A man died Saturday after he was hit by a 1-ton float during a major summer festival in southwestern Japan, police said.

Toshimi Akiyoshi, 57, was fatally injured during the climax of the annual Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival, when people race decorated floats through the streets of Fukuoka early in the morning. According to a festival official, Akiyoshi was one of the float carriers.

As far as is known, no one has died previously at the event in such circumstances, an association promoting the time-honored festival has said.

At around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, a call requesting an ambulance was made for a man who had fallen over on a street in Hakata Ward. Akiyoshi, a Hakata resident, had apparently hit his chest and was taken to a hospital, but was confirmed dead at around 7 a.m., according to the police.

The festival is said to have a history of more than 780 years. This year, the climax event known as "Oiyama" was held without coronavirus-related restrictions limiting spectator numbers for the first time in four years.

Before the pandemic, the festival had been known to attract crowds of about 3 million people. It is registered as an intangible cultural heritage event by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.