The main festivals and sporting events of Goto

This section introduces flower festivals where you can truly enjoy the natural world, summer festivals where you can experience culture, and sporting events, including marathons and a triathlon with large numbers of athletes from Japan and overseas.

[Flower festivals]
Tomie Cherry Blossom Festival
Gyogasaki Flower festivals
Goto Camellia Festival
[Summer festivals]
Fukue Port Festival
[Sporting events]

[Flower festivals]

The islands hold flower festivals in which people admire the beautiful flowers that bloom in Goto’s lush natural world. Lots of people gather for the event-filled flower festivals to celebrate the flowers at their best: cherry blossoms and canola flowers in the spring, hydrangeas in early summer, cosmos in the fall, and camellias in the winter.

Tomie Cherry Blossom Festival

The Tomie Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in Tarojima Park each year at the end of March/start of April when the cherry blossoms are in full flower. There is a stamp collection rally for children, a flea market, and food trucks, and the park bustles with large numbers of people admiring the flowers. Paper lanterns light the park at night, creating magical night blossoms for people to enjoy.

Gyogasaki Flower festivals

Gyogasaki Canola Festival

This is a flower festival held in Gyogasaki Park every year in early April. Join in fun events among the blooming canola, including lotteries and rice-cake throwing (mochimaki).
Gyogasaki Hydrangea Festival

Held when Gyogasaki Park’s hydrangeas are at their peak, this festival is full of excitement, with fun events such as sales of local products, stage attractions, and a lottery.
Gyogasaki Cosmos Festival

This takes place in Gyogasaki Park in mid-October each year, when around 1.5 million pink and white cosmos (of five varieties) are in full bloom over 11,000 m2 of fields.

Gyogasaki Park

Goto Camellia Festival

This festival is held in February in Goto, known as the native land of camellias. There is lots of excitement, with displays of camellias, events, and tours. Nagasaki Prefecture’s only full-length marathon is held at the same time.

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[Summer festivals]

Festivals are held in each area of Goto, and their yatai stall gourmet food, stage events, and firework displays are enthusiastically attended by both local people and tourists.

Fukue Port Festival

This is the largest festival in Goto City, mainly taking place in the central shopping street. It includes a portable shrine procession, traditional dancing, and taiko drum and flute performances. The highlights are the parade of giant nebuta floats based on themes from Goto’s history and folklore, which travel through the streets with lively music and shouts, and the 800 or so gorgeous fireworks launched from Fukue Port for the finale! The festival includes lots of events, and is enthusiastically attended by large numbers of people each year.

Tomie Festival

The grounds of Tomie Elementary School serve as the main location for this summer festival. A specially installed stage stirs up excitement with Japanese drumming, dancing, and live performances by guest entertainers, as well as other events such as a bingo game. At night, around 900 fireworks are set off from the breakwater of Tomie Port.
Miiraku Summer Festival

This summer festival is held at Shoyama Minato Park. The stage hosts performances by local people, as well as events for people to join in and exciting live performances by professional singers. In the night market, street cars and food trucks open for business. At the end of the festival, huge fireworks known as 2-shakudama are launched in a firework display.

Tamanouramachi Port Festival

A traditional performance art from the Tamanoura area known as “kake” dancing is performed at this festival, which sees a bustling street lined with yatai stalls and events for people to participate in, including a lottery. At the end of the festival, around 500 fireworks are set off, coloring the night sky above Tamanoura Port.
Naru Summer Festival (Naru Island)

This summer festival is held on Naru Island, 30 minutes from Fukue Port. The morning sees the Peron Championship, a boat race held in Ainoura Bay said to have been introduced from China, while stores open and events such as live performances and a lottery are held at Narumachi Multipurpose Ground in the evening. To finish with a bang, fireworks are launched from the sea at the end of the festival!

[Sporting events]

Marathons and a triathlon take place each year, making the most of Goto’s lush natural environment. A large number of people participate from on and off the islands, from beginners to experienced competitors. Why not get involved during your visit to Goto?

Goto Nagasaki International Triathlon (the “Baramon King”)

This annual triathlon held in Goto is known as the “Baramon King.” This passionate, exciting, and motivational race unfolds on Fukue Island! On the day, the whole island gets enthusiastically involved in the triathlon, with the local people providing energetic support.
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Goto Islands Sunset Marathon

Unusually for Japan, this marathon takes place on a mid-summer evening, with the catchphrase, “run with the last sunset of Japan at your back.” There is a half marathon and a 5 km division, and even places to try limited quantities of Goto beef and Goto biton pork at the goalposts.
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Goto Tsubaki Marathon

This is the only full marathon run in Nagasaki Prefecture. It's a tough course, with ups and downs, but participants can enjoy the camellias in full bloom and Goto’s natural world. There is also a half marathon and a relay marathon run by teams of four people, making it easy for beginners to get involved.