The River Kabuki Boat Procession

A summer tradition in Hakata featuring kabuki actors from the June Hakata-za Grand Kabuki performance!

The long-awaited river boat procession is a Hakata early summer tradition!

This river boat procession is a centuries old tradition announcing the kabuki actors for the year’s June Grand Kabuki performance by their arrival at the venue by boat. 

After a ceremony in Canal City Hakata, the actors move to Seiryu Park where they then embark upon the small boats, stopping to make a small speech in front of the Hakata Zenzai Square before then leisurely making their way upstream to the Hakata Riverain Mall. After disembarking they then make a prayer and offering at the Kagamitenmangu Shrine nearby. 

Every year many spectators gather to see this early summer tradition. Onlookers cheer and applaud the kabuki performers from the banks of the river as their boats make the winding 800-meter journey from Seiryu Park to the Hakata Riverain building. 

Participants

Onoe Kikugorō VIII
Onoe Kikunosuke
Ichikawa Danjūrō
Ichikawa Udanji
Ichikawa Omezō
Ōtani Hiromatsu
Nakamura Toranosuke
Nakamura Takanosuke
Nakamura Kangyoku
Nakamura Tamatarō
Kamimura Kichitarō
Ichimura Kitsutarō
Ichikawa Kudanji
Nakamura Kikaku
Kataoka Ichizō
Bandō Yajūrō
Nakamura Jakuemon

Schedule

1. Boat embarkation ceremony – 13:00 (Canal City Hakata Sun Plaza Stage)
2. Embarkation – 13:20 (Seiryu Park)
3. Kabuki prologue speech – 13:40 (Kawabata Zenzai Square)
4. Disembarkation – 13:55 (Hakata Riverain ~ prayer at Kagamitenmangu)
5. Ceremony – 14:30 (in the Hakata-za building)

*Start times are tentative.
*Start times and other details are subject to change.
*Members of the general public wishing to attend the ceremony at Hakata-za must bring an official boat procession embarkation hand towel (available for purchase; limited quantities).
*The 14:30 PM ceremony is scheduled to take place inside the Hakata-za theater, not at Hakata Riverain Festa Square. The program will include a speech by the president and greetings from the performers.
*In case of rain, only the ceremony inside the Hakata-za theater is scheduled to take place.
*To ensure your safety, security staff may approach you to provide guidance.
*Please visit the Hakata-za website for details.  

Cost:
Free to view
*Members of the general public wishing to attend the ceremony at Hakata-za must bring an official boat procession embarkation hand towel (available for purchase; limited quantities).

Other: 
Organized by: Boat Embarkation Executive Committee
*Start times and other details are subject to change.
*Members of the general public wishing to attend the ceremony at Hakata-za must bring an official boat procession embarkation hand towel (available for purchase; limited quantities).
*The 14:30 ceremony is scheduled to take place inside the Hakata-za theater, not at Hakata Riverain Festa Square. The program will include a speech by the president and greetings from the performers.
*In case of rain, only the ceremony inside the Hakata-za theater is scheduled to take place.
*To ensure your safety, security staff may approach you to provide guidance.
*Please visit the Hakata-za website for details.  

Related event>>
June Grand Kabuki Performance: Performance for the Name Succession of Onoe Kikugorō VIII (Formerly Onoe Kikunosuke V)　 

Special viewing plan for visitors to Japan

As part of a limited campaign, for a limited time foreign visitors, students, and workers in Japan are eligible for a 30% special viewing discount at Hakata-za! We hope that you will take this opportunity to experience this traditional Japanese culture for yourselves.

★The eligible performances:
Period: from June 2 (Tue) ~ June 22 (Mon)

Ceremony for the Name Succession of Onoe Kikugorō VIII 
Ceremony for the Name Succession of Onoe Kikunosuke VI 
June Grand Kabuki

*Excluding the 15:45 performance on June 6 (Sat) and the 11:00 performance on June 15 (Mon).
*No performances will be held on June 8 (Mon) and June 16 (Tue).

★How to purchase tickets
①  Please use the exclusive Hakata-za online ticket page to make your purchase.  
Link: https://hakataza.e-tix.jp/pc/smart/gofukuoka.html
②  Select the performance you wish to attend.
③  Use the coupon code〔june02〕and make your purchase.

*This is a special offer for visitors to Japan.
*You may purchase up to 4 tickets per order.
*Please present one of the following at the time of entry: a foreign passport, residence card, student ID, foreign-issued ID, or proof of foreign residency.
*Available 24 hours a day; purchases can be made until 11:59 PM two days prior to each performance.
*Please note that changes, cancellations, or the special discount pricing are not possible after your application is complete.
*Please note that if you do not enter a coupon code, you will be charged the regular price.
*If a person not eligible for this offer attends the event, you will be required to pay the difference between the special price and the regular price on the day of the event.

Special one-act tickets are also available!

For those who are only interested in seeing one act of a play, a special one-act ticket will be available. 
One-act tickets allow admission to a single act only, rather than the full program.

★How to purchase
・These tickets can only be purchased the day of the show at the Hakata-za Box Office. Pre-purchase is not possible.
・Only one ticket can be purchased per person. 
・There are 16 seats on the third floor of the auditorium for each act.
・The June 6 (Sat) 15:45 and June 15 (Mon) 11:00 performance are both private performances, and are not eligible for one-act ticket purchases.
・No performances will be held on June 8 (Mon) and June 16 (Tue).

★Pricing for one-act tickets
June Grand Kabuki 

11:00 matinee 
Act 1: Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso: ￥1,800
Act 2: Kurumabiki: ￥2,000
Act 3: Ibaraki: ￥2,500
15:45 soiree 
Act 1: Jiisan Baasan: ￥2,000
Act 2: Otokodate Hana No Yoshiwara: ￥2,000
Act 3: Shumei Hiro Kojo: ￥1,000
Act 4: Renjishi: ￥2,500