Kitamon Street, Yokohama Chinatown / Culture Day
Kitamon Festival 2026
Explore this year’s awards and highlights →
Join us on 3 November on Kitamon Street, Yokohama Chinatown.
One flying shoe. A whole street cheering.
Now in our 17th year. Awards are scheduled to start at 17:30.
Thank you for your enthusiastic support.
Entry fees must be paid online in advance. Cash payment is not available on the day.
KUNG-FU SHOES / OUR SIGNATURE EVENT
Kung Fu Shoe Flying World Championship
Kick a kung fu shoe and see how far it flies in Kitamon Festival’s signature competition. Participants and spectators alike can enjoy the fun together on Kitamon Street in Yokohama Chinatown.
About the competition & entry requirementsCompetition registration is closed: all places are booked. The SUPER Live performance schedule is available below.
Please arrive at reception at least 15 minutes before your booked time. Reception opens at 09:30. Bring each participant’s check-in QR code.
If you miss your booked time, speak to reception staff. Participants arriving on time take priority. Staff may offer an available slot or a slot released by an absent participant. Your original slot and immediate participation on arrival cannot be guaranteed. You may be unable to compete if no suitable slot is available.
Requests for late-arrival reassignment close at 16:00. Competition ends at 16:30. There is no additional fee for reassignment. Show your existing QR code. Please speak to reception before making another booking or payment.
Participant-requested cancellations and refunds are not available after payment. Please allow plenty of time for your journey.
2026 / KICK. SMILE. CHEER.
More than distance: smiles, performance and support count too.
Enjoy a day in Yokohama Chinatown with wonderful prizes from our sponsors.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for 17:30 on 3 November 2026. The winner’s personal attendance is a condition of receiving any prize. Collection by a representative and delivery at a later date are not available. Please stay for the ceremony after competing.
We honour 18 winners: places 1–6 in the men’s, women’s and kids’ (junior high school and younger) divisions. Every division prize includes dining vouchers, with honours for the top three and delicious rewards for places 4–6 too.
Your better of two attempts determines your rank; the other attempt breaks a tie. Multiple entries count as one person using their best entry. Identical results on both attempts share the same rank.
For one person whose outstanding smile brightens the venue: JPY 10,000 in dining vouchers donated by Chairman Li-Fang Chen, plus a Rouishin mug.
For one participant who lifts the atmosphere with safe poses, costumes or expressions: a Jogenro dining voucher for two and a Rouishin mug. Dangerous actions are not eligible.
Five secret target distances are fixed before the competition. The closest valid attempt to each wins! An exact match is not required: overshooting and undershooting are judged by the same absolute difference. Targets will be revealed after competition ends.
All valid attempts across all divisions and multiple entries count, excluding division places 1–6. Fouls do not count. Each person may win one closest-distance award; tied candidates enter a draw. Five prize bundles combine dining vouchers, shark-fin bun redemption vouchers, desserts, sauna tickets for two and other gifts.
Help spread the word on social media: include Kitamon Festival, 3 November, Kitamon Street in Yokohama Chinatown and our official website. New posts, quote posts and Stories are eligible. Add “SNS応援企画参加” to your post.
Show your post or a screenshot at reception by 16:30 on the day. Non-competitors may also join; one entry per person. Winners are selected by draw, not follower or like counts.
Each winner receives a Hare-Tabi Sauna ticket for two, a Kouseiwa Original Shark-Fin Bun redemption voucher for one, a Rouishin mug and two Manchinro gummies.
Optional draw for people aged 20 or over, one entry per person: a set of one Hibiki and one Yamazaki non-vintage whisky for one winner; two 500 ml bottles of Kongfujia baijiu for one; two 300 ml bottles of Suigei Junmai Ginjo BayStars Label sake for each of three; two bottles of Manchinro Shaoxing wine for each of five; and two bottles’ worth of Keifukuro 10-year-aged wine for use at the restaurant for each of three.
Tell reception if you wish to enter. Age will be checked when collecting alcohol. People under 20 are not eligible.
Beat the standing world record of 29.81 m to unlock a special prize: JPY 30,000 in Chinatown gift vouchers from Takematsu Design Studio and Dom Pérignon from Tokunaga Real Estate.
These special prizes have been carried over from previous years specifically for a new world record. If no record is broken, they carry over again. Winners under 20 receive only the gift vouchers; the alcohol is retained for a future event.
| Place | Prizes in the men’s, women’s and kids’ divisions |
|---|---|
| 1st | Men / women: Kaseiro (華正樓) dining vouchers, JPY 10,000 each. Kids: Douhatsu (同發) dining vouchers, JPY 10,000. |
| 2nd | Keikyu (桂宮) dining vouchers, JPY 6,000 + ROUROU bag |
| 3rd | Kinkoro (金香楼) dining vouchers, JPY 5,000 + Rouishin (老維新) mug |
| 4th | Kyochubo (許厨房) dining vouchers, JPY 3,000 + Edosei (江戸清) pork bun set of two + Rouishin mug |
| 5th | Seikoen (清香園) dining vouchers, JPY 2,000 + Ma-san (馬さんのお店) dining vouchers, JPY 1,000 + Banraiko Odori (萬來行 大通り店) assortment + Rouishin mug |
| 6th | Wangfujing (王府井) dining vouchers, JPY 2,000 + Ma-san dining vouchers, JPY 1,000 + Edosei pork bun set of two + Rouishin mug |
China Trading (中国貿易公司) donated 100 pairs for sale to support the festival’s operation. Shoes are planned to be sold on the day for JPY 1,500 per pair, with payment by PayPay or Stripe planned. This sale is separate from the competition prizes.
The ceremony is scheduled for 17:30. Personal attendance by the winner is required to collect every prize.
Competition entry: JPY 500 per person, per entry, paid online in advance. No cash payment on the day.
Fully booked · Registration closedIN THE SPOTLIGHT / MEDIA COVERAGE
Born on Kitamon Street, kung fu shoe flying has reached new audiences through fan contests at professional baseball interleague games and interviews with the organisers.
The Kung Fu Shoe Flying World Championship was featured in “SUZUKI TODAY’S KEY NUMBER” on the programme hosted by Yuji and Akiyo Yoshida. Yuji expressed amazement at the world record of 29.81 metres.
The segment is covered in an official TOKYO FM+ article published on 13 November 2022.
Read the official feature (Japanese) ↗For Hamarepo’s fourth anniversary, members of its editorial team entered the tournament. The feature covered its origins, the atmosphere and their own attempts.
Read the feature (Japanese) ↗tvk (Television Kanagawa)’s “Neko no Hitai Hodo Wide” filmed the Kung Fu Shoe Flying World Championship on 3 November 2025.
The championship was featured live on TBS’s “Hiruobi” on 3 November 2022.
At ZOZO Marine Stadium during games against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, fans representing both teams competed in a kung fu shoe flying contest. A video was also shared on the club’s official X account on 14 June.
Official club event information (Japanese) ↗Watch the official X video ↗Interest in the tournament’s name led to an interview with the organisers about the background and appeal of this long-running event.
Read the feature (Japanese) ↗An interview with Kitamonkai explored the idea inspired by geta-sandal kicking and how it became a competition unique to Chinatown.
Read the interview (Japanese) ↗Coverage of the Kitamon Street tournament included the rules, the all-time world record and a message from the chairman.
Read the article (Japanese) ↗Historical articles describe the event at the time of publication. Please refer to the current event guide for 2026 entry details and fees.
Fully booked · Registration closed01 / KITAMON FESTIVAL
Bring your smile
to Kitamon Street.
Now in its 17th year, Kitamon Festival brings together the people and streets of Yokohama Chinatown. The Kung Fu Shoe Flying World Championship is the main event in 2026, with activities taking place mainly during the daytime. Enjoy a day of Chinatown’s playful spirit and smiles from competitors and spectators alike.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 17:30.
Check-in opens at 9:30. Competition runs from 10:00 to 16:30.
11.03 / LION DANCE
Celebrate Kitamon Festival with the energy of lion dance. Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
Approx. 10 minutes
Approx. 10–15 minutes
Approx. 10–15 minutes
Approx. 10 minutes
The awards presentation is scheduled to begin at 17:30. Please arrive early to enjoy the lion dance from 17:20. Prize winners must attend the awards ceremony in person to collect their prizes.
A street music stage to enjoy alongside the competition
Performance schedule for Tuesday, 3 November 2026 (Japan public holiday).
Performances: 11:00 / 13:30
The wind band of Yokohama Municipal Minato Junior High School connects with the local community through performances at events in Motomachi, Chinatown and Yokohama Port. Enjoy the music of students who practise together every day.
Performances: 11:50 / 14:20
The Ventures brought an electric-guitar sensation to Japan in the late 1960s and early 1970s. EDD Ventures performs their music solo using self-produced backing tracks. In addition to regular appearances at Yokohama’s 7th Avenue, he performs mainly across the Kanto region at summer festivals, corporate events and day-care facilities.
Performances: 12:40 / 15:10
03 / OUR STORIES
A look back at past activities. These may differ from this year’s programme.
A shoe flies and the crowd cheers. Visitors take centre stage in this distance competition at the foot of Genbumon Gate. A Kitamon Festival favourite that can be enjoyed across ages and experience levels.
Together with our neighbours, we have brought the festival to life with lion dances and live performances. Experience Chinatown’s distinctive culture and the joy of music in the streets.
04 / COMMUNITY
Community building around Kitamon Street, Kaigadou and Osanbashi Street.
Kitamonkai was founded in 2009 by volunteers seeking to revitalise Kitamon Street and Kaigadou. Osanbashi Street joined the following year, and we continue working with local businesses and individuals.
Through Kitamon Festival and other events, we create opportunities for local shops, businesses, residents and visitors to meet. Working together, we make the neighbourhood a lively and enjoyable place to visit.
“Kitamon” combines the name of the North Gate with a warm welcome to those who come here. Guided by Chinatown’s spirit of good neighbourliness and friendship, we work to make our neighbourhood welcoming to all.
MESSAGE / FROM THE CHAIRMAN
My heartfelt thanks go to our neighbours, sponsors and supporting businesses who sustain Kitamonkai’s activities, and to everyone who visits Chinatown.
The name Kitamonkai combines “Kitamon”, the North Gate, with a warm welcome to everyone who comes here. In the spirit of good neighbourliness and friendship cherished by Yokohama Chinatown, we have nurtured a lively community with our neighbours on Kitamon Street, Kaigadou and Osanbashi Street.
Kitamon Festival is now in its 17th year. Our main event, the Kung Fu Shoe Flying World Championship, grew from our friends’ inspiration to make Chinatown even more enjoyable, with visitors as the stars of the competition.
Our aim is a festival where you take home lasting memories as well as distance records: the joy of a wholehearted kick, cheers for someone taking a challenge, and moments that bring a smile. Alongside the food, I hope you will enjoy connecting with people in our neighbourhood.
Together with our neighbours, sponsors, partners and organising team, we will keep building a welcoming neighbourhood for everyone. I look forward to meeting you on Kitamon Street on 3 November.
Chairman, Kitamonkai
Li-Fang Chen
The pedestrian-only street that makes Kitamon Festival possible owes much to the support of the late Teisuke Takahashi, then chairman of the neighbourhood association. He personally approached the chief of Kagacho Police Station, helping pave the way for the festival on Kitamon Street.
My father, Yukuo Chen, also enjoyed a warm relationship with Mr Takahashi. Our family once ran a Japanese soba restaurant called Edosei (江戸清). The butcher shop run by Mr Teisuke Takahashi also traded under the name Edosei. According to the story passed down in our family, this shared name was the beginning of that connection. Our soba restaurant later changed its name to Edokyu (江戸久), reportedly at the request of Mr Takahashi’s father, the second-generation head of Edosei.
I am deeply grateful for this connection across generations and for his dedication to our neighbourhood. We will honour that spirit by continuing to bring people and the community together through the festival.
Li-Fang Chen, Chairman of Kitamonkai
05 / THANK YOU, OUR NEIGHBORS
Thank you to the businesses supporting Kitamon Festival 2026. Listed in no particular order.
Select a linked name to visit the organisation’s website.
7th Avenue / Kanton Kaikan Club / Yokohama Chinatown Development Association, and others
06 / SEE YOU IN CHINATOWN
The venue extends along Kitamon Street from the Osanbashi Street end to the Kagacho Police Station West intersection with Kaigadou. Further details for the day will be published when confirmed.
View the map around Genbumon GateNearest station: Nihon-odori on the Minatomirai Line
Check the map for directions from the station. Please use public transport when visiting.
ACCESS / VENUE MAP
Venue: Kitamon Street, Yokohama Chinatown
From the Osanbashi Street end by the North Gate (Genbumon) to the Kagacho Police Station West intersection with Kaigadou.
The route line indicates the approximate event area on Kitamon Street. Google Maps may display a nearby address as the destination.
View the event area on Google Maps ↗ENTRY / REGISTRATION CLOSED
All competition places are booked and registration is closed.
Booked participants: please arrive at reception at least 15 minutes before your reserved time. Check-in opens at 09:30. Bring each participant’s check-in QR code.
Check-in and arrival information →Find places to eat, shops, walking ideas and events on the official Yokohama Chinatown website.