Kobe Festival

A groundbreaking festival where everyone in Kobe takes part

The Kobe Festival was born as a groundbreaking festival in 1971, designed so that everyone in the city could participate. While Sannomiya, in Kobe’s Chuo Ward, is the main venue, the festival involves people from every area of the city and is the largest in Hyogo Prefecture. The festival involves local celebrations in each of the city’s administrative wards, as well as parades by citizen groups, marching bands, and even a samba carnival. There is a main festival parade, as well as a samba street in Kyomachi-suji avenue where dancers, including the Kobe Samba Team, compete against one another in elaborate costumes.