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November 2, 2026 at 9:33 pm
Event date:
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November 4, 2026 at 9:33 pm
Event end:
Kyushu’s Majestic 400-Year Harvest Spectacle
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Contact Jasumo Now →For over 400 years, the Karatsu Kunchi Festival has been one of Kyushu’s premier autumn events. Held annually at Karatsu Shrine in Saga Prefecture, this vibrant festival celebrates the harvest season with magnificent giant floats known as hikiyama.
Festival Overview
- Dates: Monday, November 2 – Wednesday, November 4, 2026
- Main Day: Tuesday, November 3 (Culture Day, a national holiday)
- Location: Karatsu Shrine and surrounding streets, Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture
- Access: Approx. 10-minute walk from JR Karatsu Station
- Admission: Free to watch
Festival Highlights
Hikiyama Floats
- Number of floats: 14
- Size & Weight: 5–7 meters tall, weighing 2–5 tons each
- Designs: Featuring samurai helmets, lions, dragons, sea creatures such as killer whales and the legendary Urashima Taro
- Construction: Crafted using traditional ikkanbari technique (lacquered papier-mâché with gold and silver leaf)
- Display: Outside festival season, floats are kept at the Hikiyama Float Exhibition Hall near the shrine
- Procession: Floats are pulled through Karatsu streets with accompanying chants of “Enya, Enya!” and traditional drums and flutes
Otabisho Shinko (Beach Procession)
- Date: November 3
- Activity: Floats are hauled across Nishinohama Beach to Karatsu Shrine, often getting stuck in the sand — a dramatic and popular spectacle drawing tens of thousands of spectators
- Ritual: The procession begins with Shinto lion dances (“kabu-kabu”) and ceremonial performances at the shrine altar
Yoiyama (Lantern Festival)
- Held on the evening of November 2
- Festival floats are illuminated with lanterns and paraded through the town, creating a magical nighttime atmosphere
Town Parade (Final Day)
- A roughly 8 km procession without the portable shrine
- Participants wear traditional festival attire, coordinating with their district’s float
- Accompanied by graceful music and rhythmic chants, culminating in the return of the floats to the exhibition hall for the year’s end
Cultural Significance
- The festival dates back to the Edo period (1603–1867) and was originally a harvest thanksgiving ritual
- Recognized as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset by the Japanese government (1980)
- Listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Visitor Guidelines & Safety
- Follow instructions from hikiyama staff at all times
- Keep a safe distance from moving floats and ropes
- Do not enter roadways or cross safety ropes
- Corners and intersections are particularly dangerous — stay alert
- Prohibited: Selfie sticks, parking in festival areas
Quick Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Festival Dates | November 2–4, 2026 |
| Main Day | November 3 (Culture Day) |
| Location | Karatsu Shrine & Karatsu City streets |
| Access | 10-minute walk from JR Karatsu Station |
| Admission | Free |
| Key Attractions | 14 hikiyama floats, beach procession, lantern parade |
| Cultural Status | National Important Cultural Asset, UNESCO heritage |
| Contact | Karatsu Tourism Office: 0955-74-3355 (9:00–18:00) |
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