Private multi-day tour · Multi-day from Tokyo
From Tokyo: 5-Day Karatsu Kunchi Festival Customizable Tour
Drive from Tokyo to Karatsu in Saga for the Kunchi festival, when 14 giant lacquered floats shaped like fish, helmets and dragons are pulled through the castle town.
Private · your group only◆5 days◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Karatsu Kunchi is the autumn festival of Karatsu Shrine in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu. It runs on November 2, 3 and 4 each year. Teams of townspeople pull 14 huge hikiyama floats through the streets. The floats are made of wood, paper and many layers of lacquer, and they take the shape of a red sea bream, samurai helmets, a dragon, a lion and more. On November 3 the floats are hauled one by one into the sand of the old parade ground. This is called the hikiyama and it is the peak of the festival.
Few foreign visitors see this festival with a guide. Your driver-guide explains the history of each float, finds good public places to stand, and keeps your group together in the crowds.
Karatsu is about 1,100 km from Tokyo, so this tour has two long driving days. In between you have the festival days and the calm side of Karatsu: the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall, where the floats are kept for the rest of the year, Karatsu Castle above the bay, the Yobuko morning market for squid and fresh fish, and the Nijinomatsubara pine forest along the coast.
Entry to the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall and Karatsu Castle is included. Watching the festival in the street is free. You book your own hotel in Karatsu or a nearby town. Hotels for the festival nights fill up early, so it is wise to book your room first.
This is a private tour. Only your group. One family or group of 1 to 6 people per van, never shared with strangers. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu.
If the Karatsu Kunchi parade is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead spend the festival days at the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall, Karatsu Castle and the Yobuko morning market with the floats on display.
DAY 1 Early hotel pickup in Tokyo and a long drive west toward Kyushu, with rest stops on the way.
DAY 2 Arrive in Karatsu, visit the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall and Karatsu Shrine, and see the Yoiyama evening parade of lit floats (Nov 2).
DAY 3 The main festival day (Nov 3): watch the floats pulled through town and into the parade ground, then visit Karatsu Castle.
DAY 4 Yobuko morning market, the Nijinomatsubara pine coast, then start the drive east.
DAY 5 Continue the drive and the drive back to your Tokyo hotel.
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Watch 14 giant lacquered Kunchi floats pulled through Karatsu
- See the November 3 hikiyama, when floats are hauled into the sand
- Learn the story of each float at the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall
- Visit Karatsu Castle with views over the bay and pine coast
- Walk the Yobuko morning market for squid and fresh fish
Said plainly
The festival runs on November 2, 3 and 4 each year. This tour is timed to see the evening parade on November 2 and the main day on November 3. Day 1 and Day 5 are long driving days of about 12 hours with rest stops. Festival streets are very crowded. Please follow your guide and wear comfortable shoes. If the Karatsu Kunchi parade is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead spend the festival days at the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall, Karatsu Castle and the Yobuko morning market with the floats on display. Dietary needs can be added in the booking form.
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Watch 14 giant lacquered Kunchi floats pulled through Karatsu
See the November 3 hikiyama, when floats are hauled into the sand
Learn the story of each float at the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall
Visit Karatsu Castle with views over the bay and pine coast
Walk the Yobuko morning market for squid and fresh fish
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private van and English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Tokyo
- All parking, fuel and road tolls
- Entry to the Hikiyama Exhibition Hall
- Entry to Karatsu Castle
Yours — paid on the day
- Hotel accommodation (you book your own hotel in Karatsu or a nearby town in Saga)
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
- Optional festival food stalls and souvenirs
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
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From¥372,000
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