Karatsu Kunchi Festival is one of the most famous autumn festivals in Japan. It is a traditional festival that has a history of over 400 years, held annually from November 2 to 4 in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture.
The highlight of Karatsu Kunchi is the Hikiyama Parade, where 14 enormous, elaborately crafted floats are pulled by hundreds of people including kids wearing traditional festival costumes from different villages and pass through the streets of Karatsu City. These floats, called Hikiyama, are made from wood, lacquer, and gold or silver leaf, and are designed to resemble mythical creatures, such as dragons, lions, or samurai helmets. Some of these floats are over 7 meters tall and weigh several tons.
During the festival, the streets of Karatsu are filled with lively crowds, traditional music, and chants of “Enya! Enya!” by the float pullers. You can see the festival through photos and videos, but experiencing it live is on a whole different level of excitement.
