In the heart of Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, around Kuramoto Street and Renga Street, the 67th Kure Minato Festival will be held on April 29, 2024 (public holiday).
The main event of the annual Kure City festival, which attracts thousands of people each year, is the grand parade where the Maritime Self-Defense Force Kure Band performs music and dances while marching through the streets. Starting in front of the Kure City Hall with over 2000 participants, the parade proceeds from Kuramoto Street to Center Street, and then to Yorozaga Street. Festival-goers can freely watch along the route, attracting a large number of spectators eager to catch a glimpse of the parade.
On Kuramoto Street, rows of gourmet food stalls offer Kure local delicacies, Hiroshima specialties, and various street foods for visitors to enjoy.
In addition to the main parade route, there are special stages set up in front of Kure City Hall for the opening ceremony, as well as performances at the Komorebi Plaza Stage and the Kure Shinkin Bank Hall Stage, featuring music and dance to enliven the atmosphere.
From 11:00 to 15:00, a yacht race will also be held in Yoshiura Bay.
This year’s Minato Festival promises to be a lively day of celebration, marking the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Kure Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Kure Regional Headquarters of the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
