Fukuoka · Fukuoka
Hakata Dontaku
博多どんたく港まつり
Rice paddles clapped together in the street — by participant count, one of Japan's largest festivals.
Next
3–4 May 2027
192 days away
Every year, 3 May, for 2 days
Future dates: 3 May 2027 · 3 May 2028 · 3 May 2029
Origin
It derives from matsubayashi, a New Year congratulatory custom; the word dontaku is thought to come from the Dutch zondag, "Sunday". Banned in the Meiji era, it returned under a different name.
What to look for
The barrier to taking part is unusually low: hundreds of company and school troupes march. It is less a festival you watch than a city-wide state of participation. The instrument is a kitchen rice paddle, unmodified.
How to watch
It falls in Golden Week, so transport and lodging are at their worst. The roadside stages are free to watch; just do not block the walkways.
Where
Central Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
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