Akita Prefecture

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. Regional Festivals - From Hokkaido to Okinawa .

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Akita Prefecture - 秋田県

located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan.
The capital is the city of Akita.

©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. Akita - Entries of this BLOG .

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. Akita Kanto Matsuri (kantoo 竿燈 / 竿灯) .


Amekko Festival
February, Odate


. Bonden matsuri 梵天祭り Bonten Festival .
Akita


. Dainichi Mairi 大日詣 Visiting the Dainichi Hall .
New Year, Kakunodate


. Daisen Town Festivals 秋田県大仙市 .


Kakunodate Festival
September 7 - 9

Kamakura Snow Statue Event
February, Yokote 横手

Kariwano Big Tug Festival
Daisen


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Kashima matsuri 鹿嶋祭 Kashima festival
2nd Sunday in June, Hiyoshi shrine, Akita



Small straw or paper dolls are floated on a larger reed boat to the shrine.
They are dolls of samurai, called "Kashima".
To pray for the good health of children.

In Omagari, they float down the river Marukogawa 丸子川

After planting the rice fields, with a wish for good health:
. WKD : sanaburi 「早苗饗」(さなぶり) .

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Kemanai Bon Dance Festival
August 21 - 23, Daisen city


. Namahage なまはげ .
December 31, Oga Peninsula


Nishimonai Bon Dance Festival
August 16 - 18, Ugo



Oomagari no hanabi taikai 大曲の花火
Fireworks Contest in Omagari
fourth Sunday in August
along the river Omonogawa 雄物川
National Firework Competition



Tsuchizaki Shinmei Port Festival
July 20, 21. Shinmei shrine, Akita


Yokote Soul's Day Festival
August 15 - 16, Yokote 横手


Yuzawa shi no matsuri 湯沢市の祭り
August 5 - 7. Yuzawa town festival



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External LINKS :

Akita Summer Festivals
source : http://www.tohokumatsuri.jp


- Reference -

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Related words





. Regional Folk Toys from Japan - GANGU .　

. Regional Dishes from Japan - WASHOKU .


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Daisen Akita Festivals

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Daisen town in Akita

秋田県大仙市




quote
Daisen is a sprawling city in the south of Akita, famous for its fireworks, rice wine, baseball obsession, winter festivals and many other unique attractions.

List of Yearly Events

January
Early Jan: Omagari New Talent Music Festival
Mid-month: Yatsuzaka “Bonden” Festival (Nakasen)
八坂神社梵天まつり

February
Early Feb: Hotta Saku Winter Festival (Senboku)
11th: Kariwano Giant Tug of War 刈和野の大綱引き
10th: River Crossing “Bonden” Festival (Hanadate) 川を渡るぼんでん
15th: Bird Child Dance and Tug of War (Omagari)
4th Sundary: Ota Fire Festival 太田の火まつり

March


Sake Summit in Nangai 酒遊サミットin なんがい
- source : shoko.skr-akita.or.jp

3rd Sunday: Dakerokusho Shrine “Bonden” float festival (Jinguji)
嶽六所神社奉納梵天
Late March: New Fireworks Collection (Omagari)
Late March-Early April: Yaotome Cherry Blossom Festival (Nakasen)
March 31 長野神社　梵天まつり

April
saotome sakura matsuri 八乙女さくらまつり

May
大曲子どもつり大会
花火鑑賞士のつどい

June
Kawaguchi Canyon Ground Golf Tournament (Ota)
A Sunday in June: National “Obako” Folk Song Competition (Omagari)
秋田おばこ節全国大会
Late June: Kashima Float Festival (Omagari)鹿島流し

July
1st Sunday: Midai festival and Junior Sumo Competition (Engyouji)

August
Early August: 550 Year Old Baseball Team Tournament (Nangai)
Omagari Summer Festival 夏まつり大曲
15th: Aya Summer Festival (Senboku) まつり彩夏せんぼく
16th: Donpan Festival (Nakasen) ドンパンまつり
17th: National Treasure on display at Sui Shrine (Nakasen)
4th Saturday: Omagari Fireworks
まほろば唐松定期能公演

September
National “Ohara” Folk Song Competition (Omagari)
「秋田おはら節」全国大会
Nanbu Chuhei Cup Ground Golf Tournament (Ota)
10th & 11th: Nagano Shrine Festival 長野神社祭典
14th: Hachiman Shrine Festival (Jinguji) 八幡神社祭典
Late Sep: 500 Year Old Baseball Competition (Kamioka)
神岡南外花火大会

October
Ou Ota Road Race
2nd Monday: Osazawa Park Festival (Kariwano)
Kuromoriyama Fitness Marathon (Kariwano)
Mid-month: Lake Biyama Autumn Festival (Kyowa)
協和ダム美山湖紅葉フェスティバル
3rd Saturday: National Jumbo Rabbit Festival (Ota)
全国ジャンボうさぎフェスティバル
Late Oct: Autumn Bounty Fair (Omagari)
大仙市秋の稔りフェア

November
2nd Sunday: Tohoku Shogi Tournament (Nishi-senboku)
東北学生将棋大会
国指定名勝「池田氏庭園」特別公開

December
Other Noh Theatre by Bonfire (Kyowa)
source : www.city.daisen.akita.jp

大仙市　
〒014-8601 秋田県大仙市大曲花園町


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Ota Fire Festival 太田の火まつり

Up until around 30 years ago, each village would hold their own small separate celebration of the 14-16th days of the lunar New Year. The Ota Fire Festival has brought all of those together into one joint event, and is held on the fourth saturday of February every year.

There are many things to see, including a taiko drum performance, the
"Paper hot-air balloons" which dance magically in the icy night sky, and
"Rice planting in the snow" to pray for a bountiful harvest.




There is also "Tenpitsu yaki 天筆焼き", a ceremony where people write their wishes and desires onto brightly coloured pennants and then fling them into a fire. If the ash floats up from the fire and drifts a long way away then it means their wish has a good chance of coming true.




Another performance is the
"hitting with bamboo poles", take uchi 竹打ち
takeuchi matsuri 竹打ち祭り
Two groups of fearless men, from the North and the South, dress in protective gear and grab long bamboo poles. They line up in two lines, separated by the lenght of the bamboo poles.
They now start hitting the ground and each other, until most of the bamoboo is broken.
The match is held in the evening, with huge bonfires for light.
The winning team is the answer to the prediction of a good harvest in the coming year.

秋田の奇祭"六郷の竹打ち"
Special Festival, Kisai


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU


the reporter
gets a good whack -
take-uchi festival

Gabi Greve
watching the preparations for this festival on TV


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Related words

***** . Fire Festivals (hi matsuri) 　

***** . Kisai 奇祭 special festivals 　


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Kantoo Lantern Festival Akita

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Akita Kanto Matsuri (kantoo)

***** Location:
***** Season: Early Autumn
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

kantoo 竿燈 / 竿灯 (かんとう) "lantern on a pole"
August 3 till 6

Related to the Tanabata celebrations.




秋田かんとう祭 / 竿燈（かんとう）まつり
Kanto Matsuri


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quote
The Kanto Matsuri ("pole lantern festival")
is a Tanabata related celebration in Akita City, held every year from August 3rd to 6th. The highlight of the festival is an impressive display of skill in which performers balance kanto, or long bamboo poles with arrays of paper lanterns attached to the end.

The kanto poles come in different sizes with the largest measuring 12 meters, weighting 50 kilograms and carrying as many as 46 paper lanterns, lit by real candles. To the sound of drums, flutes and onlookers chanting "dokkoisho, dokkoisho", each kanto is hoisted up by a single performer who balance them on end using various techniques. The performers change every few minutes and gradually add extensions to the pole until the kanto are at their maximum height.

The main event of the festival, the Night Parades, are held nightly along Chuo Dori street in the center of the city. The various performing groups, carrying nearly 250 kanto poles, line up on the street, and when a signal is given, the poles are all raised up at once and the performers show off their skills. The event lasts about 90 minutes, and at the end of each night there is a 15 minute session during which the audience is invited to talk to the performers, take pictures and try their hand at hoisting up a kanto.

The performing area of Chuo Dori is nearly one kilometer long and there is plenty of places to sit on the sidewalk along the route. The ends of the closed off road offer a particularly spectacular view, but can be more crowded. Reserved seats set up on the median of the road are also available for between 2000 and 2500 yen, and reservations can be made beginning a few months in advance up until the day of the event if not sold out. Naturally, it is more crowded on festival days that fall on a weekend.
source / photos : www.japan-guide.com





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Kantoo, das Laternenfest in Akita,
ist ein geistiges Nationalkulturgut der Präfektur Akita (important intangible folk culture property). Das Fest, bei dem die Gottheiten um eine reiche Ernte gebeten werden, findet kurz vor der Reisernte statt – dabei ist zu erwähnen, dass die Küstenebenen von Akita bekannte Reisanbaugebiete sind. Kantoo, ein Laternenpfahl, ist ein Bambusgestell mit zahlreichen Laternen in mehreren Reihen übereinander, die großen Gestelle haben bis zu 50 Laternen und können bis zu 50 kg wiegen. Sie stellen die vollen, reifen Reisähren stellen, die von den Göttern als Gegengabe nach dem Fest erwartet werden.

Bei der großen Parade ziehen 200 Laternenpfähle durch die Stadt, abwechselnd getragen und balanciert von 3000 Männern. Allein das Balancieren dieser langen Stangen ist eine Kunst für sich, und Laternenträger ist der Wunschberuf jedes Buben in Akita. Kräftige Männer halten die Stangen auf den Handflächen, dann hieven sie sie auf die Stirn, runter auf die Schultern oder noch tiefer, auf die Hüften, immer schwankend und balancierend und umgeben von Gleichgesinnten, die bei Gefahr eingreifen und übernehmen können. Das alles geschieht zum Dröhnen der traditionellen Festmusik und unter anfeuernden Rufen der unzähligen Touristen (bis zu 1300300).

Seit 1931 gibt es einen Wettbewerb für den besten Balanceakt, während man vorher mehr um die reine Manneskraft beim Tragen der Kilos wetteiferte.

Gabi Greve
August 2001


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Kanto Folk Toys

. Folk Toys from Akita .

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HAIKU




ゆらゆらと 豊作願う 竿燈や
yurayura to hoosaku negau kantoo kana

swaying back and forth
in prayer for a good harvest -
these lanterns on a pole

鮎太 Ayuta


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Related words

***** Tanabata Star Festival


. WASHOKU
Regional Dishes from Akita 秋田の郷土料理 　



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Dainichi Mairi

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. Dainichi Do Hall　大日堂 Legends . :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Visit to the Dainichi Hall (Dainichi Mairi)

***** Location: Akita, Japan
***** Season: New Year
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

Festival at the Dainichi Hall in Akita, Kazuno City
秋田県鹿角市大日堂舞楽



Visiting the Dainichi Hall, Dainichi Mairi 大日詣 (だいにちまいり)
... Dainichidoo zaidoo 大日堂祭堂（だいにちどうざいどう）
"Hall Festival" zaidoo 祭堂（ざいどう）

My Details about Buddha Dainichi Nyorai / Vairocana

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The Dainichi-do Shrine Bugaku Dance

Dainichi-do is a Shinto shrine in the Hachimantai area of Kazuno. Its origin and history are shrouded in legends, the original structure was perhaps built about 1500 years ago. Restored in 718 by the emperor Keitai, the court dances and music (called bugaku) dedicated to the completion of the restoration are said to be the origin of those still performed annually at Dainichido on January 2nd.
A series of eleven dances are performed, accompanied by ancient music played on Japanese flutes and drums. The dances and music are a form of folk art with a long tradition in Japan, and have been designated a National Cultural Treasure.
With Komamai Dance, Torimai Dance and more.
© city.kazuno.akita.jp

Dainichi Hall Kagura Bugaku 大日堂舞楽

© PHOTO : Shobunsha Publications

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Things found on the way

O-Take Nyorai お竹如来 and haiku by ISSA

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HAIKU

about Buddha Dainichi Nyorai

白鳥とわれと大日如来像
hakuchoo to ware to Dainichi zoo

the swans and
myself and the statue
of Dainichi Nyorai

Shimizu Shookei 清水逍径

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山笑う秘仏大日如来とか
yama warau hibutsu dainichi nyorai toka

mountains laughing -
the secret statue of
Dainichi Nyorai ... they say

Kanda Shori 金田勝利

All Tr. Gabi Greve

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Related words

***** Secret Buddha Statues (hibutsu)

***** Kagura Dance (kagura)

***** Saijiki of Japanese Ceremonies and Festivals

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- #dainichido #dainichi -

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