About the festival
Ohara Festival fills Kagoshima's tram streets with coordinated folk dancing. Groups occupy different sections of the city-center route.
Who is it for?
Travelers interested in Kagoshima's folk music and large coordinated dance groups.
Photo: Kagoshima City · CC BY 4.0
Original date: 2015-08-27. Original image or Commons thumbnail; no additional edits.
Dates and times
Usually 2–3 November
Usual season; next dates not confirmed. Times use JST. See the official programme for session times and changes.
Venue and parade route
Kagoshima · 鹿児島
The 2025 tourism guide's roughly 1,480 m dance zone links Takamibaba, Izuro and Sanbashi-dori. Groups have assigned positions; confirm the next edition's road-closure limits.
天文館ほか市電通り
The map pin marks a reference venue, rather than every entrance or the full parade route.
Getting there by train or bus
- Take a city tram from Kagoshima-Chuo toward Tenmonkan, but check festival diversions before choosing your stop.
What to see
- Folk-song dancing
- Group street performances
- Night-festival atmosphere
History and origins
The modern civic festival began as a city commemoration and continues local folk songs and dances.
Planning your visit
Our editorial suggestions for planning your trip.
Choose a group or street section, then add the hilltop viewpoint on a separate slot if traffic changes make transfers slow.
Places to visit nearby
Shiroyama Observatory
城山展望台
A hilltop view over Kagoshima, Kinko Bay and Sakurajima.
Use the sightseeing bus or a hillside walk; festival diversions may make another day easier.
These stops and the suggested order are editorial recommendations. Check each venue's opening hours and festival-day road closures before travelling.
Ohara Festival: common questions
When is Ohara Festival?
Usually 2–3 November This is the usual season, rather than a confirmed timetable for the next edition. Times are Japan Standard Time (JST).
Where does Ohara Festival take place?
The 2025 tourism guide's roughly 1,480 m dance zone links Takamibaba, Izuro and Sanbashi-dori. Groups have assigned positions; confirm the next edition's road-closure limits.
How do I get to Ohara Festival by public transport?
Take a city tram from Kagoshima-Chuo toward Tenmonkan, but check festival diversions before choosing your stop.
Do trams run normally through the dance streets?
Festival use of tram streets can change service. Use the edition's transport notice and allow for walking from a different stop.
Official sources
Sources reviewed: .