Yosakoi Matsuri 2026 (Kochi)
The original yosakoi: 200+ teams and ~18,000 dancers with naruko clappers thunder through Kochi's streets across four August days.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/08/09 08:00 – 2026/08/12
- Where
- Streets and plazas across Kochi City (main stage: Otesuji Avenue & Central Park)（Otesuji, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture）
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- About 10 min walk from JR Kochi Station, or via the Horizume tram stop.
- Price
- Free to watch on the streets; paid reserved (shaded) seats sold for the main venues.
- Organizer
- Yosakoi Matsuri Promotion Association / Kochi Chamber of Commerce
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- About 10 min walk from JR Kochi Station, or via the Horizume tram stop. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Check tickets and details on the official page (button above).
- Paying
- Free to watch on the streets; paid reserved (shaded) seats sold for the main venues.. Smaller venues in Japan are often cash-first — carry some yen (cards/IC not guaranteed).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, music fans, groups of friends
Highlights
- 200+ teams, ~18,000 dancers with naruko clappers
- Styles from traditional to rock and hip-hop
- Aug 9 preview, Aug 10–11 main, Aug 12 national competition
Background & story
Launched in 1954 to lift Kochi's spirits and economy after the war, it gave birth to the yosakoi dance movement that spread nationwide.
Good to know
August in Kochi is brutally hot — buy a shaded reserved seat at the Otesuji main venue and bring water.