Held at 16 venues! A massive event that transforms Kochi City into a sea of festival colors

The “Yosakoi Festival” is a carnival that symbolizes summer in Tosa, Kochi. It began in 1954 (Showa 29), when a group of volunteers from the Kochi Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized the event to lift the spirits of citizens amid the ongoing post-World War II recession.
In 1992, students from Hokkaido who were captivated by the Yosakoi Festival organized the “YOSAKOI Soran Festival” in Sapporo. This sparked a Yosakoi craze that spread throughout Japan, leading to the active organization of Yosakoi festivals in various regions.Today, the festival has grown to the point where national competitions are held, and it is beloved by people all over Japan.
During the main Yosakoi Festival on August 10 and 11, approximately 200 teams and 18,000 dancers from Japan and abroad gather to perform energetic dances at 16 venues (10 competition stages and 6 performance stages) set up in central Kochi City.Approximately 1 million spectators from all over the country visit the festival.

● 2026 “Yosakoi Festival” Event Schedule (Tentative)

▼August 9 (Sun): Tosa Student Yosakoi Competition, Pre-Festival Celebration, Kochi City Summer Fireworks Festival

▼August 10 (Mon) and 11 (Tue, Holiday): Main Yosakoi Festival

▼August 12 (Wed): Yosakoi National Competition and After-Party

Four basic rules, but upgrade your dance by adding your team's color

There are four main rules of participation in the Yosakoi Festival.

(1) The dancers must dance while moving forward by sounding Naruko, a musical instrument consisting of a wooden "shoji"-shaped board with a bachi attached to both sides of it.
This is a unique feature of the Yosakoi Festival.
(2) The music must include a part (phrase) of "Yosakoi Naruko Odori," the traditional music of this festival.
As long as this is adhered to, the rhythm and melody can be freely arranged.
(3) Each team may have up to 150 members.
4) Each team must prepare a local vehicle to lead the dancers.

Because of the simplicity and freedom of the rules, each team pursues its own originality by devising a variety of dances, songs, and costumes. The performance is heated up as the teams give their best.

What to look for at the Yosakoi Festival

Dancing, music, costumes, Naruko (a Japanese harp) sounding, and local cars are the standard elements that determine the "Yosakoi Grand Prize," and are also the highlights of the festival. The sight of about 100 dancers in one team dancing in unison is especially moving, full of enthusiasm and spirit. The choreography, which includes hip-hop and samba styles, is unique, and the music is diverse, ranging from traditional songs to rock band music and trendy arrangements.
The glittering costumes are another attraction. Each team pays close attention to the details of their costumes, which are designed with Japanese motifs, bright colors, and stylish styles, to attract the audience.

The teams' symbolic, ornately decorated regional cars are also a must-see. On top of the local cart is a mini-stage on which microphone performers and taiko drummers also stand. Some of the cars are decorated with neon lights and dry ice, adding to the excitement of the festival.

How to enjoy each spectator site?

Of the 16 venues, special stages will be set up at the Central Park Performance Area and the Kochi Castle Performance Area. Central Park, in particular, features a large video screen, allowing spectators to enjoy performances with a real live atmosphere.
The other venues will feature street performances.In particular, the Obiya-machi Performance Area, Kyomachi Performance Area, and Harimaya Bridge Competition Area are set within covered shopping arcades, allowing spectators to get up close to the dancers and feel the excitement firsthand.
Additionally, the Otesuji Headquarters Competition Area is the venue with the most participating teams, and reserved seating will be available.Multiple teams take turns performing one after another on both the north and south sides of the street, creating a truly spectacular and powerful spectacle.
During the festival, the Yosakoi Festival’s dedicated website, “Dokoiko Service Neo,” is a handy resource. It provides real-time information on each team, parade routes, and estimated wait times at venues.

Dokoiko Service Neo
URL: https: //dokoiko.tosanonatsu.com/

Tourists can also become dancers! Experience the festival by jumping in!

On the 10th and 11th, the festival day, "Citizens' Charter Yosakoi Dancing Team," a team of dancers who can jump in, will be formed. There is no age limit, and anyone who wants to dance can join for free. The dances are arranged to be easy to remember from the regular choreography, so beginners are also welcome. The procedure for participation is simple. After accepting the application on the day of the parade, participants practice the dance for about an hour, and then depart for the parade. The parade starts at the Otesuji Headquarters performance hall, passes through the Obiyacho dance hall, and heads to the stage at the Chuo Park performance hall.
However, do not forget to bring your own Naruko. Naruko are available for sale near the reception desk, and there is a handmade workshop (takes about 15 minutes, 1,500 yen per pair), so you can also bring your own Naruko.

▼Citizens’ Charter Yosakoi Dance Troupe
URL: https://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/soshiki/21/shiminkensyouyosakoi.html
Schedule: August 10 (Mon) and 11 (Tue, Holiday) *Times are approximate
2:00 PM: Registration begins
2:30 PM: Practice begins
4:00 PM: Departure ceremony
5:00 PM: Performance at the Otesuji Main Performance Area
6:00 PM: Performance at the Obiya-machi Performance Area
7:00 PM: Performance on the stage at the Central Park Performance Area; event concludes after the performance
Participation Fee: Free; paper happi coats are available for purchase at 1,000 yen each
How to Participate: Register on the day of the event at the entrance to the gymnasium of Kochi Prefectural Kochi Ote-mae High School (2-2-10 Otesuji, Kochi City)
Participation Requirements: Bring your health insurance card (copies accepted) and a naruko. Elementary school students and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
TEL: 088-823-9080 (Kochi City Hall, Regional Community Promotion Division); Naruko Sales & Handicraft Workshop: 088-873-0821 (Naruko Kobo Kodakasa / Kodakasa Rehabilitation Center)

On the day before the main event, there will be a fireworks display on the largest scale in Kochi Prefecture.

On the 9th, the day before the main event, the "Tosa Student Yosakoi Festival" will be held at Kochi Castle Performance Hall during the daytime, and in the evening, the eve of the festival (paid seating available) will be held at Chuo Park, where the winning teams from the previous festival will perform their dances.
The Kochi City Noryo Fireworks Festival will also be held on the banks of Kagamigawa River, which runs near both venues. As one of the largest fireworks displays in Kochi Prefecture, with approximately 4,000 shots, visitors can see elaborate fireworks such as the Starmine, which features rapid-firing continuous shots, and the No. 8 ball. The most dynamic fireworks are those that can be seen at a close distance of approximately 100 meters from the launching site and the 650-meter-long Niagara, one of the largest in western Japan.
The best place to experience the powerful sound and size of the fireworks is at the viewing site, but it is also recommended to enjoy the fireworks with the dancers' performance at the eve of the festival, which is about 1 km away.

▼The 76th Kochi City Summer Fireworks Festival
URL: https://welcome-kochi.jp/event/hanabi
Date and Time: Sunday, August 9, 2026, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM
*Held on the same date every year, regardless of the day of the week.
In case of inclement weather, the event will be postponed to Thursday, August 13, at the same time; if inclement weather persists on Thursday, August 13, the event will be canceled.
Venue: Near “Midori no Hiroba” on the banks of the Kagami River in Kochi City (1-3-14 Takajo-cho, Kochi City)
Admission: All seats in the viewing area require a ticket, which must be purchased in advance.
・Folding chair seats: 2,000 yen per seat
・Box seats: 4,800 yen and up
*Early-bird discounts are available for purchases made by July 3. Please check the ticket information for details.
TEL: 088-823-4016 (Kochi City Tourism Association)

Yosakoi National Tournament" and post-festival festivities will be a grand ending to the festival

On the 12th, the finale of the festival, "Yosakoi National Tournament" will be held. There will be four venues for the event: Otesuji Stadium, where there will be plank seats, Chuo Park Stadium, Kochi Castle Performance Hall, and Obiyacho Performance Hall. Entries come not only from all over Japan, but also from overseas, with 49 groups participating every year. In addition to seeing the unique dances, participants can also enjoy competing with other teams that have won prizes at the Yosakoi Festival. The climax of the festival is the "So Odori Parade" that starts around 9:00 p.m. at Otesuji Stadium. All contestants dance to "Naruko Hana," the official song of the Yosakoi National Tournament, to bring the festival to a spectacular conclusion.
A post-festival festival will also be held at the Central Park Performance Hall, where spectator seats will be provided for a fee. An award ceremony will be held for the 22 teams that impressed many people during the festival.

▼Traffic Restrictions
Traffic restrictions will be in effect during the festival period.
Please check the website for details.

▼Otesuji Main Stage Reserved Seating
URL: https://welcome-kochi.jp/yosakoi/sajikiseki.html
Dates: 10th (Mon), 11th (Tue, Holiday) (Yosakoi Festival Main Event), 12th (Wed)(National Competition)
Venue: Otesuji Main Performance Area (in front of Kochi Prefectural Ote-mae High School on Otesuji Street to the front of Tenri Kochi University Church)
Admission: General Admission Advance Tickets (Free for children 3 and under)
・Daytime Session: Seat A 2,000 yen, Seat B 1,000 yen
・Evening Session: Seat A 3,000 yen, Seat B 2,000 yen
How to Purchase: Kochi City Tourism Association website. Ticket sales begin in late June
・Same-day tickets will be sold at Nishi-Shikichi only if advance tickets remain
Nishi-Shikichi: 2-9-6–7 Otesuji, Kochi City (outdoor event space next to Otepia), 11:00 a.m. until sold out
TEL: 088-823-4016 (Kochi City Tourism Association)

▼ Chuo Park Performance Hall Reserved Seating
URL: http://www.cciweb.or.jp/kochi/yosakoiweb
Dates: August 9 (Sun) (Pre-Festival), August 12 (Wed) (Post-Festival)
Venue: Chuo Park (1-11-27 Obiya-machi, Kochi City)
Admission: General Admission Advance Tickets (Children 3 years old and under are free only if seated on a guardian’s lap. A ticket is required if a seat is needed.)
・au Seat S: 8,000 yen
・au Seat A: 5,000 yen
How to Purchase: Available via Lawson Ticket (in-store at Loppi or online).
Sales Period: Sunday, July 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM through Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM
・Same-day tickets will be sold only if advance tickets remain ( check the website for sales locations)
TEL: 088-875-1178 (Yosakoi Festival Promotion Association)

＜Experience the excitement of the Yosakoi Festival even outside the festival period.

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Yosakoi Rakuen LIVE

Original Yosakoi dance shows are held every night!

OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts, a "Machinaka" hotel where you can experience the lively Yosakoi Festival and Kochi's banquet culture "Okyaku", holds an original Yosakoi dance show "Yosakoi Rakuen Live" every night for the exclusive use of hotel guests. Staff/staff members themselves act as dancers and perform a spectacular dance to the "Sho-Tone Yosakoi Naruko Dance," which is well-known to the people of Kochi Prefecture, and to the original music of OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts.
The original performance is a collaboration of three leading figures in the Kochi yosakoi world. The name "Raku-en" was coined to express the culture of Kochi, where hospitality is extended to all, and is meant to express the hospitality of Guest/customers, the image of a bright and lively Yosakoi festival, and an Experience-type performance that brings dancers and audience together as one.

Outline of "Yosakoi Rakuen LIVE
Time :21:00~21:30
Place :Grand Staircase of OMO Base (Travelers' Fun Lounge), OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts
Eligibility :Only for hotel guests
Fee :Free of charge
Reservation :Not required

OMO7 Kochi by Hoshino Resorts

• 9-15 Kutanda, Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture MAP