Kokura Gion Daiko

What Is the Kokura Gion Daiko?

The Kokura Gion Daiko is a Gion festival held each July at Yasaka Shrine in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Known for parading through the town while spiritedly beating great drums mounted on floats from both faces, it is a festival famed as a "drumming while walking" festival rare even nationwide. With a history of some 400 years, and known too as the subject of the film "The Rikisha Man" (Muhōmatsu no Isshō), it is a festival that ardently colors the summer of Kokura in Kitakyushu.

History and Origins

The Kokura Gion Daiko is said to derive from the Gion festival begun in 1618 by the Kokura domain lord Hosokawa Tadaoki, who wished for the prosperity of the castle town and the dispelling of epidemics. Gion faith is the belief of placating the deity who brings epidemics and praying for their dispelling, and Gion festivals have been held in various places in summer. A major feature of Kokura's is that, rather than pulling yamahoko floats as in the Kyoto Gion festival, it developed into a distinctive form with drums as the main element. Handed down for some 400 years by the hands of the townspeople of Kokura, it is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kitakyushu City.

Highlights

The greatest attraction is the spirited drumming, in which two people beat the great drums mounted on the floats from both faces. To the call of "yassa, yare-yare," the distinctive rhythm woven by the drums and surigane gongs echoes through the town. The style of parading through the town while drumming is without parallel, and its intensity and sense of unity are breathtaking. The fervor of the bearers and drummers, and the magical figures of the floats adorned with lanterns at night, are also highlights. Visitors can experience a spirited and energetic festival that ardently enlivens the summer of Kokura.

When It Takes Place

The festival is typically held in July at Yasaka Shrine and in the central district of Kokura in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. As a summer Gion festival, its season is summer. Because the dates of the drumming competitions and float processions vary from year to year, visitors are advised to confirm details in advance through official announcements from Kitakyushu City and the organizers of the Kokura Gion Daiko.

Access

The central district of Kokura boasts excellent access, within walking distance of Kokura Station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line and the Sanyō Shinkansen. As a Shinkansen stop, it is easily reached from across Honshu and Kyushu. Yasaka Shrine adjoins Kokura Castle. As traffic restrictions are imposed in the city center during the festival, public transport is recommended.

Around the Area

Kokura in Kitakyushu is a castle town that prospered as a gateway to Kyushu facing the Kanmon Strait. Highlights include Kokura Castle adjoining Yasaka Shrine, the festival's stage; the retro-atmosphere "Riverwalk Kitakyushu"; and the lively "Tanga Market." The scenery of the Kanmon Strait linking to Shimonoseki and the Mojikō Retro district are also close, allowing one to enjoy sightseeing that straddles Honshu and Kyushu. Together with the Kokura Gion Daiko, it is an area where one can savor the history and food of the Kanmon area.

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