murmurKobe Matsuri
Kobe City · Sannomiya, the Former Foreign Settlement and the waterfront
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Kobe Citizens Festival Association · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sun, May 17, 2026 （Ended） 11:00 to 16:30
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid May
- How the date is set
- Changes from year to year The date is announced each year by the Kobe Citizens Festival Association
- Venue
- Sannomiya, the Former Foreign Settlement and the waterfront
- City
- Kobe City, Hyogo
About
For one day, central Kobe from Sannomiya through the old foreign settlement to the waterfront becomes a single festival ground, in a citizens' festival run by the Kobe Citizens Festival Association; in 2026 it took place on May 17, from 11:00 to 16:30. From 12:00 a parade is held, in which samba troupes and marching bands make their way from Kyomachi-suji to Sannomiya Chuo-dori. Before that, the festival opens at 11:00 near the junction of Kyomachi-suji and Hanadokei-sen, and about 600 members of the Kobe women's associations put on a mass dance. Stages at Higashi Yuenchi Park and elsewhere, live jazz and sports to try are spread around the area. For food, head to the Omatsuri Yataimura stalls outside the Kodomo Hon no Mori library or the Kobe Haikara Market north of Daimaru. Roads nearby are closed to traffic on the day, and some events may change with the weather.
Sources
- OfficialKobe Citizens Festival Association kobe-matsuri.com
Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.