District Information & Exhibition Locations

Todays Yamakasa festival is centered around the rivalry between the districts and their struggle to have the best Kazariyama and run their Kakiyama the fastest. Hakatas division into districts happened 1587 under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hakata is surrounded by a river on both sides and the rivers often make the boundaries of the districts, that were originally orientated along a parallel main road. The districts are called 流 (Nagare), which means “Flow” or “Stream” in Japanese and the districts together are often referred to as “七流” (Shichi-nagare) or “Seven-streams”.

The seven districts are Chiyo-nagare (千代流), Ebisu-nagare (恵比須流), Doi-nagare (土居流), Daikoku-nagare (大黒流), Higashi-nagare (東流), Nakasu-nagare (中洲流) and Nishi-nagare (西流).