Held every year for seven days and seven nights from September 12 to 18, Hakozaki Shrine’s Hojoya Festival is one of Hakata’s three major festivals, alongside Hakata Dontaku in spring and Hakata Gion Yamakasa in summer. With a history stretching back more than 1,000 years, it is one of Fukuoka’s defining festivals of early autumn.
At the heart of Hojoya is the idea of cherishing all living things and giving thanks for the many lives that sustain us in our daily lives. Shinto rituals and traditional performing arts are presented throughout the festival, while around 500 stalls line the roughly 1 km approach extending straight from Hakozaki Shrine toward the sea.
Alongside festival favorites such as candied apples and grilled squid are shooting galleries, goldfish scooping and even old-fashioned haunted houses, now rarely seen at Japanese festivals. Hojoya also has its own distinctive traditions, including freshly harvested ginger sold with its leaves still attached, Hojoya chanpon glass toys and ceramic ohajiki. During the day, visitors can take their time exploring the shrine grounds and rituals, while from dusk the stalls light up and the approach becomes increasingly lively. Experiencing how the festival changes from day to night is part of Hojoya’s appeal.
Every other year, in odd-numbered years, Hojoya also includes Gojinko, a major procession centered on portable mikoshi shrines. There is no Gojinko in 2026, but shrine rituals, kagura, Hakata spinning-top performances, Japanese drumming and other traditional offerings continue throughout the seven days. Knowing something of the festival’s meaning before walking through the hundreds of stalls can make the familiar scene look a little different. From Hojoya’s history and 2026 highlights to its rituals, performances, traditions and access information, Fukuoka Now introduces the festival in detail.
Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Festival 2026 Guide
Presented by Hakozaki Shrine
Photo: Fukuoka City
Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Festival
- Dates: Sep. 12 (Sat.) ~ Sep. 18 (Fri.), 2026
- Venue: Hakozaki Shrine
- Address: 1-22-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
- Admission free
- Official website
- Official Instagram
- Access: From Hakozaki-Miyamae Station on the Fukuoka City Subway, the shrine approach begins immediately outside the station. The main shrine is about a three-minute walk away. Hakozaki Shrine is about an eight-minute walk from Hakozaki Station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line.
Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Festival 2026 Guide Index
- What Is Hojoya? History and Meaning
- 2026 Highlights & Schedule
- How to Enjoy Hojoya
- Hojoya Traditions and Hakata Life
What Is Hojoya? History and Meaning
The word hojo refers to showing compassion for living creatures and releasing captured animals back into nature. At Hakozaki Shrine, Hojoya is a festival for cherishing all forms of life and expressing gratitude for the many lives that sustain us in our daily lives. Giving thanks for the autumn harvest is also an important part of the festival.
Its origins can be traced back to Kyushu in the early eighth century. According to tradition, Hojoya began at Usa Jingu Shrine in Oita Prefecture following the Hayato Rebellion in southern Kyushu, in which many lives were lost, as a way of mourning the dead and consoling their spirits. The ritual of releasing living creatures by the water became associated with the Buddhist teaching of compassion for life and later spread to Hachiman shrines across Japan.
At Hakozaki Shrine, this tradition has been carried on for more than 1,000 years. Today, Hojoya is known as one of Hakata’s three major festivals, together with Hakata Dontaku in spring and Hakata Gion Yamakasa in summer. Solemn rituals take place within the shrine grounds, while large crowds gather among the many stalls along the approach to enjoy the arrival of autumn. This coexistence of prayer and festivity is one of the things that makes Hojoya distinctive.
2026 Highlights & Schedule
Throughout the seven days of Hojoya, important shrine rituals are accompanied by kagura, Japanese drumming, Hakata spinning tops and a variety of other traditional performances and offerings.
In odd-numbered years, Hojoya includes Gojinko, the major mikoshi procession held once every two years. There is no Gojinko in 2026, making this a good year to pay closer attention to the ceremonies and performances held within the shrine grounds. On September 15, Hojoya Taisai, the festival’s principal ceremony, takes place at the shrine. On the final day, September 18, the Hojo Shinji ritual is held together with a children’s procession, during which living creatures are released in an expression of gratitude for life.
The shrine grounds also host performances of Chikuzen Hakata Koma, the traditional spinning-top art passed down in Hakata, Japanese taiko drumming and kagura traditions from around Kyushu. Taking time to watch one of these performances offers another perspective on the traditions that have kept Hojoya alive for generations.
Rituals, Prayer Ceremonies & Entertainment Schedule
Sep 12 (Sat.)
10:00 Shonichi-sai: Opening-day ritual
12:00 Koto performance by Sakamoto Kagyoku-kai Held at the haiden (worship hall)
14:00 Kenka-sai: Ceremony in which sweets are offered
15:00 Hakata Chonin Bunka Renmei: Makudashi and Nagamochi Procession
Entertainment
10:30 Wadaiko performance by Hakata Bishin Taiko and Murasaki-gumi
12:00 Hakofes 2026
13:00 Martial arts demonstration by the Japan Karate Association
14:00 Hula dance performance by Hau‘oli Lei
15:00 Wadaiko performance by Nowa Daiko
16:00 Martial arts demonstration by Fujiryu Taijutsu
17:00 Martial arts demonstration by Hotenkai and Mugairyu Iai
19:00 Hakata koma spinning-top performance by Hakata Koma Hozonkai
20:00 Wadaiko performance by Hakata Kinjishi Daiko
Sep 13 (Sun.)
10:00 Futsuka-sai: Second-day ritual
Entertainment
10:00 Martial arts demonstration by Ryusuikai Karate
11:00 Hula dance performance by Mili mili
12:00 Dedication performance by wadaiko artist Shinsuke Ikewaki — Wabunka Geino Ichigo Ichie
14:00 Orio Kagura by Orio Kagura Hozonkai
18:00 Buzen Kagura by Yamauchi Kagura-ko
Sep 14 (Mon.)
10:00 Mikka-sai: Third-day ritual
11:00 Kubara Honke Kuyo Kigan-sai: Memorial and thanksgiving prayer ceremony
19:00 Nohgaku Experience Course “Hakozaki Class” Presentation Held at the haiden *worship hall
Entertainment
13:00 Dedication performance by Fuji Sakura Hana no Kai
16:00 Jazz solo guitar performance by Masahiro Nakagawa
17:00 Hakata Niwaka by Hakata Niwaka Dojo
19:00 Acoustic live performance by Fukuoka Visual Arts Academy
Sep 15 (Tue.)
10:00 Hojoya Taisai: Grand annual festival ritual
15:00 Kenka-sai: Ceremony in which flowers are offered
Entertainment
16:00 Dedication performance by Hakata Koyo Hozonkai
17:00 Dedication performance by Hanayagi Sumena-kai
19:00 Live band performance by RaspberryDream
Sep 16 (Wed.)
9:00 Itsuka-sai: Fifth-day ritual
11:00 Kencha-shiki: Ceremony in which tea is offered
Entertainment
15:00 Martial arts demonstration by Yanagawa-han Kageryu Iai Preservation Society
16:00 Dedication performance by Hakata Nanotsu-kai
19:00 Enka dedication performance by Yoshiki Kojima
Sep 17 (Thu.)
10:00 Muika-sai: Sixth-day ritual
11:30 Fukuya Kuyo Kigan-sai: Memorial and thanksgiving prayer ceremony
Entertainment
11:00~21:00 Street Performance Festival by Kyushu Street Performance Troupe
Sep 18 (Fri.)
10:00 Nousai: Closing ritual
14:00 Hojo Shinji, Children’s Procession and Prayer for Children’s Healthy Growth: Ritual release of young fish
Entertainment
17:00 Covers of The Ventures and Japanese Group Sounds by Blue Rains
19:00 Calligraphy performance by contemporary calligraphy artist Kenro
Exhibitions During the Festival
From September 12 to 18, the corridor surrounding the main shrine features several special exhibitions. These include bonbori votive lanterns dedicated by people active in various fields across Fukuoka and Hakata, an Ikenobo ikebana exhibition, and displays of Hojoya chanpon and Hojoya ohajiki.
How to Enjoy Hojoya
The appeal of Hojoya lies neither in the shrine rituals alone nor simply in its festival stalls. The best way to experience it is as a whole: visit Hakozaki Shrine, watch a traditional performance or ceremony, then walk the roughly 1 km approach and explore the stalls.
Begin at the main shrine. Knowing something about the meaning of Hojoya before paying your respects can give a different perspective on the lively festival atmosphere that follows. Depending on the day, the shrine grounds also host kagura, Hakata spinning-top performances, Japanese drumming and other traditional arts passed down through the region.
After visiting the shrine, head down the approach stretching straight toward the sea. During the festival, around 500 stalls line both sides, offering food, shooting games, goldfish scooping, haunted houses and other classic Japanese festival attractions. Many types of stalls that have become increasingly rare elsewhere can still be found here, and simply walking along the approach is part of the Hojoya experience.
During the daytime, it is easier to explore the shrine grounds and exhibitions at a relaxed pace. From late afternoon into the evening, the stalls light up and the approach becomes noticeably busier and more energetic. Visit during the day for a quieter look at the festival, or from evening onward if you want to experience Hojoya at its liveliest.
Hojoya Traditions and Hakata Life
Hojoya is associated not only with the excitement of the festival itself, but also with traditions closely connected to everyday life and seasonal memories in Hakata. One of the most recognizable is freshly harvested ginger sold with its leaves still attached.
In the past, the women of Hakata merchant households, known as goryonsan, worked through a busy summer that included Hakata Gion Yamakasa, Obon and Higan. According to tradition, their husbands would thank them for their hard work by preparing new festive clothes and taking them out to Hojoya. At the time, ginger fields spread across the area around Hakozaki, and families would buy freshly harvested ginger to take home from the festival. Ginger was also shared with neighbors, almost as a way of saying, “We went to Hojoya,” and sharing something of the special occasion.
Another distinctive Hojoya item is the Hojoya chanpon. These delicate glass toys produce a “chan, pon” sound when blown, which gave them their name. The sight of shrine maidens decorating the chanpon was once considered one of Hakata’s signs that autumn had arrived. Production has now ended, but examples are displayed in the shrine corridor during the festival, allowing visitors to see their distinctive designs.
Hojoya ohajiki are another tradition closely associated with Hakozaki Shrine. Made using the skills of Hakata doll artisans, these small ceramic pieces depict festivals and other scenes from Hakata life, reflecting the connection between local craftsmanship and festival culture.
And no Hojoya scene would be complete without its haunted houses and old-fashioned festival stalls. New and old mingle as people return to the same place at the same time each year. Each of these traditions carries with it a small piece of Hakata’s collective memory.
▶︎Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Festival Event Page
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