Something Different : Hakata Summer Festival 2022

 

Hello everyone, long time no see! Sorry for the hiatus, but as mentioned on the blog's Facebook fan page, I have recently been very busy to the point that I was not able to find the time in getting new material to write about. Additionally, I also needed some time off to get out of the writer's block and for more inspiration. And there is probably nothing more inspiring than a summer festival! Also on a side tangent, please look at the Facebook fan page as it will be the place I will post updates on the stuff surrounding the blog. You can do so by clicking here. So let's get down to business, shall we?

Look at the crowd!

Japan is famous for having various festivals during the summer. There are small regional ones where homeowner associations gather around to create a festive atmosphere, some are organised by malls to attract customers and some are organised due to its historic significance to the regional area. My first festival was the Danjiri Matsuri way back in 2019 in Osaka (click here to know more). It was such an interesting atmosphere and from that day onwards, I look forward to any festival that I can attend. As such, I was fortunate to know that the regional Hakata Summer Festival is being held not far from where I live.  

Performers getting ready to roll...

The event is six-day summer festival and its held at the open square in front of JR Hakata Station. The summer festival starts just before sunset, at about 5pm. In addition to festival games, there will be stage performances, including Japanese drumming, dancing, and live music. So if you want to have a proper immersive experience when it comes to local Japanese culture, this is a good spot in doing so. 

Today's ensemble! Don't mind the beer. 

And when there is people, there is food right? I was also fortunate to be attending the event with a few friends, which means more stomach space to go around. So after picking a few spots, we found a standing table nearby the central stage and chow down on some festival treats while enjoying the live performances. 

Oozy...

In all honesty, the food here is pretty generic and can be found at most festival events. Stuff like takoyaki, fried chicken, french fries, and fried noodles are the standard fare for most festivals, and probably more than just in Japan. However, there were a few good highlights. One of which was the fried noodles, whereby a pack stood at 600 yen. This one was incredibly flavourful and had loads of pork inside. The seasoning of it tastes like a fusion of okonomiyaki sauce and yakiniku seasoning. So it was sweet, savoury, and slightly salty. A classic festival food. Another worth mentioning was the menchi katsu which stood for 500 yen for 2 pieces. I love these fried patties. And I love them more when they are deep fried! This was absolutely incredible but totally disastrous to your heart and liver. Well, I am going to the gym more often now. Hope that will negate any awful calories I packed in. Oh did I mention that it was stuffed with cheese? It was that sinful. 

Decent. 

We also ordered some cheese sticks and takoyaki, which was alright standing at 500 yen a pack. Although if you are purposefully going there for those, you will probably get a better deal elsewhere. Still, the main focus of the festival is the events. And boy, are they exciting. From live traditional music, to acapella singing, taiko drums, and everything in between, there is something for everyone. If you are a fan of live performances, you will definitely enjoy this. And of course, events like this just go better with beer. 

Taiko on point. 

As of time of writing, the event is still underway as it is to be held from 10th to 15th of August. Entry is free and the atmosphere is amazing. It is just a shame that the border restrictions makes it hard for foreigners to come over. But hopefully, more can come to enjoy one of the main highlights of a Japanese summer in the future. 

No experience is complete without a beer truck!