It is said that 2 million tourists flock to Fukuoka for the Dontaku Festival. I though it was an exaggeration until I saw how crowded the streets of Tenjin had become. There was not a single Yatai seat available and everyone was holding either a map, guidebook or a Hakata mask. This year I didn’t …
Tag: festival
Hakata Gion Yamakasa 2009 (Part 1)
The participants wear a traditional attire called a hapi, a sight to behold for first time tourists. As flimsy as it looks, it is already relatively conservative compared to the original attire they wore centuries back which comprised of a simple loin cloth covering the front. The rope is for tying around the float to hold it in place as they carry it.