Merchants of Hakata developed a festival called Dontaku from a traditional celebration ritual called Hakata Matsubayashi, the origin of which dates back 830 years. The word “Dontaku” comes from the Dutch word Zontag, meaning holiday. Many local citizens join this festival on the 3rd and the 4th of May. The main feature is the brisk Dontaku parade which travels along Meiji Street from Gofuku-machi to Tenjin. There are also about 30 stages set up around the city during the festival period, bringing the festive atmosphere to the whole city.