[2023 event information] Crimson dances in the city! “Hanagasa Festival” in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture

It is held every year in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture for three days on August 5th, 6th, and 7th on a fixed date.Yamagata Hanagasa Festival」

The festival, which attracts a total of 14,000 dancers from 161 groups over the three-day period, is quite a sight to see, even though it is located in the Tohoku region.

Here we will introduce information on the 2023 event.

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival 2023 schedule

As mentioned above,As usual, this year's event will be held for three days from August 5th to 7th on a straight course in the center of Yamagata City (Tokamachi, Honmachi, Nanokamachi Street - Bunshokan-mae).

However, it becomesTraffic restrictions are lifted from 17:00 every day until the parade ends (around 22:00)Therefore, please be careful when visiting the venue based on the PDF attached above.

contact information

• Name: Yamagata Prefecture Hanagasa Council
• Address: Yamagata Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 3-1-9 Nanokamachi, Yamagata City, 990-8501
• Phone number: 023-642-8753 (Mushoni Hanagasa)
• Official URL: Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

The Hanagasa Festival is not just about the parade! Enjoy related events during the event!

Although the main event is to watch the Hanagasa Parade, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is an all-participatory festival where walk-ins are welcome, and there are many related events.

Yamagata Hanagasa Food Festival in Bunshokan

It is no exaggeration to say that this is a Yamagata food festival, with booths organized by the youth group of the Yamagata Chamber of Commerce and Industry where you can enjoy Yamagata's delicious food.

• Venue: Bunshokan Building Square (parade goal point)
• Event time: 17:00-21:30 (until 21:00 on the 7th)

Enjoy the Hanagasa Festival during the day

This is a free event where you can watch, learn, and experience Hanagasa Odori during the day. It's also a good idea to learn the Hanagasa dance during the day at the ``Hanagasa Festival, which is fun during the day'' and participate in the pop-up corner.

• Venue: Yamagata Creative City Center Q1
• Event time: Stage 1 13:30~ / Stage 2 15:00~

Opening Hanagasawa dance corner

Held in front of City Hall near the finish line.
Participants will receive a simple Hanagasa (Hanagasa fan). Once you become a Hanagasa fan, you can have fun participating while imitating the body language and gestures of the dance teacher.

• Location: In front of City Hall, near the Hanagasa Odori goal
• Event time: Scheduled for around 18:10~18:30
• Participation fee free/no reservation required

Jump-in corner

At the end of the parade, you can participate in the "pop-in corner" led by Miss Hanagasa.
The landmark is a placard that says ``Jump-in Corner'', and if you find the ``Jump-in Corner'' placard, you can participate from anywhere on the course.

• Location: At the end of the Hanagasa parade, near the “Jump-in Corner” placard
• Event time: From around 20:30 until the end of the parade
• Participation fee free/no reservation required

summary

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival was held in 1960, the 1,250th anniversary of the founding of Zao Mountain, with Yamagata Prefecture, Yamagata City, Yamagata Shimbun, Yamagata Chamber of Commerce and Industry taking center stage, and the Zao Summer Festival was held for the purpose of tourism development and PR in Zao. It is said that it began when it was performed as an event at a summer festival in Tasai.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the festival, and although it is still a relatively new festival compared to other festivals in Tohoku, it is full of vigor and the vibrant dances of over 10,000 dancers dressed in gorgeous costumes. The group dance, in which the waves of the hat decorated with safflower, the flower of Yamagata, undulate and bloom, has now become one of the four major festivals in Tohoku.

We encourage everyone to come and experience the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, which is a participatory festival, not just a sightseeing event.

Festival information

• Dates: August 5th, 6th, 7th (3 days, fixed date)
• Time: around 18:00-21:45
• Venue: Yamagata city center straight course (Tokamachi/Honmachi/Nanakamachi Street - Bunshokan-mae)
• Traffic regulation: around 17:50-22:00 (restrictions will be lifted as soon as the parade ends)
• Weather regulations: Rain or shine (however, the contents may change depending on the situation), canceled in bad weather Festival Jinzao Daigongen
• Official URL: Yamagata Hanagasa Festival