King Kim Suro founded Garakguk (“Garak State”) in AD 42 and for over 500 years, through advanced ironware and marine trade, the state flourished with a splendid culture. To commemorate the ancestors’ spirit and cultural heritage, to make Gimhae citizens proud of their city and ultimately, to promote Gaya’s culture across the world, Garak Cultural Festival which started in 1962 on Surowang Chunghyangdaejaeil (“The Ceremonial Day for King Suro”) and Gaya World Cultural Festival which had been held annually over 2 years aiming to register Gaya cultural heritage as a UNESCO World Heritage, were combined and became Gaya Cultural Festival which newly started in 2007.

Gimhae Buncheong Ceramics Festival is a festival that celebrates “Gimhae Buncheong Ceramics” which started developing based on the legacy of the ceramics culture of Gaya around 2,000 years ago. The festival promotes Buncheong ceramics’ uniquely simple and natural beauty and, folksy familiarity of household ceramics. At this festival, you not only get to see different types of ceramics but also get to experience traditional kiln-based pottery-making and firing methods, a demonstration of making large potteries and various others ceramics-related events.

Jinyeong Persimmon Festival is held in Jinyeong, Gimhae in November when the cosmos flowers are swaying across the golden fields of autumn. Jinyeong started to farm persimmons in 1927 for the first time in the nation and now has a 90-year persimmon farming history. At Jinyeong Persimmon Festival offers various folk, cultural and art events, persimmon tasting, persimmon competition, persimmon market and various other events that allow you to experience the quality of Jinyeong persimmons.

Gimhae Gayageum Festival is held together with Gimhae National Gayageum Competition. The nation’s best gayageum players are selected and various gugak and foreign folk performances are held at the festival. The festival allows the visitors experience the value of traditional arts and the beauty of gayageum which is a traditional Korean a traditional Korean string instrument with 12 strings. Also, the nation’s one and only municipal gayageum orchestra was founded in Gimhae 1998.

This festival allows you to have various historical and cultural experiences around the Tomb of King Suro which is one of the most representative cultural heritages Gimhae. You can experience the true beauty of Gaya’s cultural heritage.