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 Hanagasa Ondo developed out of one of these songs and was transformed into a folk song featuring accompaniment by traditional Japanese instruments in the 1930s. The lyrics used in the festival today include references to the prefecture’s flora, cuisine and seasons. Photo by: iStock/ CHENG FENG CHIANG 10,000 dancers take to National Route 112.
While Hanagasa Ondo plays in the background, 10,000 dancers take to National Route 112, the prime location of the festival. While dancers are dressed in a variety of costumes, they all share the same hat design. The straw sedge hat is decorated with safflower, the official flower of Yamagata Prefecture.
Depending on the type of Hanagasa dance, the dancer will be wearing a differently designed hat. The dances themselves were developed over the decades from the 1960s to the turn of the century. Although watching the dances is one of the highlights of the celebrations, participating is a popular attraction for many onlookers.
Twice a day on each of the three festival days, people in the crowd are encouraged to join in..
