UNESCO / Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan

 

In cities and towns throughout Japan, float festivals are held by communities annually to

pray to the gods for peace and protection from natural disasters.

The element of Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals encompasses 33 representative

examples in various regions throughout Japan showcasing the diversity of local cultures.

 

Five Festivals in Kyushu are registered on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

 

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Tobata Gion Oyamagasa Festival

One of the most exciting summer festivals in Kyushu.

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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Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

One of the most exciting summer festival in Japan  
takes place from July 1 to 15 and is held at Kushida-jinja Shrine in Hakata. 

There are two kinds of festival floats called Yamagasa. One is Kazari-yamagasa

with 15 meters high, a gorgeously decorated festival float which is decked with

elaborate dolls and castles.

 

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Karatsu Kunchi Hikiyama Festival

 

Hita Gion Hikiyama Festival

 

Yatsushiro Myoken Festval

 

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Yanagawa Sagemon Festival in 2019

 

Yanagawa Sagemon Festival is one of the most beautiful

and very unique Japanese traditional Festival in Kyushu.

 

The festival is held from February 11(Mon.)  through April 3 (Wed.) in Yanagawa.

Hina dolls are displayed by families with girls to pray for safe growth of their children,

in Yanagawa, in addition to Hina dolls, colourful “Sagemon” are displayed.

 

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 Location of Yanagawa

 

 

 

 

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Kyokusui-no-en at Dazaifu Shrine

The ceremony has its origin in a historical fact that Ono-no-Yoshifuru, an elder brother of a

noted-calligrapher Ono-no-Tofu, held a ceremony to appease the soul of Michizane Sugawara and

to beguile tedious hours in a rural life.

 

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Tobata Gion Yamagasa

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”. 

 

 

Nagasaki Lantern Festival

 

Nagasaki Lantern Festival is the annual event in Nagasaki held on Chinese new year. The festival has been started to celebrate a new year by Chinese who lived in Nagasaki, and it became the Nagasaki’s festival since 1994.

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Nagasaki Kunchi

 

Nagasaki Kunchi is one of big-three festival in Japan, held on October   7 to 9 at Suwa Shrine. The festival features Chinese dance including Ja-odori (Snake dance), this time dancing all around the city but especially at Suwa Shrine.

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History

 

	After Christianity was harshly suppressed in Nagasaki in 1624, a festival was dedicated to Suwa Shrine, the guardian god of local people. It is believed that Suwa Shrine festival called “Nagasaki Kunchi” and danced were offered to shrine with cooperated of local people in 1634.
	At the outset, dedicated dance were very simple but gradually became colorful. During Eiho Era (1673-80), a Chinese dance with an exotic flavor offered to the shrine.
	The Ja-odori or snake dance was first performed in the Nagasaki Kunchi during period 1789-1800.
	In 1970, the government designated the whole of Nagasaki Kunchi dance including Ja-odori as an Important Intangible Cultural Asset.

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Festivals & Events in Kyushu

 

Tamaseseri / wooden ball catching festival   Fukuoka, January

New Year’s Festival held in January, at Hakozaki Shrine A traditional form of fortune-telling, several hundred men  wearing lion cloths compete on piggy back in two teams,  the “sea” team and the “land” team team,  for possession of a wooden ball. more …

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Nagasaki Lantern Festival   Nagasaki, Chanese new year

An annual festival in Nagasaki held on Chinese new year. The festival has been started to celebrate a new year by  Chinese who lived in Nagasaki, and it became the Nagasaki’s  festival since 1994. More than 10 thousand lanterns are  decorated at China town during the festival.  more …

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Yanagawa Sagemon Festival   Yanagawa, February through April

The festival is held from February 11 through April 3 in  Yanagawa. Hina dolls are displayed by families with girls  to pray for safe growth of their children, in Yanagawa,  in addition to Hina dolls, colourful “Sagemon” are displayed. more …

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Kyokusui-no-en  Dazaifu, March

The festival is held at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine on first  Sunday of March, a purification ceremony on a winding  stream, is performed by ladies and gentlemen in a ceremonial  court robe under the plum blossoms in full-bloom.  more …

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Hakata Dontaku Festival   Fukuoka, May

The name Dontaku is a corruption of the Dutch word Zontag,  meaning Sunday. The festival is said to have started as a  New Year parade of merchants going to the local lord’s  residence to celebrate. It is held on May 3 and 4 in Hakata, Fukuoka-city.  more …

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Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival    Fukuoka, June

The most exciting summer festival in Japa, takes place from  July 1 to 15 and is held at Kushida-jinja Shrine in Hakata. There are two kinds of festival floats called Yamagasa. One is Kazari-yamagasa with 15 meters high, a gorgeously decorated festival float which is decked with elaborate dolls and castles.   more …

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Kokura Gion Daiko Festival   Kitakyushu, June

The festivals held in july around Kokura Castle, in which the  main attraction is the playing the drums. The highlights of the  Festival which you should not miss are the Taiko Performing  Contest held at Kokura Castle on July 15th, and the Taiko  Performing Parade held  on July 16th.  more …

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Tobata Gion Yamagasa     Kitakyushu, June

Float Festivals including Tobata Gion Yamagasa inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Heritage List 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  and hachimaki，carrying the Yamagasa and  walking around the town shouting  “yoitosa yoitosa”. more ..

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Wasshoi Million Summer Fastival    Kitakyushu, August

The Festival is one of the festivals representing Kyushu  and  started in 1988 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of th formation of the city and has more than one and half million spectators every year.  It is held in Kokura on the 1st Saturday  and Sunday in August.  more…

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Hojoya   Fukuoka, September

One of Hakata’s three main festivals, held in September at the Hakozaki Shrine, and is a celebration of all living creatures.  The festival has a a history of over 1000 years. Join the cheerful crowd in colorful yukata and experience a rare,  unhurried slice of old-time festivities in Fukuoka.  more …

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Nagasaki Kunchi   Nagasaki, October

It is one of big-three festival in Japan, held on October 7 to 9  at Suwa Shrine. The festival features Chinese dance including  Ja-odori, this time dancing all around the city but especially at  Suwa Shrine. The whole of Nagasaki Kunchi dance was  designated on Important Intangible Cultural Asset.  more …

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Sumo Tournament    Fukuoka, Nobember

Sumo is a Japanese traditional martial art. Professional Sumo Tournament is held six times a year, in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka. Fukuoka Tournament is held at Fukuoka International  Center in November.  more …

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Chrysanthemum exhibition   Throughout Kyushu, mid October to mid Nobember

The chrysanthemum has been a familiar flower to Japanese  as the symbol of the Imperial Family and a symbol of longevity  and rejuvenation.  The Chrysanthemum exhibition is held annually in autumn  from mid October to mid November in many shrines, temples  and gardens throughout Japan.  more …

 

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Chrysanthemum exhibitions