An annual summer season competition is held on the second Saturday of July in Hanyu Metropolis, Saitama Prefecture. In the course of the competition, the town's honcho-dori involves life with moveable shrines, boisterous crowds, avenue meals and youngsters with balloons, cotton sweet and glow sticks. The ambiance is cheerful with the sound of taiko drums, the sounds of bamboo flutes, whistles and prayer lanterns combined with chilly smoke. Younger folks flirt with one another and grandparents maintain fingers with their kids and grandchildren to fish for goldfish or eat yakisoba noodles. Come put in your yukata and be part of the parade now!
The competition is without doubt one of the largest occasions within the metropolis (roughly 56,000 residents) and the town's residents put together to exit and benefit from the bustling ambiance of the evening. The competition often takes place on the road, primarily on Honcho Avenue, a few 5-minute stroll northeast of Hanyu Station. This can be a 500m lengthy freeway, often a reasonably quiet avenue, with stalls on both aspect bustling with hand-to-hand service. Along with sweet canes and fried noodles, you can even strive competition meals like oden (scorching pot), okonomiyaki (pizza), shaved ice, sweet apples, baked potatoes and french fries, and extra.
The competition has a 370-year historical past and has its origins within the Yagumo Shrine, which worshiped the gods and promoted peace within the area. Yagumo, a Shinto shrine, shares its identify with many different shrines all through Japan and is a descendant of Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, which was based greater than 1,000 years in the past.
Right now, the competition options lanterns, 11 mikoshi (moveable shrines) moved by numerous teams in enjoyable colourful coats and yukata, and full of life dancing and music.
Town's summer season competition is a quintessential Japanese expertise that brings collectively your complete group and isn’t to be missed. Mingle with completely happy kids, youngsters with rising feelings, adults fortunately connecting with their neighbors and elders reminding younger folks of conventional dances and holding fingers, spinning in circles, elevating their arms and with the subsequent era stomp your ft. You’ll positively be mesmerized and dance with the group!
Thanks, Norihiro Togasaki, for writing this text.
