About this event
The city-center parade, where local performing arts from across the country gather, is breathtaking. This festival was initiated on the occasion of the construction of a training center at the birthplace (Suganuma within the city) of Nikkyo Niwano, the peace advocate and founder of Rissho Kosei-kai. More than 20,000 Rissho Kosei-kai believers gather from all over the country, staging a lantern floating ceremony and a grand parade of mando (decorative festival lanterns) and traditional folk performing arts. During the city parade, mando and creative dances are performed, allowing visitors to watch regional folk performing arts that are rarely seen in Niigata Prefecture, such as the Zenko-ji Mairi and Aizu Bandaisan Odori. In addition, stage events featuring local citizens performing musical instruments and dances, as well as the Okame-ichi market lined with food stalls and food trucks, will be held. At the end of the festival, a grand finale (oikomi) is performed along the station street where participants together carry the mando lanterns and swing matoi (standard banners), offering an impressive spectacle of mando dancing in the air to lively musical performances. At the Furusato Plaza, Tokamachi City's hometown tax return gifts are showcased, and sales of Tokamachi City's local products are conducted at the Tokamachi Specialty Market.
Official website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Tokamachi City
Tokamachi, Niigata
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