Welcoming Spring Through Regional Traditions
Hina Matsuri, celebrated in line with Momo no Sekku (Peach Festival) on March 3, is a traditional Japanese event that prays for the healthy growth and happiness of young girls. The custom of displaying hina dolls took shape during the Edo period, influenced by ancient beliefs in dolls as protective stand-ins to ward off misfortune, combined with children’s play culture.
Over time, Hina Matsuri has evolved differently across Japan. Climate, history, and local food traditions all play a role in shaping when the festival is held, how hina dolls are displayed, and what foods are enjoyed. Agricultural cycles, merchant calendars, and the legacies of castle towns and post stations have all left their mark, giving each region its own rhythm and expression of the festival.
Hina Matsuri in Fukuoka and Northern Kyushu
In Kyushu, it is common to continue displaying hina dolls even after March 3, enjoying the festival alongside the gradual arrival of spring. In recent years, more communities have begun opening up heirloom hina dolls, passed down through generations, as part of larger, town-wide celebrations welcoming the season.
One distinctive feature of the region is hina meguri, where visitors stroll through towns to view hina dolls displayed in historic residences, former daimyo estates, and merchant houses. These exhibitions offer a rare chance to see dolls that have long been preserved within old samurai and wealthy merchant families, while also exploring the character of the town itself.
In this Fukuoka Now Hina Matsuri Guide, we introduce hina doll–themed events held across Fukuoka and northern Kyushu. From elegant displays in historic buildings to rows of dolls arranged in traditional tatami rooms, these settings reveal the aesthetics and everyday life of past eras. Through Hina Matsuri, we invite you to experience local history and living traditions while enjoying the quiet arrival of spring.
Hina Matsuri Event in Fukuoka and Kyushu
Fukuoka Prefecture (6)
• Yanagawa City: Yanagawa Hina Matsuri Sagemon Meguri
• Asakura City: Akizuki Hina Meguri
• Ukiha City: Chikugo Yoshii Ohinasama Meguri
• Yame City: Hina no Sato Yame Bonbori Matsuri
• Kitakyushu City: Mojiko Retro Hina Matsuri
• Iizuka City: Iizuka Hiina no Matsuri
Saga Prefecture (2)
• Saga City: Saga Castle Town Hina Matsuri
• Arita Town: Arita Hiina no Yakimono Matsuri
Oita Prefecture (3)
• Kitsuki City: Kitsuki Castle Town and Hiina Meguri
• Hita City: Tenryo Hita Ohina Matsuri
• Usuki City: Usuki Hina Meguri
Fukuoka Prefecture
Yanagawa Hina Matsuri Sagemon Meguri (Yanagawa City)
In Yanagawa, a canal town long known as a “city of water,” the hina festival is symbolized by sagemon, traditional hanging decorations gifted to girls to celebrate their first Hina Matsuri. During the festival period, sagemon and hina dolls are displayed throughout the town, including at tourist facilities, shopping streets, and historic buildings.
The displays are spread across different districts, making it easy to enjoy them while strolling through the town. This walk-and-discover style of viewing hina decorations is a defining feature of Yanagawa’s festival atmosphere.
On March 15 (Sun), the highlight of the season takes place with the Ohina-sama Water Parade. Children dressed in formal kimono, accompanied by their mothers, ride donko boats through the town’s canals. The elegant procession, set against Yanagawa’s historic waterways, draws large crowds eager to capture this uniquely graceful springtime scene.
• Feb. 11, 2026 (Wed, hol) ~ Apr. 3, 2026 (Fri)
• Venues: Yanagawa city area, Yanagawa Shopping Arcade and more (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://www.yanagawa-net.com/news_event_list/4094/
Kyushu Live Livestream – Hina Doll Water Parade (Mar. 17, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/live/-RxZcYhcIqw?si=MzGzF7llK6maeyMz
Akizuki Hina Meguri (Asakura City)
Akizuki, a former castle town that still preserves its traditional streetscape, hosts a town-wide Hina Meguri during the Hina Matsuri season. Hina dolls are displayed in merchant houses and designated cultural properties, allowing visitors to explore the historic town while moving from one display to the next.
On weekends and public holidays during the festival period, as well as on March 3, a special outdoor display takes place at the Akizuki Castle Ruins. The 21 stone steps in front of the Nagaya Gate are transformed into a large hina tier, where around 600 hina dolls, donated by local residents, are carefully arranged.
On days when the outdoor display is held, visitors can also take part in the morning setup, which begins at 9:30 am, by helping place the dolls on the steps.
If the outdoor display is cancelled due to rain, the former samurai residence Old Tonami House is opened to the public for a special indoor exhibition, offering the chance to view hina dolls in a traditional setting.
• Feb. 14, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 8, 2026 (Sun)
• Hina Doll display on the stone steps: Sat, Sun, hol and Mar. 3 (10:00~16:00 *canceled in case of rain)
• Venues: Nagayamon Gate of Akizuki Castle Ruins, the castle town of Akizuki (Akizuki, Akizukinotori) and others
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://asakuraiku.jimdofree.com/
• https://x.com/amagiasakura
Chikugo Yoshii Ohinasama Meguri (Ukiha City)
In Yoshii Town, known for its streets of white-walled storehouses, hina dolls dating from the Edo period to the present day are displayed in old family homes, merchant houses, and private residences. Alongside elaborate tiered displays, many of the hina decorations reflect everyday life, carefully preserved and passed down within ordinary households. This strong presence of dolls rooted in daily life is one of the defining features of the festival in this area.
Around the hako-bina (boxed hina dolls), visitors will also see okiage — handmade decorative figures created by local women. Inspired by hina dolls, kabuki, and ukiyo-e, these okiage add a warm, approachable character to the displays, offering a glimpse into the creativity and affection behind the tradition.
In 2026, the festival is held under the theme “Hana-chozu and Okiage,” with displays set up throughout the district, particularly along Shirakabe-dori. Hana-chozu refers to a decorative custom in which fresh flowers are floated in water basins, originally used for ritual purification at shrines, and now reimagined as a seasonal streetscape display that adds color and a gentle sense of welcome to the town.
• Feb. 11, 2026 (Wed, hol.) ~ Mar. 20, 2026 (Fri, hol.)
• Venues: Yoshii-machi, Ukiha City, Fukuoka (Walking map)
• Entrance fee: Free
• Open: 9:00~17:00
• https://chikugo-yoshiihina.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/yoshiiohinasama/
Hina no Sato Yame Bonbori Matsuri (Yame City)
In Yame, long known for its tradition of hina doll making, the Dolls Festival season sees the entire town transformed into a place of display. Centered around the white-walled streetscape, hina dolls are exhibited throughout the town, with around 100 locations taking part, including Edo- and Meiji-period townhouses, private homes, and local shops. As a visual guide for visitors, peach-colored lanterns are hung outside participating venues. The displays range from simple, locally handed-down hako-bina (boxed hina dolls) to contemporary hina dolls, offering a broad look at the diverse hina culture that has developed in Yame over time. At the Yame Doll Hall, visitors can also view hina dolls associated with former daimyo families and the shogunate, providing insight into more formal and elite traditions. In addition, a marche is held on March 7 ~ 8 around Fukushima Hachimangu Shrine, adding a lively, community-focused element to the festival atmosphere.
• Feb. 15, 2026 (Sun) ~ Mar. 15, 2026 (Sun)
• Venue: Around the Yame Fukushima Shirakabe (white-walled building) area (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some events require fee)
• Open: 10:00~17:00
• https://yame.travel/project/bonbori/
Mojiko Retro Hina Matsuri (Moji Ward, Kitakyushu)
In Mojiko, which flourished as an international trading port from the Meiji era through the early Showa period, hina dolls from different periods are displayed in historic buildings that reflect the town’s maritime past. At the Former Moji Customs House, visitors can view hina dolls from the Meiji period, while Sankiro, once a high-end ryotei (high-end restaurant), showcases hina decorations from the Taisho and Showa periods. Seen alongside the original uses of these buildings, the displays offer insight into how hina dolls evolved over time, shaped by Mojiko’s role as a port town that embraced diverse cultural influences. Hina dolls are also exhibited throughout the Retro District, including along Sakaemachi Gintengai. Visitors can enjoy the displays while strolling through the open, seaside streets and among Mojiko’s well-preserved historic architecture, making this a relaxed and atmospheric way to experience Hina Matsuri.
• Feb. 7, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 1, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Sankiro (Closed: Mon),Old Moji Customs, Sakae-machi Gintengai and Mojiko Retro District facilities
• Entrance fee: Free
• https://www.mojiko.info/event/info/
Iizuka Hiina no Matsuri (Iizuka City)
Set in Iizuka, which began as a post town and later developed into a coal mining city from the Meiji period onward, this annual Hina Matsuri features hina doll displays at venues across the city. Centered around the Former Residence of Denemon Ito, once home to a powerful coal mine owner, the festival includes exhibitions at around 15 locations, showcasing hina dolls from the Edo through Showa periods, as well as zashiki hina and traditional tiered displays. At the Former Residence of Denemon Ito, a National Important Cultural Property, visitors can see an impressive zashiki hina display filling an entire 20-tatami-mat room. In 2026, the exhibition is themed “Illusory Beauty: Japanese Folktales Passed Down Through the Ages,” presenting hina dolls arranged to evoke scenes from traditional stories. On weekends and public holidays during the festival period, visitors can also enjoy hands-on experiences such as trying on hina-style costumes. In the evenings, the garden and residence are illuminated with bamboo lanterns and lighting, offering a different atmosphere from daytime visits. Night illuminations run from 17:30, with last admission at 20:30.
• Feb. 7, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 22, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Old Residence of Ito Denemon and various locations throughout Iizuka City (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities and events require fee)
• https://www.city.iizuka.lg.jp/shokokanko/maturievent/hina.html
Saga Prefecture
Saga Castle Town Hina Matsuri (Saga City, Saga Prefecture)
In Saga, which developed as a castle town, a dignified Hina Matsuri is held centering on hina decorations associated with the former ruling family of the Saga Domain, the Nabeshima clan. Hina dolls cherished by successive generations of Nabeshima family wives from the Meiji period through the early Showa era are displayed in historic buildings across the city. Among the highlights are hina dolls dressed in Saga Nishiki textiles, as well as dolls wearing costumes patterned with Nabeshima Komon, a design traditionally used in the official garments of the Saga Domain. Together, these displays reflect both the refined aesthetic of the domain and the craftsmanship unique to the region. Exhibition venues are spread across the Yanagimachi and Matsubara areas, as well as the Saga Castle Honmaru History Museum, allowing visitors to enjoy the hina displays alongside the streetscape of the former castle town. On weekends and public holidays during the festival period, a loop bus operates at approximately 20-minute intervals, making it easy to move efficiently between the different venues.
• Feb. 14, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 15, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Yanagimachi Area, Matsubara Area, Saga Castle History Museum (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (Circuit ticket for 5 paid facilities: Adults ¥1,000, JHS and under: free)
• Open: 10:00~17:00 (last entry 16:30), Saga Castle History Museum 9:30~18:00
• https://saga-hinamatsuri.jp/
Arita Hiina no Yakimono Matsuri (Nishimatsuura District, Saga Prefecture)
In Arita, a town renowned for its porcelain, Hina Matsuri is celebrated through hina dolls crafted using Arita ware techniques. These porcelain hina dolls, known for their smooth white surfaces and delicate painted details, have a distinctive texture unique to ceramic works. Displays can be found throughout the town, including at kiln studios, galleries, and shops.
Highlights include the world’s largest seven-tier display of seated porcelain hina dolls, as well as hina dolls created by leading local makers such as Kakiemon Kiln and Koransha. Also on display are hina dolls produced by the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory of Germany, Arita’s sister city. At some venues, porcelain hina dolls are also available for purchase.
Exhibitions are spread mainly across the Uchiyama district and Arita Sera, allowing visitors to enjoy the displays while walking through Arita’s historic townscape. On weekends and public holidays during the festival period, a free loop bus operates between JR Arita Station (KILN ARITA) and the various festival areas, with two departures each day at 11:30 and 13:30. Numbered tickets are distributed at KILN ARITA starting 30 minutes before departure, making it easy to explore this pottery-town version of Hina Matsuri efficiently.
• Feb. 7, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 8, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Various places in Arita Town, Arita Kan, Arita Será and more (Walking & Bus Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://www.arita.jp/event/hinamatsuri/
• https://www.instagram.com/arita_kankou/
Oita Prefecture
Exploring the Castle Town of Kitsuki and Hiina Meguri (Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture)
In Kitsuki, a castle town that still preserves its Edo-period town layout, hina dolls are displayed in samurai residences, merchant houses, and other historic buildings throughout the city. One of Kitsuki’s most distinctive features is its so-called “sandwich-style” geography, with samurai estates lining elevated ground to the north and south, and the former townspeople’s quarter spread through the valley between them. Exhibition venues are concentrated in the castle town area and extend to the Yamaga and Ota areas, with hina doll displays shown at a total of 27 locations across the city. Visitors can enjoy the displays while walking through Kitsuki’s historic streets and varied townscape. Another highlight of the event is the number of visitors who choose to explore the town in traditional dress. Those who visit wearing kimono receive free admission to Kitsuki Castle and samurai residences, adding to the atmosphere and making the stroll through the historic town even more memorable.
• Feb. 14, 2026 (Sat) ~ Mar. 15, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Kitsuki Castle Town area, Yamako area, and Ota area (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://kit-suki.com/pages/333/
Tenryo Hita Ohina Matsuri (Hita City, Oita Prefecture)
In Hita, which prospered during the Edo period as a shogunate-controlled territory known as Tenryo, hina dolls handed down through old family homes are displayed at venues throughout the city. Centered around the Mameda-machi and Kuma-machi areas, the festival features a wide range of hina decorations, from luxurious dolls once acquired by wealthy merchants in Kyoto and Osaka to more familiar okiage hina made from paper and cloth, long enjoyed by ordinary households. In Mameda-machi, where much of the Edo-period townscape remains intact, visitors can enjoy viewing hina dolls together with the historic buildings themselves. A key venue is Kusano Honke, a National Important Cultural Property, where the relationship between architecture and hina displays is especially striking. On March 2, a traditional local event known as Mameda Nagashibina is also held. Participants write their wishes on kamibina (paper dolls) and gently release them into the water, a ritual said to carry away misfortune and mark the coming of spring.
• Feb. 15, 2026 (Sun) ~ Mar. 31, 2026 (Tue)
• Venues:Mameda-machi area and Kuma area and more (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://ohina.oidehita.com/
Usuki Hina Meguri (Usuki City, Oita Prefecture)
During the Tenpo Reforms (1841–1843), the Usuki Domain is said to have permitted the display of only paper hina dolls under sumptuary laws promoting frugality. Drawing on this history, Usuki Hina were created in 2006 by local volunteer citizens. Modeled on tachi-bina (standing hina dolls), these dolls are characterized by their simple yet dignified appearance. During the festival period, handmade Usuki Hina, each crafted individually by local residents, are displayed at four venues across the city. Set against the calm atmosphere of Usuki’s former castle town, the displays offer an opportunity to reflect on the wishes embodied in the dolls and the understated aesthetic unique to the area.
• Feb. 6, 2026 (Fri) ~ Mar. 8, 2026 (Sun)
• Venues: Usuki Tourism and Community Plaza, Former Shinkoji Temple, Sala de Usuki, Kuge no Okura (Walking Map)
• Entrance fee: Free (some facilities require admission)
• https://www.usuki-kanko.com/archives/21094
Across Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and the wider northern Kyushu region, Hina Matsuri takes many forms shaped by local history, craftsmanship, and ways of life. From castle towns and port cities to pottery villages and merchant quarters, these festivals offer more than seasonal decoration. They reveal how each community has carried its values and memories forward through hina dolls. As spring approaches, wandering these towns and their displays is also a way to encounter the stories, aesthetics, and quiet rhythms that define the region.
NOTE: The information presented here was gathered and summarized by the Fukuoka Now staff. While we have done our best to check for accuracy, there might be errors and details may have changed. If you notice any errors or changes, please contact Fukuoka Now.
Originally written in February 2017, updated Feb. 2026.
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