Festivals

Most of the festivals occur on the 3rd weekend of July, which this year includes Marine Day, a national holiday started a couple of years ago.

Wakamatsu Minato Matsuri (July 18th-20th) starts off the festival filled weekend. This is actually a combination of 3 festivals: the Goheita Drum Festival, the Fire Festival, and the Kappa Festival.
Kokura Gion Daiko (July 18th-20th) is a festival with 380 years of history. On the grounds separating City Hall and Kokura Castle the battle for the best drummers is decided in afternoon competition on the 19th and 20th. On the days leading up to the final event drumming groups can be seen and heard around town in coolness of the evenings. This year is Kokura Castle`s 400th anniversary so some special events will be happening. On each of the 3 nights from 18:00 to 22:00 there is live music, dancing, and other festival standards in Sakai Machi Park (堺町公園) along Komonji Dori.

Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa (July 20th-23rd) has teams of men and women competing with each other. They carry colorful floats decorated with lights and dolls through the streets of the town.
Tobata Gion Oyamakasa (July 25th-27th) is a cultural treasure in which young people carry around huge lantern floats to rythmical shouts. The floats can be seen at various locations during the daytime when they have banner decorations before the lanterns are put on for the evening event.

Wasshoi Hyakkuman Natsu Matsuri (August 2nd-3rd) is the big event for the city of Kitakyushu on a whole.
On the 2nd from 16:00 to 18:30 a parade makes its way along Komonji (小文字) Dori with the main stand for the public in front of city hall and on the taiyo (sun) bridge. Between 18:50 and 21:00 floats from the other festivals will parade along the street.
On the 3rd from 16:35 to 20:15 the parade of floats from the various other festivals will parade along Komonji-dori. And from 20:15 to 20:45 a fireworks festival will light up the sky above Katsuyama park which is just across the street from the castle grounds. Minami Matsuri Sunday, August 17th
The annual Kokura Minami-ku Summer Festival is being held at the ground of Shii Park (志井公園). The park is located right next to Shii Station, which is the final stop for the monorail. The event starts at 15:00 and goes on till 21:00. A variety of events and the usual festival staples will be on hand. There will also be a flea market, a beer garden, concerts, dancing, and much much more.

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Wakamatsu Minato Matsuri (July 18th-20th) starts off the festival filled weekend. This is actually a combination of 3 festivals: the Goheita Drum Festival, the Fire Festival, and the Kappa Festival.	Kokura Gion Daiko (July 18th-20th) is a festival with 380 years of history. On the grounds separating City Hall and Kokura Castle the battle for the best drummers is decided in afternoon competition on the 19th and 20th. On the days leading up to the final event drumming groups can be seen and heard around town in coolness of the evenings. This year is Kokura Castle`s 400th anniversary so some special events will be happening. On each of the 3 nights from 18:00 to 22:00 there is live music, dancing, and other festival standards in Sakai Machi Park (堺町公園) along Komonji Dori.
Kurosaki Gion Yamakasa (July 20th-23rd) has teams of men and women competing with each other. They carry colorful floats decorated with lights and dolls through the streets of the town.	Tobata Gion Oyamakasa (July 25th-27th) is a cultural treasure in which young people carry around huge lantern floats to rythmical shouts. The floats can be seen at various locations during the daytime when they have banner decorations before the lanterns are put on for the evening event.
Wasshoi Hyakkuman Natsu Matsuri (August 2nd-3rd) is the big event for the city of Kitakyushu on a whole. On the 2nd from 16:00 to 18:30 a parade makes its way along Komonji (小文字) Dori with the main stand for the public in front of city hall and on the taiyo (sun) bridge. Between 18:50 and 21:00 floats from the other festivals will parade along the street. On the 3rd from 16:35 to 20:15 the parade of floats from the various other festivals will parade along Komonji-dori. And from 20:15 to 20:45 a fireworks festival will light up the sky above Katsuyama park which is just across the street from the castle grounds.	Minami Matsuri Sunday, August 17th The annual Kokura Minami-ku Summer Festival is being held at the ground of Shii Park (志井公園). The park is located right next to Shii Station, which is the final stop for the monorail. The event starts at 15:00 and goes on till 21:00. A variety of events and the usual festival staples will be on hand. There will also be a flea market, a beer garden, concerts, dancing, and much much more.