Hakata Dontaku

Hakata Dontaku
Voice Guide of Spot Introduction
Page last updated: Apr, 14, 2020
TOURIST Guide editing dept.
Jason Surguine
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Hakata Dontaku, known as one of the three biggest Japanese Festivals, takes place on the 3rd and 4th of May every year.
There are over 30,000 participants and over 2 million spectators, so the festival is very crowded every year.
The history of Hakata Dontaku dates back the late 12th century and it is said that it started when the New Year was celebrated as 'Matsuri-Bayashi'.
Since then, the festival has been developed into the event celebrated by Hakata merchants.
In 1873, Matsuri-Bayashi was not allowed by the new Meiji Government, however, in 1880, it was renamed and reborn as Hakata Dontaku.
Dontaku supposedly derives from the Dutch holiday 'Zondag'.
Currently, the participants use their hand to hit and ring a 'Shamoji' rice scoop, while walking and dancing.
This supposedly originated from the land-ladies of merchant houses being fascinated by the sound of Matsuri Bayashi, and hitting Shamoji when they made dinner.

Information of Spot Detail
location_on

〒812-0012

1-1, Hakataeki Chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-Shi, Fukuoka

Telephone Number

092-431-8484

Spot Types

Parks/Gardens, Sights

Business Hours

Mar.-Jan. 3ed :10:00 to 23:00
Jan. 4th - the end of Feb. :10:00 to 21:00

Regular Holiday

No closing days

Fee

Free

Transportaion

JR Hakata Station

※The written notice and information on this page are as of the date of publication. Please refer or confirm the latest information of each spot on individual introduced website.

Prefecture

Niigata Toyama Ishikawa Fukui Yamanashi Nagano
Shiga Kyoto Osaka Hyogo Nara Wakayama
Tottori Shimane Okayama Hiroshima Yamaguchi
Tokushima Kagawa Ehime Kochi
Fukuoka Saga Nagasaki Kumamoto Oita Miyazaki Kagoshima