Story Summer in Kumamoto peaks with Hinokuni Festival By JNTO on 01 June 2017

“Hinokuni Festival” will be held in Kumamoto City from August 4 to 6, marking its 40th anniversary this year. During this 3-day period, various events take place and the whole city is swept up in a vibrant festival atmosphere.
The festival reaches its peak with “Otemoyan So-odori”, in which more than 5,000 people participate. People dance and parade on the main street wearing special-made costumes, such as “yukata” cotton kimono, of their own team. The folk song named “Otemoyan” that accompanies the parade has long been loved by local people in Kumamoto. “Otemoyan” was arranged in samba style and reborn as “Samba Otemoyan”, which people dance to and parade down the streets just like at the Rio Carnival. The event is open to everyone, so why don’t you join the dance?

(Otemoyan, which is one of the most popular folk songs of Kumamoto, is originally a female name)

Hinokuni Festival

Address

Central part of Kumamoto City

Website

https://kumamoto-guide.jp/hinokunimatsuri/

Phone

096-328-2948

Date

Aug. 4 - 6, 2017 (Otemoyan So-odori is held on the 5th)