Yosakoi Festival

The Yosakoi Festival in Kochi is one of Japan’s 10 largest festivals. It has been held for more than 60 years as a summer pastime for people in Kochi. It is an energetic and powerful festival which attracts fans from across the country every year. Dancers carry the “naruko” wooden clappers and gyrate their hips. The festival, from Aug. 9 to 12 every year, starts with a fireworks display, putting the entire city in a festive mood. In addition, teams of Yosakoi dancers perform in the city’s central arcade every Sunday from May to July and in front of JR Kochi Station every Sunday from August to December. You can also sample the atmosphere of the Yosakoi Festival at the Kochi Yosakoi Information Exchange Center all year round.