Counted among the three major festivals of Hakata, alongside the springtime Hakata Dontaku and the summer Hakata Gion Yamakasa, the Hojoya Festival is an event held to “cherish all forms of life, abstain from killing, and give thanks for autumn’s bounty.” Rooted in rituals that have been performed at Hakozaki Shrine for over 1,100 years, the festival takes place annually from September 12th to 18th.
This year features the “Divine Procession,” known as “Gojinko,” held every two years (on odd-numbered years). On September 12th and 14th, approximately 500 local parishioners will partake in this lavish procession. Much of the ritual remains unchanged since the Edo period, offering spectators a scene akin to a living tapestry.
The festival’s grandeur is further heightened by over 500 stalls that line both sides of the approximately 1km-long approach to the sea from the main shrine. This striking spectacle ranks the Hojoya as one of the most magnificent festivals in Kyushu.
Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Guide 2023
For more information on the festival’s origin, highlights, and schedule, please visit the guide.
Photograph provided by Fukuoka City.
• 9/12 (Tue.) ~ 9/18 (Mon., hol.)
• Hakozaki Shrine
• 1-22-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
• https://www.hakozakigu.or.jp/omatsuri/houjoya/
• https://www.instagram.com/hakozakigu.official/
Kyushu Live – Hojoya Festival – The 1st Night & Gojinko Procession – 2023 (Sep. 12, 2023 17:30~)
https://www.youtube.com/live/QdCgeaAXocU?si=5ZPS9mE_uknW1zc1
