Hanamaki Festival

About this event

With a history of over 430 years, the Hanamaki Festival is a grand celebration bringing together the traditional culture of Hanamaki, featuring beautiful Furyu festival floats with flickering flames, magnificent portable shrines (mikoshi) that have set a world record, ancestral Shika-odori (deer dance) and Kagura Gongen-mai dances, and the graceful Hanamaki Hayashi dance. The festival is said to have begun during the era of Hanamaki district magistrate Kita Shosai, and later took on strong characteristics of the Shosai Festival as it came to be held on the anniversary of his death in remembrance. During the festival, splendid Furyu floats parade to the tune of Hanamaki Hayashi melodies filled with deep emotion and graceful elegance. In addition, the event is packed with highlights, including the powerful world-record-setting mikoshi parade, performances of Shika-odori representing Iwate Prefecture's folk performing arts, Kagura Gongen-mai performed by more than 20 local groups from Hanamaki City, and the Hanamaki Hayashi dance featuring around 500 hand-dancers. Designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Hanamaki City, it is a rare opportunity to directly experience the region's lively traditions and vibrancy.

Venue

Hanamaki Festival

Kaneko Building, 3-10 Kamicho, Hanamaki, Iwate 025-0087