BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//japanistry.com - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:japanistry.com
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.japanistry.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for japanistry.com
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Asia/Tokyo
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0900
TZOFFSETTO:+0900
TZNAME:JST
DTSTART:20250101T000000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260805
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260808
DTSTAMP:20260417T180455
CREATED:20260410T133846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T073535Z
UID:10000680-1785888000-1786147199@www.japanistry.com
SUMMARY:Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival was first held as an independent event in 1964 (following its debut within the Zao Summer Festival in 1963) and today is a major festival in Tohoku\, attracting over one million visitors during its three-day run from August 5 to 7. The hanagasa (花笠) is a straw hat adorned with artificial red safflowers—the prefectural flower of Yamagata—and used by performers in their traditional dance. The parade\, led by brightly decorated floats\, consists of approximately 160 groups and 10\,000 dancers moving down the main street to shouts of “Yassho! Makasho!”—originally the rhythmic calls of workers during irrigation and dirt-pounding work. \nTraditionally\, the dances were characterized by the smooth\, synchronized movements of the Kunpu Mogamigawa style\, but contemporary performances have become increasingly daring\, including the vigorous Zao Gyoko male style and impressive “hat-spinning” techniques. The organizers emphasize that the true joy of the festival is found in participation; spectators are encouraged to join the “Hanagasa Circle Dance” held near the parade goal in front of City Hall\, or look for the designated “walk-in corners” (Tobairi) near the tail of the procession. \nThe parade starts at 6:00 PM and lasts until 9:30 PM each evening. It follows a straight 1.2-kilometer route down the main street of Yamagata City\, starting at the Tokamachi intersection near Daini Koen and moving north toward the Bunshokan (the former prefectural capitol building). Because the Bunshokan serves as the dramatic backdrop for the parade’s finale\, this northern end of the route is the most densely crowded. Visitors are advised to utilize the JR Yamagata Station area for early viewing\, as the sidewalks near the start of the route offer slightly better mobility before the groups converge for the final performances at the City Hall plaza.
URL:https://www.japanistry.com/event/yamagata-hanagasa-matsuri/
LOCATION:Yamagata City\, Yamagata\, Yamgata\, Japan
CATEGORIES:Japanese Festivals
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.japanistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Yamagata-Hanagasa.jpg
GEO:38.2554388;140.3396016
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260815
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260817
DTSTAMP:20260417T180455
CREATED:20260410T143000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T065235Z
UID:10000814-1786752000-1786924799@www.japanistry.com
SUMMARY:Yamaga Lantern Festival
DESCRIPTION:The Yamaga Lantern Festival is held annually on August 15 and 16 in Yamaga City\, Kumamoto Prefecture. It is one of Kyushu’s most iconic summer events\, rooted in an ancient legend involving Emperor Keiko. According to tradition\, local villagers guided the Emperor through a thick fog using torches\, a gesture that eventually evolved into the current festival involving elaborate paper lanterns. The event highlights the city’s deep-rooted craft traditions and Shinto heritage. \nThe festival’s most famous attraction is the Sennin Toro Odori\, or the “Dance of a Thousand Lanterns\,” held on the evening of August 16 at the Yamaga Elementary School grounds. During this performance\, up to one thousand women dressed in traditional yukata dance in slow\, synchronized circles. Each dancer wears an illuminated gold-colored lantern\, known as a kanmuri\, on her head. The rhythmic movement of these lights against the darkness creates a mesmerizing\, swirling field of light that has become the defining image of the event. \nA unique technical aspect of the festival is the craftsmanship of the Yamaga lanterns. These are a designated traditional craft\, constructed entirely from Washi paper and rice glue\, without the use of wood or metal frames. In addition to the head-mounted lanterns\, various districts display large\, complex paper models of shrines and castles throughout the city. The festival also includes a large fireworks display along the Kikuchi River on the night of August 15\, and it concludes with the Agari-toro ritual\, where the lanterns are offered to the Omiya Shrine. \nThe main Sennin Toro Odori at the elementary school is a ticketed event\, and seats frequently sell out via online lottery months in advance. Because Yamaga City is not serviced by a train line\, the only public transport options are dedicated shuttle buses from Kumamoto City or Tamana Station; these services experience extreme congestion immediately following the 10:00 PM conclusion of the dance. Additionally\, visitors should explore the “Lantern Museum” during the day\, as it is the only time to see the intricate paper shrine models at eye-level before they are moved for the evening processions.
URL:https://www.japanistry.com/event/yamaga-lantern-festival/
LOCATION:Yamagata City\, Yamagata\, Yamgata\, Japan
CATEGORIES:Japanese Festivals
GEO:38.2554388;140.3396016
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR