Alongside Akita’s Kanto, Aomori’s Nebuta and Sendai’s Tanabata , Yamagata’s Hanagasa Festival is among the four most important celebrations in the Tohoku region . Held annually during the first weekend of August, this festival is rich in music, dance and floral costumes. Photo by: PIXTA/ photo_uny_llc Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri began in the 1960s.
While several of the biggest festivals in Japan can boast centuries-long histories, Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri is a relatively young one that began in the 1960s. Initially held as a part of the 1963 Zao Summer Festival intended to promote local tourism, the Hanagasa Ondo Parade became popular enough to warrant its own event within a few years. The central part of the parade was the Hanagasa dance set to a Japanese folk song of the same name.
The Hanagasa Ondo song and dance performance was so popular that it was featured in the 1970 Osaka Expo. Riding a wave of popularity following the Expo, the festival was soon considered one of the greatest in the Tohoku area. Photo by: PIXTA/ ペイレスイメージズ 2 The lyrics used in the festival include references to the prefecture’s flora, cuisine and seasons.
The Hanagasa Ondo song is a key feature of the festival and provides the soundtrack to the dances. The song has roots in the early 20th century in the working-class culture of Yamagata’s Murayama region. Songs were often used to synchronize digging during an irrigation construction project.
It is believed that H.