Rabbit Island
2020.6.1
Every year August 5 to 7
Attracting approximately 1 million visitors per year, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is considered one of the four major festivals in the Tohoku Region, alongside the Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri and the Akita Kanto Matsuri. The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival involves more than 10,000 dancers in beautiful costumes carrying "hanagasa," bamboo hats adorned with paper flowers. The dancers are led by gorgeously decorated floats, and are accompanied by the booming sound of taiko drums and enthusiastic cries of "Yassho, Makasho."
While the original hanagasa dance was known for participants dancing in perfect unison, in recent years, spectators can enjoy watching a number of regional dances in different styles during the festival. The Hanagasa Circle Dance in front of city hall and the walk-in dance at the end give spectators a chance to joinin the fun of this lively festival.
Hours: 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Address: Nanoka-machi Street, Yamagata City
Airport: Yamagata Airport
Notes:
Location:
Downtown Yamagata City (near Yamagata City Hall), Yamagata Prefecture
Access:
Approx. 10-minute walk from JR Yamagata Station
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