin
Yamagasa，with its 309 lanterns arranged in 12 tiers，is assembled and carried along in a race
by dozens of young people crying “yoitosa yoitosa”.