2026 The 44th Yabakei Lakeside Festival: A Full One-Day Course

This one-day course centers on the 44th Yabakei Lakeside Festival, held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and lets you enjoy the nature around the Yabakei Dam lakeside for a full day. In the daytime, savor local flavors at Michi-no-Eki Yaba Topia (道の駅耶馬トピア) and stroll through Saruto Sentsubokyo (猿飛千壺峡) while taking in its gorge scenery. In the afternoon, take a leisurely walk along the promenade at Lake Yabakei (耶馬溪湖) and enjoy the mountain-ringed lake views to the fullest. In the evening, move to the fireworks venue at the Yabakei Dam lakeside (耶馬溪ダム湖畔) to secure a spot, then fill up on food-stall snacks or a packed lunch. Once the sun sets, fireworks reflected on the lake color the night sky. This is the definitive summer plan for Nakatsu, letting you enjoy the gorge, the lake, and the fireworks all unique to Yabakei to the fullest. The roads around the venue are narrow, so be sure to allow plenty of time.