Hakata Gion Yamakasa

About this event

Hakata Gion Yamakasa is one of Japan's most electrifying summer festivals, with a history spanning over 770 years. Teams of bare-chested men carry enormous, elaborately decorated floats weighing up to one ton through the streets of Hakata at a full sprint. The climactic Oiyama race on July 15th, where teams compete over a 5km course, is a heart-pounding finale that draws massive crowds.