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Akita Kanto Festival

－Giant Golden Ears of Rice Swaying in the Night Sky－　

280 kanto poles 10,000 lanterns

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About the Akita Kanto Festival

The Akita Kanto Festival-local people pray for bountiful harvests with giant lanterns which are called Kanto, and sway in the night sky. This festival is one of the most famous summer festivals in the Tohoku region, and also it is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural property with a history spanning about 270 years. The players have required daily training and a good sense of balance to manipulate. This traditional technique has been passed down for generations.

When? Where?

This festival is held annually from August 3rd to 6th.
From 18:50 to 20:50

【Time Schedule】
18:15 Traffic control starts
18:50 Kanto enter
19:25 to 20:35 Kanto performances begin
20:35 Time to try Kanto

The main event, the Night Parades, is held along Chuo Dori Street.
It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the west exit of Akita Station to the Kanto Festival venue.
It gets quite crowded every year, so if you have children, please hold their hands tightly.

What is Kanto?

The Kanto pole sizes vary and can go up to 12 meters, and 50 kilograms, and support up to 46 paper lanterns with real candles. These are hoisted up high in performance to the sound of drums, and flutes, as people chant “Dokkoisho, dokkoisho.”

Performing groups carry up to 250 Kanto poles, raising them up in unison, making a spectacular show. Kanto competitions are also held during the daytime by Senshu Park. Each Kanto group competes either solo or in a larger group and performs to music.

References: https://www.kantou.gr.jp/english/

Learn, see, and touch Kanto

The place to experience the Kanto Festival all year round is Akita City Performing Arts Heritage Center (commonly referred to as Neburi Nagashi Kan). Here you can learn about traditional events in Akita City such as the Kanto Festival, Tsuchizaki Port Festival (Tsuchizaki Shinmeisha Shrine Float Festival), and Miyoshi Bonden Festival, as well as the history of folk performing art including Akita Manzai. The centerpiece of the center is the amazing Kanto poles adorned with lanterns. Each neighborhood has a Kanto pole with lanterns on display, so you can also see the town crests on the lanterns. The town crests have designs related to daily life such as sailing boats, horses, and wishes for a good harvest, which suggest the strong connection between Kanto and daily life.

→ Information about Neburi Nagashi kan

Comments

If you are in Akita, this is the festival you should definitely visit. When I was little, I really looked forward to going to this festival every year. There are so many other festivals, but it is difficult to find this kind of festival where you can feel Japanese culture as much as this one.