Hamamatsu Matsuri 2027 (Kite Festival)
Giant kites duel over the Nakatajima dunes by day; by night, illuminated palace-style floats and brass bands fill downtown Hamamatsu.
When · Where
- When
- 2027/05/03 01:00 – 2027/05/05
- Where
- Nakatajima Sand Dunes (kite battles) and downtown Hamamatsu (float parade)（Nakatajima-cho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka）
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- Bus from JR Hamamatsu Station to the Nakatajima dunes; floats parade near the station at night.
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Hamamatsu Matsuri Organizing Committee
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Bus from JR Hamamatsu Station to the Nakatajima dunes; floats parade near the station at night. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, families, groups of friends
Highlights
- Kite-fighting battles between ~170 districts
- Illuminated palace-style floats at night
- Held every May 3–5, drawing ~1 million visitors
Background & story
Said to trace back to a 16th-century kite raised to celebrate a feudal lord's child, it is now Hamamatsu's great citizens' festival.
Good to know
See the kite battles by day at the dunes, then the lit floats downtown at night — they're at different venues.