Latest Events in Kitakyushu City(June Updated)

Approximately 20,000 irises welcome you. The event, themed "The Vibrant Irises of Tobata," will feature a variety of fun activities, including stage performances and booths! Furthermore, the Yonomiya Pond will be illuminated from May 21st (Thursday) to June 14th (Sunday).

This tour, titled "BLAZE THE WAY," symbolizes forging a new path with blazing passion. Following the success of &TEAM's first Asian tour, the Japan stops mark an important starting point for this journey, spanning Kanagawa, Kagawa, Aichi, Fukuoka, Hyogo, Chiba, and beyond. This is not merely a continuation of their stage presence, but a sincere offering from the nine members, showcasing their more mature musical abilities. The tour poster features a gash resembling a wolf's claw tearing through the silence, continuing the group's unique identity and hinting at an even more impactful visual presentation. From the scale of the venues to the stage production, every stop aims to create a live experience that exceeds expectations, making this summer tour a blazing memory that connects hearts.

The Gion Festival, held in Kokura, the heart of Kitakyushu, boasts a 400-year history. It has been designated the first National Important Intangible Cultural Heritage – Taiko Drumming. The Kokura Taiko Festival is a grand parade pulled by a float (dashi) carrying taiko drums, with drummers playing as they walk. This is a signature summer event in Kokura, with drummers energetically striking cymbals (jangara) and various drums to the cheers of the crowd. The unique technique of playing drums while walking is not to be missed. The highlight of the festival is the competition held in the plaza in front of the main gate. Every year, over 100 teams, including adult and youth groups, participate in this fierce competition, showcasing their meticulously practiced drumming skills, footwork, and passion. During the "Omotenashi Taiko" event, you can also touch and play a taiko drum yourself – don't miss it!

The 39th Kanmon Strait Fireworks Festival will be held in 2026, the only fireworks festival in Japan to cross a strait and prefectural border. Approximately 18,000 fireworks will be launched from both sides of the strait—Moji Port in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Highlights on the Moji Port side include a series of large-scale fireworks and musical fireworks, while the Shimonoseki side features 15-inch large firework shells and underwater fireworks. As in previous years, there will be no free viewing area around the festival site in 2026; only those who purchase sponsored tickets to improve, protect, and beautify the environment of Moji Port will be allowed entry.

An exhibition will be held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Watase Seizo, an artist associated with Kitakyushu and honorary director of the Manga Museum. Since his debut in 1974, Watase has continued to draw colorful worlds. The exhibition will feature all 24 of his recently completed “Tokyo Koyomi” and “Kyo Koyomi,” which depict long-distance romances set in Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as “Heart Cocktail” and rare manga manuscripts and materials from his pre “Heart Cocktail” nonsense manga days. Please come and see the trajectory of Watase Seizo.

Yamada Ryokuchi will extend its opening hours to coincide with the firefly viewing season and will host the 2025 Yamada Firefly Festival. The nine-day "Special Guided Firefly Discovery Tour" will be held throughout, and advance registration is required. You can listen to the guide's explanation while observing the Genji and Heike fireflies that inhabit Yamada Ryokuchi.

The Wakamatsu Hydrangea Festival aims to promote the charm of Takatoyama City, which has the largest number of hydrangeas in the prefecture (approximately 74,700 plants), to both the city and beyond, and to inject vitality into Wakamatsu City. (The event began in 1999, and this year marks the 27th anniversary.) Takatoyama’s mountain hydrangeas bloom from late May to early June each year, and its western hydrangeas bloom in mid-June. This year’s Hydrangea Festival will have a branch venue event on June 1 (Sunday) when the mountain hydrangeas are in bloom, and a main venue event on June 8 (Sunday) and June 15 (Sunday) when the western hydrangeas are in bloom.

Please show your "Reserved Name+Reserved Phone Number+Trip Order Page(not a screenshot)" to pick up your ticket(s). Ticket pick-up address: West Japan General Exhibition Center AnnexMain Entrance Gate. Ticket pick-up time: On the day of the show.16:00-19:00(JST)on 7thJune；14:00-17:00(JST)on 8thJune(JST). Latecomers will not be able to pick up ticket(s) and enter the venue. The Korean pop girl group LE SSERAFIM has announced their new world tour2025 LE SSERAFIM TOUR 'EASY CRAZY HOT'! This tour serves as the grand finale of their mini-album trilogy, which includesEASY(released in February 2024),CRAZY(August 2024), and the upcomingHOT(March 14, 2025). The trilogy highlights the group’s evolution and musical diversity, making the tour exceptionally special. LE SSERAFIM aims to spread joy and encourage fans to live in the moment through this tour, promising an unforgettable and thrilling experience. The highly anticipated"EASY CRAZY HOT"Fukuoka concert will take place at West Japan General Exhibition Center, New Building, from June 7 to 8, 2025.