[Yamagata Prefecture] I went to the Hanagasa Festival! Introducing a photo book and festivals in Yamagata Prefecture that are still available in time

  • ikoke
  • Last updated: 2024.08.19

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival was held from August 5th, so we got there early and got excited by seeing the photo panel exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Hanagasa Festival.

This time, we will introduce the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival with many photos, including photos of retrospective panels.

We will also introduce 5 summer festivals in Yamagata Prefecture that are still in time.

Please read to the end in a festive mood.

Let's take a look at the history of Hanagasa Festival!

The Hanagasa Festival in Yamagata Prefecture is said to have started in 1923 It is said that it began as an umbrella dance dedicated at the summer festival of Obanazawa Honmachi Suwa Shrine in the year that Lake Tokura in Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture was completed.

Lake Tokura was created as a reservoir for cultivating rice fields. It is said that the origin of Hanagasa Ondo was a song sung in tune during civil engineering work for land clearing

In 2010, it was selected as one of the 100 best reservoirs.


This year, the Hanagasa Festival celebrates its 60th anniversary There was a retrospective panel exhibition to commemorate the 60th anniversary, so I took some photos and would like to introduce them to you along with an explanation.

Did that famous group also dance Hanagasa?

The dancers are as beautiful as you can see from the photo; they are actually members of the Takarazuka Revue and Shochiku Revue.

must have been so popular that it was danced by professionals

On behalf of the Hanagasa Festival, the Hanagasa Dance Troupe and Yamagata University's Hanagasa Circle performed their dance at the New National Stadium Opening Event.

That's a huge audience! The audience seats built for the Hanagasa Festival are also impressive.

Hanagasa dance with various dance patterns

The local junior high and high school students are also very brave.

These dancers are full of youth. The movement of the umbrella is also full of dynamism.

This is everyone from Yamagata University's Hanagasa circle ``Shimen Souka'' I hope that by attending Yamagata University from various regions and participating in Yamagata's traditional events, you will have fond memories of your second hometown!

It's so much fun to see their big smiles and the way they walk.

It is a glamorous and feminine way of dancing that is reminiscent of Japanese dance.

It was all set and very beautiful.

the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 20th Ordinary Regiment who showed off their heroic umbrella twirling .

They also demonstrated a skill of throwing up the lead umbrella decoration stick into the air and catching it.

I thought it was so sharp cool , and I couldn't help but admire it, but the person in the front row was a female member! Once again, I was fascinated by how cool it was.

People from other countries who were there for international exchange also participated and enjoyed the Japanese festival, Yamagata's Hanagasa Festival.

Everyone seemed to really like the colorful kimonos and danced happily. They seemed to be enjoying the festival, waving at the spectators along the road.

Celebrities who are regulars at the Hanagasa Festival

The person riding on this float smiling and waving is actress Manami Hashimoto. It seems that Manami Hashimoto came to Yamagata with her child.

Summer vacation with your kids! I hope you enjoyed Yamagata's summer festival.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Eri Watanabe is the ambassador of Yamagata, and she is a wonderful person who makes everyone smile.

He seemed to be enjoying himself as he danced on the float.

Eri Watanabe, who participated in the Hanagasa Festival for two days in a row, was smiling and taking pictures with Tetsu and Tomo, who participated on the second day!

Eri Watanabe, who said she would dance more on the second day, was jumping up and down while dancing, even though she was not stable on the float.

Introducing 5 summer festivals in Yamagata that are still in time!

Higashine Festival

The best part of the Higashine Festival is the ``dance competition,'' which is full of variety such as hip-hop, Yosakoi dance, and hula dancing, but the spectacular ``Mikoshi and Mikoshi,'' in which four mikoshi collide, excites the visitors.

URL: https://higashine-shikisai.com/h-fes/

Suigo Oe Lantern Flowing Fireworks Festival

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the fireworks festival, which boasts the oldest history in Yamagata Prefecture. It is said that approximately 4,000 shots are scheduled to be launched.

*Event contents may change depending on the weather.

URL: https://oekanko.jp/tourou/

Mamurogawa Festival

The Mamurogawa Festival is colorful with the Mamurogawa Temperature Parade and the brave mikoshi carried by young people.

At the finale, fireworks are set off upstream of the Mamurogawa River and move onto the river surface, making it a sight to behold.

*During light rain. Postponed to the next day, August 18th, depending on the weather.

URL: https://matsuri-no-hi.com/matsuri/10527

Murayama Tokunai Festival

The Murayama Tokunai Festival will also be held for the first time in three years. Normally, it is a three-day festival, but this year it will be held in a shortened format, with the Tokunai Bayashi Parade running in a straight line over two days.

Although the scale has been reduced, why not go out and enjoy the joy of being able to hold a festival?

URL: http://www.murayamatokunai.jp/

Obanazawa Hanagasa Festival

It is truly a summer festival held in the birthplace of Hanagasa Ondo (Hanagasa Festival). This is a great opportunity to go see the traditional dance that has been passed down since ancient times!

On the final day, many dancers dynamically spin and parade their hanagasa hats.

URL: https://matsuri-no-hi.com/matsuri/9426

Let's be healed at a summer festival that will blow away your bad mood!

For three years now, I've been forced to put up with restrictions on many things. This year, the long-awaited Hanagasa Festival was successfully held and enjoyed, but there were localized heavy rains up until the day before the event, which caused severe damage in some areas. However, the weather improved from the evening of the previous day, and we were blessed with good weather until the end.

Today we are being blamed for the coronavirus and the disaster, but I hope that even those who were unable to participate in the festival this time can at least be comforted by the photos . Although there is no confirmation that they will be held in the future, we have introduced some summer festivals that are still available in time

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