Editorial photo #13960352 Human Interest

Kakiyama Floats Parade Between Hakata And Tenjin During Hakata Gion

Hakata Gion Yamakasa participants carry Kakiyama floats from all seven Nagare (district teams) during the Shudan Yamamise procession of the festival in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 13, 2026. During the annual event, all seven Nagare parade their Kakiyama floats along Meiji-dori from Hakata into the Tenjin district, the only occasion during the festival when the Kakiyama floats leave the traditional Hakata area. Fukuoka Mayor Soichiro Takashima rode aboard the procession's lead Kakiyama float. The procession serves as a public showcase ahead of the festival's climactic Oiyama race on July 15. (Photo by Ryo Chi/NurPhoto)