Tobata Gion Oyamakasa Competition 2025

Event date:
July 26, 2025 at 9:29 pm
Event end:
July 26, 2025 at 9:29 pm

The Tobata Gion Oyamakasa, one of the most vibrant and historic summer festivals in Fukuoka Prefecture, will take place over three days: July 25th (Friday) to July 27th (Sunday), 2025. The highlight of the event — the Oyamakasa Competition — will be held on Saturday, July 26, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, around the Tobata Ward Office area.

What to Expect

This spectacular event is known for its transformation from daytime parade floats into towering night floats lit with 309 lanterns, forming a glowing 12-tier pyramid known as the Chochin Oyamakasa. The floats are accompanied by the rhythmic chant of “Yoitosa, Yoitosa”, bringing the streets alive with traditional energy and powerful community spirit.

Paid seating details will be announced soon. Be sure to follow official channels for updates.

Event Schedule

Dates: July 25–27, 2025
Main Competition: Saturday, July 26, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Around Tobata Ward Office and Asao 1st Park
Additional Programs:
- Tobata Gion Bayashi Research Competition
- Daytime and nighttime Oyamakasa parades

Cultural Significance

The Tobata Gion Oyamakasa is not just a local festival — it’s a nationally treasured tradition, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and registered in 2016 as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Alongside the Hakata Gion Yamakasa and Kokura Gion Taiko, it is considered one of the Three Great Gion Festivals of Fukuoka.

A Glimpse into History

While the origins of the Gion Festival trace back to Kyoto’s Heian period (869 A.D.) as a ritual to ward off epidemics, Tobata’s own Gion Festival began in 1803 following a local outbreak. The townspeople, in gratitude for their recovery after praying to Suga no Okami, created and offered a Yamakasa float to their shrine.

Today, four Oyamakasa groups carry on this tradition:

Higashi Oyamakasa
Nishi Oyamakasa
Tenraiji Oyamakasa
Nakahara Oyamakasa

Each group represents a shrine in the former Tobata or Nakahara villages, maintaining the connection between history, culture, and community.

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Contact Information

Tobata Gion Oyamakasa Promotion Association Office
Address: 1-1-1 Senbo, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 804-8510
(Located inside the General Affairs and Planning Division of Tobata Ward Office)
Phone: 093-871-2316