The Hamamatsu Festival is one of those interesting events where the atmosphere completely changes from the daytime kite-flying at Nakatajima Sand Dunes to the evening procession of Goten Yatai floats in the city center. Each neighborhood in Hamamatsu seems to have its own Goten Yatai adorned with magnificent carvings of dragons and lions, and what’s truly surprising is their sheer number—over 80, according to the pamphlet.
Illuminated by lantern light and resonating with nostalgic festival music (ohayashi), the Goten Yatai floats slowly make their way. The ohayashi is played by children in matching happi coats from each town, skillfully performing inside the floats with flutes, gongs, hand drums, and regular drums – it’s quite impressive. I saw this particular float a little way from Hamamatsu’s city center, which really made me feel how deeply ingrained this festival is throughout the entire city, with these Goten Yatai parades happening all over the place.
One evening during Golden Week, I heard the sound of ohayashi music from my house, so I stepped outside and saw a line of Goten Yatai floats slowly advancing along the Tokaido road from the city center. These floats, adorned with an impressive number of intricate carvings, truly reveal their splendor up close. While the daytime kite-flying part of the festival features intense kite-string battles, the Goten Yatai procession, even with its music, feels rather quiet and leisurely. It really highlights the striking contrast between the dynamic energy of the daytime kite-flying and the serene calm of the evening float parade.
For a festival of this scale, there aren’t *that* many spectators (I guess a lot of the locals are probably participating!). If you stay overnight during the festival, you can really enjoy the Hamamatsu Festival with its fascinating contrast of dynamic and serene experiences. It’s highly recommended!
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