Karatsu Kunchi Finished
唐津くんち — Karatsu, Saga (Kyushu)
Last updated: Tue, October 27, 2026
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- Dates
- Mon, Nov 2 – Wed, Nov 4, 2026 (The 2026 edition has concluded — 2027 dates are not yet announced)
- Venue
- Around Karatsu Shrine and the old castle town (唐津神社周辺)
- Tickets
- Free to watch.
- Official site
- www.city.karatsu.lg.jp
Karatsu Kunchi is the autumn festival of Karatsu Shrine, held every November 2–4. Fourteen giant lacquered floats (hikiyama) shaped like a red lion, samurai helmets, a sea bream and more are hauled through the old castle town to flute, bell and drum music and the pullers' chants — highlighted by the struggle to drag the 2–3 tonne floats through the sand at Nishinohama beach on November 3.
Background
The float event is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, the 14 floats are Saga Prefecture's Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties, and the festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2016. The floats are among the largest dry-lacquer craft works in the world.
Getting there
Karatsu Station (JR Chikuhi Line, through trains from Fukuoka's subway) is a short walk from Karatsu Shrine and the float routes.
Tips
- November 2, 7:00–9:30 PM: Yoiyama — the 14 floats parade through the old town lit by lanterns. Six floats set off from Ōtemon and the other eight join along the route, ending at the float museum.
- November 3 (national holiday), 9:30 AM–4:30 PM: the floats escort the portable shrine to Nishinohama beach; the haul into the sand starts at 12:00 noon and the haul out at 3:00 PM. A lion dance is offered at Karatsu Shrine at about 5:00 AM.
- November 4, 10:00 AM–4:40 PM: the final day, with all floats lined up on Komeyamachi street at 12:00 and set off again at 2:30 PM before being returned to the float museum.
- Times are for the first float (the Red Lion); all 14 take about 50 minutes to pass, so the last floats arrive about 50 minutes after the times above.
- Questions on the day: the Karatsu Station tourist information center answers at +81 955-72-4963 (Japanese).
Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Tue, October 27, 2026