July 3, 2008

  • Yamakasa - Kazariyama

    These are hand carried floats that are placed all over the city of Fukuoka from July 1-14.  These are decorative and a bit too big to carry around easily, but there are smaller portable floats that are carried on a route throughout the city in a race for the best time.  I missed this event last year because I was busy dealing with a situation in Kagoshima and weathering a typhoon, but perhaps I will have better luck this year. I wrote a bit about last year's festival here.  You can also read more about this festival on the Internet by clicking here.

    The pictures of the fronts and backs of the floats are not mine.  I was going to ride all over the city and take pictures of these, but then found very nice ones here on the Internet.  If you click on the float icons on the linked city map you can see the pictures better.  They portray scenes from traditional tales and some from cartoons.

    02-1Higashi 02-2Higashi

    This is near Gofukucho Subway station.

    03-1Nakasu 03-2Nakasu

    This is near the Nakasu shopping arcade, I think.

    05-1Chiyo 05-2Chiyo

    This one is near the Fukuoka Prefectural office.

    08-1Kawakami 08-2Kawakami

    Also in the Nakasu shopping arcade.

    09-1CanalCity 09-2CanalCity

    In the Canal City hotel/shopping center complex

    10-1KawabataChuo 10-2KawabataChuo

    In the Nakasu shopping arcade

    11-1Solaria 11-2Solaria

    Near Tenjin Station in the Solaria arcade

    12-1Tenjincho 12-2Tenjincho

    Also near Tenjin, Fukuoka's downtown

    13-1RiverRain 13-2RiverRain

    In front of the River Rain building near Nakasu-Kawabata

    14-1Tenjin 14-2Tenjin

    Near Fukuoka City Hall

    15-1Watanabe 15-2Watanabe

    On Watanabe-Dori Street

    16-1FukuokaDome 16-2FukuokaDome

    In front of Fukuoka Dome

    17-1HakataSta 17-2HakataSta

    In front of Hakata Train Station

    99-1Kushida 99-2Kushida

    Kushida Shrine, where the race begins!

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