In the Hakata dialect, ‘nobosemon’ means to be totally absorbed in something, and people in Hakata who become absorbed in Yamakasa are referred to as “yama nobose.” During the Yamakasa period, the entire Hakata area becomes a sea of “yama nobose.” You’ll often see office workers trading in their suits for ‘hapi’ to take part in Yamakasa events around the city. Many companies will even allow workers who are involved in Yamakasa to leave work early and take longer lunch breaks once all the moving and racing of the ‘kaki-yama’ begins (July 9th – 15th). Even elementary school boys who take part in kaki-yama are permitted to leave school early during this period, so it’s quite clear that the ‘nobosemon’ spirit is a part of life for people in Hakata from a very young age.

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