Carp streamers, once a familiar sight, have become less common at homes as times have changed.
Against this backdrop, around 200 carp streamers have been put up for a limited time at Mabi Utsukushii Mori. Donated from across Japan, they are arranged in an arch across the sky—a sight that makes you stop and look up.
Here, we introduce what to expect at the “Carp Streamer Festival,” held on Tuesday, May 5 (national holiday), and the thoughts of the people involved in running it.
The information provided was current when this article was published in April 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is the Carp Streamer Festival?
The Carp Streamer Festival is an event held at Mabi Utsukushii Mori on May 5 (Children’s Day).
Around 1,000 people attend each year, and this year, around 200 carp streamers will decorate the open area. The carp streamers themselves are scheduled to remain up until Friday, May 8, 2026.
Japanese taiko drumming, dance shows, and other performances will be held on stage to liven up the event. Food stalls and workshops are also planned, mainly run by businesses from Mabi.
See the image below for details.
Donating Carp Streamers
All the carp streamers used at the event have been collected through donations. In recent years, donations have come not only from the local area but from across Japan, and some people even travel from other prefectures to see the streamers.
Donations are accepted year-round. Information on how to donate and important notes are available on the Kurashiki City website, so please check it out if you are interested.
Visitor Information
Please keep a few things in mind when visiting.
To reach Mabi Utsukushii Mori, you need to take a mountain road, but it is narrow—wide enough for only one car. As a result, on the day of the event, traffic will be one-way from the Mabi-cho Ichiba area toward the Kurese area.
In addition, parking is limited to around 300 vehicles, and traffic jams reportedly occur every year.
The organizers have issued the following request for caution and cooperation. Please be sure to read it before setting out.
Interview with Members of the “Mabi Utsukushii Mori Preservation Association”
We spoke with Hata Yoshito, chair of the Mabi Utsukushii Mori Preservation Association, which runs the Carp Streamer Festival; Ikawa Hiroyuki, vice-chair; and Masunari Toshio.
What is the highlight of the event?
Hata (surname only)
Without a doubt, it’s the sight of around 200 carp streamers swimming across the sky.
In recent years, fewer families have had the opportunity to put them up at home because of housing conditions and other factors. At the Carp Streamer Festival, we hope people will enjoy the festival atmosphere, taking in stage events and stalls while experiencing this Japanese tradition.
There are lots of activities for children.
Hata
That’s right. As well as food stalls, there will be bamboo propellers for sale, and staff from the Mabi Children’s Center will be there with a fishing game.
Another activity we hold every year that’s unique to the event is “crawling through a carp streamer.” Children climb inside a giant carp streamer and make their way from its head to its tail, like an obstacle course. It’s an experience they can’t have every day.
As organizers, what do you hope the event will mean to people?
Ikawa (surname only)
Experiences from childhood stay with you as you grow up.
We hope that memories of being brought here by parents or grandparents will become warm memories that people look back on as adults and think, “Those were good times”.
When those children grow up as big as the carp streamers, they may feel, “Now I want to give my own children the same kind of experience.” We would be happy if that kind of connection continued across generations.
Could you tell us about the activities of the Mabi Utsukushii Mori Preservation Association?
Masunari (surname only)
The Mabi Utsukushii Mori Preservation Association is a volunteer group commissioned by Kurashiki City. Our regular work mainly involves maintaining and managing Mabi Utsukushii Mori.
Keeping the environment beautiful takes effort, and we also face challenges such as our members growing older and a shortage of volunteers. We are always looking for people to join us in protecting this rich natural environment.
If you are even a little interested, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Hata
I hope children will enjoy spending time freely while connecting with nature. I hope this will help nurture pure hearts.
Masunari
We’d be happy if families came together and made a fun memory of that moment.
More than anything, we hope it will be a memorable experience that children can look back on when they grow up, see a carp streamer, and think, “We went there back then.” I’m sure it will be a time that stays in their hearts.
From the Writer
On the day of our interview, we watched the carp streamers being put up.
Attaching carp streamers of different types and sizes in a balanced way along a long wire rope takes considerable time and effort. It is quite a demanding task, and we were even more impressed to hear that they take them down once on the day before the event and make fine adjustments.
Supported by careful preparation, the carp streamers swim across the sky as symbols of hopes for children’s healthy growth. Now that fewer families have the chance to put them up at home, why not experience their impressive scale in person?
Koinobori Festival Information
| Name | Koinobori Festival |
|---|---|
| Date | May 5, 2026 (Tuesday, public holiday) 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
| Location | Mabi Utsukushii Mori |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Koinobori Festival |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a search term to find articles on this site
Because of the location, once you join the line of cars heading to the parking lot, you may be unable to turn back and could have to wait for a long time, so please allow plenty of time for your trip.
There is heavy traffic congestion every year. We ask that you carpool whenever possible.