Rabbit Island
2020.6.1
Started in the 1950s as a way to liven up the town of Kochi during a recession, the Yosakoi Matsuri has grown to be one of Japan’s most well-known modern festivals, attracting more than 20,000 participants and 1 million visitors each year. In the local dialect, "Yosakoi!" means “Come over tonight!” and the festival certainly brings in plenty of teams and spectators during the four-day event.
During the Yosakoi Festival, held from August 9 – 12 every year, hundreds of teams of brightly-dressed dancers take to the streets of Kochi and perform throughout the downtown. While all participating teams must use music based on the “Yosakoi Naruko Odori” traditional local folk tune, they are free to alter the song to suite their style, and spectators can now enjoy a fantastic variety of arrangements, from rock to reggae.
For a small fee, visitors can join the “niwaka-ren” troupe for beginners. The price includes a “happi”(traditional short coat) and naruko, the clappers that all dancers in the Yosakoi Festival carry as they dance.
Hours: (Main Event) Aug. 10 – 11, 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Admission:
500 yen fee includes happi, need to bring your own naruko
2,500 yen fee includes happi and naruko
Address:
Honmachi, Kouchi City
Chuo Park, Kouchi City
Airport: Kochi Airport
Notes:
Location:
16 sites in Kochi, including the area around Kochi Station
Access:
JR Kochi Station, Shikoku Dosan Line