By day a banner float, by night a ten-meter tower of 309 lanterns – Tobata’s Gion festival.
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, the floats of the Tobata Gion Oyamagasa gather for their main competition, the high point of a three-day festival. What makes it worth the trip is the change after dark: the daytime banner float is rebuilt into a “lantern great float,” twelve tiers and 309 lanterns standing about ten meters tall.
The Festival
The festival dates to about 1803 and is both a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and, since 2016, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The competition pits the lantern floats against one another to the chant of “yoitosa, yoitosa,” the lit towers swaying down the avenue.
How to Attend
The roadside view is free. There is also paid seating at the competition: 5,500 yen for a reserved seat, 4,500 yen for general seating (one seat per person; held rain or shine, no refunds).
- Dates: Three days around the fourth Saturday of July; the main competition is Saturday, July 25, 2026, 18:30-21:00
- Venue: Around Tobata Ward Office / Asou No.1 Park, Shin-ike 1-chome, Tobata-ku, Kitakyushu
- Admission: Roadside free; competition seats 5,500 yen reserved / 4,500 yen general
- Enquiries: Tobata Gion Oyamagasa Promotion Association (Tobata Ward Office) 093-871-2316
- Access: About 20 min on foot from JR Tobata Station, or a short bus ride to “Tobata Ward Office”
- Official Info: tobatagion.jp (Japanese)
Planning Your Visit
Tobata is one ward of Kitakyushu, the Sanyo Shinkansen city about 15 minutes from Hakata. The lantern floats are an evening event, easy to combine with a wider Kitakyushu or northern-Kyushu route.
Source: Tobata Gion Oyamagasa Promotion Association | tobatagion.jp