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Karatsu Kunchi: festival and heritage

This dossier follows Karatsu Kunchi and its traditional floats, distinguishing observed events from scheduled stages.

Last updated : 1 key moments
The Blue Lion float in November 2005. Archive photograph; does not show the 2026 festival. MC MasterChef, CC BY-SA 2.5.
The Blue Lion float in November 2005. Archive photograph; does not show the 2026 festival. MC MasterChef, CC BY-SA 2.5. — MC MasterChef / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ — novembre 2005 ; sans modification supplémentaire.

Where things stand

On 2 November 2026, Saga TV documented the Blue Lion float being lit before the evening procession. The programme continues through 4 November.

Reported information

Blue Lion lights up as Karatsu festival opens

Karatsu Kunchi opened on 2 November 2026 in Japan’s Saga prefecture. An on-site Saga TV report showed the Blue Lion float being illuminated ahead of the evening parade.

The Blue Lion float in November 2005. Archive photograph; does not show the 2026 festival. MC MasterChef, CC BY-SA 2.5.
The Blue Lion float in November 2005. Archive photograph; does not show the 2026 festival. MC MasterChef, CC BY-SA 2.5. — MC MasterChef / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ — novembre 2005 ; sans modification supplémentaire.

The Karatsu Shrine festival features 14 traditional floats. The municipality schedules processions through 4 November, including a journey to Nishinohama on 3 November.

The report describes spectators gathering in the city centre and identifies the Blue Lion as a float built in 1824. These observations document the opening; they do not provide an attendance total for the three-day event.

Sources 3