The Kobe Matsuri (Festival) is finally back and this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Here are the main details of the event. Along with the main festival there are also smaller ward festivals happening throughout Kobe. Visit the main website for all the details (Japanese).

The information below has been translated to English for your convenience.

Event Date

Sunday 28 May 2023 Starting at 11am

Location

Flower Road and the surrounding area, Minato Forest Park, Harborland (Space Theater)

Event Information

Group Dance

Starting around 11:10 (Flower Road). Approximately 1,000 members from the Kobe Women’s Association will perform a spectacular group dance.

Kobe Jazz 100th Anniversary Parade

Starting around 11:40 (Flower Road). The Kobe Festival commemorative band “Produce by Yassie Orchestra” will make an appearance.

Former Settlement Jazz Stage: Starting around 11:00 (Kobe Asahi Building 1st Floor Piloti). It’s a stage mainly featuring big band jazz, from students to professionals.

40th Anniversary Special Parade of Tokyo Disney Resort

Starting around 12:00 (Flower Road). This year, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the opening of Tokyo Disney Resort, a special parade will be held. Mickey Mouse and friends in anniversary outfits will join the Kobe Festival to convey their gratitude for 40 years and deliver smiles to everyone. (Image is for illustration purposes)

The Festival Parade will also have various selected groups such as samba, dance, baton, and marching bands will march vibrantly from Flower Road to Sannomiya Central Street, covering about 1km.

Stage Performances

Starting at 11:00. There will be various stage performances such as powerful dance and Japanese drum performances in the streets of the former settlement and the north side of Flower Road. In the newly renovated East Park, there will also be live performances by street musicians. In Kobe Harborland, the “Harborland Variety Stage in Space Theater” and the night event “Heartful Japan Dance Night” will be held.

Minato Forest Park Festival (Minato-no-mori)

Starting at 11:00 (Minato Forest Park). There will be a variety of family-friendly programs such as a mobile zoo, kids’ park, and festival games. On stage, there will be kids’ dance and samba team performances. You can spend the day in the pleasant Minato Forest Park. (Image is for illustration purposes)

Sports/Paralympic Sports Experience

Starting at 11:00. At East Park lawn plaza, you can enjoy sports with J-League Vissel Kobe, Rugby’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers, and Kobe Fast Gyro. There will also be an opportunity to experience competitive wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs for paralympic sports. There will also be events such as basketball in Minato Forest Park.

Market

Starting at 11:00 (Flower Road, former settlement area). There will be lively marketplaces like Festival Plaza, Oh! San Shopping Street, Festival Stall Village, where you can enjoy shopping and gourmet food from various stalls selling local products.

Traffic restrictions

Please check the relevant information below (Japanese)

Event Map

The above information has been translated for your convenience. Please note that the dates and times of the event may be subject to change without notice. Head to the offical Kobe Maturi website for all the latest information.