Mentai-ju News vol.3

As spring begins to arrive, the Hakata Dontaku Port Festival is held in Fukuoka for two days on May 3rd and 4th during Golden Week every year.
More than 2 million people visit from all over the country every year, and it is known as one of Hakata's most famous festivals, along with the Hakata Gion Yamakasa and Hakozaki Shrine Hojoe festivals.

According to the Chikuzen Province Continued Topography (written by Kaibara Ekiken), it is recorded that it began in 1179 (Jisho 3), and is a traditional event with over 840 years of history, originating from Hakata Matsubayashi.

The word's origin is said to be a corruption of the Dutch word zondag, which means "Sunday."
It is said that the word was popularized by the Meiji government in 1871 (Meiji 4) to refer to a national holiday, and later came to be used to mean a festival held on a Sunday (a holiday).

It was originally called the "Matsubayashi Dontaku Port Festival," but in 1962 (Showa 37) it was renamed the "Hakata Dontaku Port Festival," with participation from all citizens, and has remained that way ever since.

The main event of the festival is the parade by the Hakata Dontaku Troupe.
Participants dressed in various costumes, including the famous flower hat, parade through the town.
One of the highlights is the Nishitetsu Flower Car, a large vehicle decorated with over 10 million LEDs and artificial flowers, and its gorgeous and bold design is sure to catch your eye.

What's more, at the Shintencho Shopping Arcade in Tenjin, you can get a rice scoop on a first-come, first-served basis, so you can take part in the final festival event while holding a rice scoop.

The Hakata Dontaku Port Festival is the perfect event for creating memories during Golden Week.
Enjoy the festival atmosphere to your heart's content at Hakata Dontaku!