Hakata Gion Yamakasa
(Hakata, Fukuoka, July 1–15)

A festival with a history that goes back 760 years, held at Kushida Shrine in Hakata. Fewer than 30 men hurtle through the streets carrying huge floats weighing up to a ton, while still more push from behind. On the final day, the seven floats leave the shrine precincts in order and rush through streets of Hakata in the early morning hours.(For more on the Hakata Gion Yamakasa, see: “The Oiyama Race: A Rite of Passage for Men in Fukuoka”.)