This festival which takes place at Kushida Shrine (櫛田神社), home to the patron deity of Hakata, looks back onto a history of more than 760 years. The Yamakasa here are large floats decorated with banners and puppets, which are presented at 14 different locations throughout the area. The Kazariyama float is decorated with puppets, dressed in traditional Hakata clothing, and measures 10m in height. It makes a dazzling display and is shown from the 1st onwards. The Kakiyama, which is carried through town on the shoulders of participants, enters the stage on the 10th.
| Fukuoka City Hakata District (area between Naka River and Mikasa River), Fukuoka prefecture |
| Access from Tokyo 1hr45min from Haneda Airport (Tokyo) to Fukuoka Airport (Fukuoka). 6 min by subway from Fukuoka Airport to Hakata Sta. Access to Kushida Shrine: 5 min by walk from Gion Sta. on the subway |
| July 1 - 15 every year |
| Website: Fukuoka/Hakata Tourist Information Website (in English) |
| Website: Hakata Gion Yamakasa official website (Kushida Shrine, in Japanese only) |
Kushida Shrine |
