Greater Tokyo

TOCHIGI

Yatai no Machi Central Park (Carved Festival Float Exhibition Hall, Kikusui-en Garden)

Experience the beauty of Kanuma’s culture through its exquisitely crafted festival floats and seasonal garden.

Yatai no Machi Central Park introduces Kanuma’s festival craftsmanship and garden culture through its exhibition hall and traditional garden.
Culture & Arts
Discover the artistry behind Kanuma’s elaborately carved festival floats

Discover the artistry behind Kanuma’s elaborately carved festival floats

The Carved Festival Float Exhibition Hall forms the centerpiece of Yatai no Machi Central Park. Inside the spacious hall, three full-size festival floats belonging to Kubomachi, Ginza 1-chōme, and Ginza 2-chōme are permanently displayed. These floats are used in the Kanuma Autumn Festival and represent different decorative styles shaped by historical changes in craftsmanship and aesthetic preference. One float is richly colored and covered with elaborate carvings, the second features a black-lacquered structure that highlights the natural wood carvings beneath, and the third remains completely unpainted, allowing visitors to appreciate the raw texture of the wood and the precision of the carving. Seen side by side, the floats illustrate how artistic styles evolved over time. Visitors can also climb onto the viewing platforms on the upper level, which offer a closer perspective of the intricate carvings. From mythical creatures to dynamic scenes carved into the wood, the remarkable details reveal the exquisite skills of Kanuma’s woodcarving artisans.
Adjacent to the exhibition hall is Kikusui-en Garden, a reconstructed Japanese garden inspired by one of Kanuma’s historic “Three Famous Gardens.” The original garden was created between the late Meiji and the early Taishō periods, and the reconstruction preserves the elegant design principles of traditional Japanese landscape gardening. The garden invites visitors to stroll through a carefully arranged landscape of stones, waterscapes, and seasonal trees. Curving paths lead through the grounds, offering changing views that reflect the aesthetics of Japanese garden design. In early summer, the garden is filled with fresh greenery, while autumn brings vivid foliage that transforms the landscape with warm colors. During the autumn foliage season, the garden is illuminated in the evening, creating a tranquil and atmospheric setting that contrasts with the dynamic craftsmanship displayed in the nearby exhibition hall.
Yatai no Machi Central Park also includes a Tourist Products Center where visitors can learn more about the region and explore local specialties. Displays and videos introduce the Kanuma Autumn Festival and provide additional context about the city’s cultural traditions. Because the park’s main facilities are located within a compact area, visitors can easily experience several aspects of Kanuma’s heritage in a single visit. After viewing the floats and strolling through the garden, many visitors stop by the Products Center to browse regional goods and souvenirs. By bringing together festival craftsmanship, garden culture, and local products, Yatai no Machi Central Park offers a well-rounded introduction to Kanuma, presenting both the dynamic artistry of its famous festival floats and the quiet beauty of traditional Japanese landscape design.

© Sébastien Raineri

Phone number
+81-289-60-6070
Business hours
9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Last admission to the Carved Festival Float Exhibition Hall: 4:30 pm)
Holiday
Closed: Mondays (except national holidays), the day after national holidays, and during the New Year holidays.