Fukui: Towering Floats Thrill Spectators; 300-Year-Old Festival Considered One of Hokuriku Region’s ‘Big 3′

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:34 JST, May 31, 2025&

SAKAI, Fukui — Spectators gathered and cheered as they watched a lively parade of floats — bearing six-meter-tall figures depicting historical warriors — at the Mikuni Festival, which dates back 300 years and is one of the Hokuriku region’s “three big festivals.”

The floats being paraded through the streets, accompanied by children and others playing music, was the highlight of the annual festival, which was held from May 19-21 in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture.

Mikuni was the name of a town that has since merged with others to form Sakai. According to an employee at a local museum, the festival was created to boost business prosperity and liven up the town on the Sea of Japan coast. Districts in what was the town of Mikuni take turns organizing the floats.

On May 20, the day of the parade, six majestic floats — representing five districts and a local festival promotion association — hit the streets. Featuring figures of such warlords as Sanada Yukimura and Kimura Shigenari, the floats passed through streets and alleys filled with onlookers and stalls before assembling in front of Mikuni Shrine.

Just after 1 p.m., the floats were quickly rotated in front of the shrine and the parade began as participants played drums and flutes. Boisterous ovations erupted from spectators as the floats dramatically changed direction, going around corners and elsewhere amid shouts of encouragement and cheers.

Mikoshi portable shrines were also carried in the parade, with the bearers energetically chanting, “Wasshoi! Wasshoi!” as they walked along.

“We couldn’t come for the past few years, but the impact and excitement were as amazing as ever,” said a 50-year-old man from Sakai who came with his wife to the festival.