❖ Murayama area

・The 62nd Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

Accompanied by the shouts of “yasho makasho,” dancers in gorgeous costumes dance passionately.

The highlight of the Hanagasa Dance is that you can see a variety of dances, including the “Authentic Hanagasa Dance – Fragrant Breeze Mogami River” (commonly known as the women’s dance) and the “Authentic Hanagasa Dance – Zao Dawn Light” (commonly known as the men’s dance), as well as the spectacular Obanazawa-style “Kasa-Twirling Hanagasa Dance” and “Creative Hanagasa Dance” !

Another highlight is that the flower hat designs differ depending on the dance.

There will also be a corner where you can join in.

Please come and enjoy the Yamagata Hanagasa Dance.

・The 31st Tendo Summer Festival

This year’s Tendo Summer Festival will be held for two days, on August 8 (Thu.) and August 9 (Fri.).

The festival features marching performances and parades, the Hanagasa Dance Parade, the Tendo Hanakoma Dance Parade, a dance festival, a Yamaguchi Iwao concert, and a Shogi Mikoshi Parade, bringing great excitement to Tendo in the summer.

There will also be food stalls and food trucks.

Enjoy!

Date
August 8 (Thu.) and 9 (Fri.), 2024

Hours
August 8 (Thu.): 17:30~21:00
August 9 (Fri.): 16:30~21:00

Venue
・From Shinoda Hospital South Crossroads to Wakuwaku Land West Entrance (City Road Kuwanomachi Route 1)
・Wakuwaku Land Stage (Tendo Onsen Roadside Station)

Contents
August 8 (Thu.)
・Marching performance
・Marching parade
・Hanagasa dance parade
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August 9 (Fri.)
・Tendo Dance Festival
・Yamaguchi Iwao Evening Cool Concert
・Tendo Hanakoma Dance Parade
・Shogi Mikoshi Parade
・Fireworks
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*Please see the detailed information for the time schedule.

・Obanazawa Hanagasa Festival 2024

The Obanazawa Hanagasa Festival is held in the birthplace of the Hanagasa Dance.

Obanazawa’s Hanagasa Dance is a dynamic dance in which performers spin hats.

On the 27th (Tuesday), the day before the Hanagasa Parade, the Suwa Shrine Annual Festival will be held, where a traditional procession of portable shrines and floats accompanied by musical accompaniment will parade through the streets.

Come enjoy the authentic Obanazawa Hanagasa Festival.

Date
August 27 (Tue.) and 28 (Wed.), 2024
August 27:  Suwa Shrine Annual Festival
August 28: Hanagasa Dance Parade

Main venue
Prefectural Route 120, around Central Parking Lot

・Murayama Tokunai Festival 2024

At the Murayama Tokunai Festival, dancers perform powerful, heroic and graceful dances accompanied by lively music handed down from Akkeshi Town in Hokkaido.

This year, the large-scale stage will be back for the first time in five years!

Please enjoy this powerful and elegant dance.

Date
August 23 (Fri.), 2024 [Evening Festival]
August 24 (Sat.) and 25 (Sun.) [Main Festival]

Venues
・Fureai Hiroba
・Shoyo Plaza
・Nishiura Street
・Station Street
・Tateoka Shopping Street
・Itsukamachi Park

August 23 (Fri.): Evening Festival
・Tokuuchi Shrine Annual Festival
・Dedication Dance Performance
・Street Stall Market
・Local Stall Market
・Float Display
・Yamaguchi Iwao Live
・Pop♡candy’s Dance
・MPF☆B Live
・HAWKER9 Live
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August 24 (Sat.) Main Festival
・Large open-air market
・Local stalls
・Kyoko Kitami singing show
・Shamisen performance by Seitoku-kai
・Akkeshi Town Akkeshi Summer Festival stage
・Tokunai Bayashi collaboration
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August 25 (Sun.) Main Festival]
・Large open-air market
・Local stalls
・Folk song performance by the Murayama branch of the Prefectural Folk Dance Association
(Yoshiko’s Shiogama Dance, etc.)
・Tokuuchi Bayashi Collaboration
(※ Also participating in the Akkeshi Summer Festival)
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*Please see the detailed information for the time schedule.

・The 54th Higashine Festival

The Higashine Festival is known for the Tanabata Lantern Procession, where children from all over the city parade around carrying handmade lanterns, and the dance competition that heats up the Higashine night! It’s all about the mikoshi and portable shrines.

Let’s enjoy the hot night of Higashine to the fullest!

Date
August 10 (Sat.) and 11 (Sun.), 2024

Venue
・Around Higashine City Hall, etc.

Contents
Both days
● Shopping Plaza and Chamber of Commerce Food Stall Village
Hours : 10:00~21:00
Venue : City Hall grounds
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August 10th (Sat.)
● Moving Tanabata lantern procession and Tanabata finale
● Showtime by performer Tatsumi
● Clash! Higashine Dance Contest Preliminary Round
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August 11 (Sun.)
● Working Cars Corner
● Band LIVE Generation
● Clash! Higashine Dance Contest Final
● Dance Competition
● Clash! Mikoshi and Mikoshi and more
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・Oishida Restoration Festival

The Oishida Restoration Festival will be held in the square in front of Oishida Station.

This year’s theme is “Knead, pound, mince, dance and stir.”

Groups from outside the town and prefecture will participate and perform a spectacular joint performance of drums and dance.

Date
August 15 (Thu.), 2024

Hours
Scheduled to start around 15:30

Venue
JR Oishida Station Square

❖ Mogami area

・Shinjo Festival

The charm of the Shinjo Festival, which has a history of over 260 years, lies in the gorgeous float procession, the sound of festival music, and the passion of the local people for the festival that has been passed down from generation to generation.

The festival features a historical picture scroll reminiscent of the feudal era, including floats depicting various scenes from Kabuki and stories, an ancient portable shrine procession, and the elegant Hagino Shishido Dance and Nitayama Shishido Dance performed at the site of Shinjo Castle.

Date
August 24 (Sat.), 2024 [Evening Festival]
August 25 (Sun.) [Main Festival]
August 26 (Mon.) [After Festival]

List of Shinjo Festival floats
August 24 (Sat.) [Evening Festival]>
・Tozawa Shrine Annual Festival
・Dedication Shinjo Hayashi
・Shinjo Hayashi Joint Concert
・Lighting Ceremony
・Evening Festival Float Procession
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August 25 (Sun.) [Main Festival]
・Tenmangu Shrine Annual Festival
・Departure Ceremony for the Festival Procession
・Mikoshi Procession
・Festival float procession
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August 26 (Mon.) After Festival
・Gokoku Shrine Annual Festival
・Kowaka Renjishi Concert
・Judo Tournament
・Kyudo Tournament
・Dedication Shikako Dance
・Decorated Float
・Street Shikado Dance
・Hand-tie Ceremony
・Exciting Karaoke Show in the City
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・[Cancelled] 2024 Mamurogawa Festival (fireworks will be held)

The Mamurogawa Festival has been canceled due to the heavy rain disaster that began on July 25th.

In addition, the 71st Mamurogawa Festival Fireworks Display scheduled for the same day will be held in prayer for recovery.

[Date]
Saturday, August 17, 2024Cancelled
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[Events to be held]
● 71st Mamurogawa Festival Fireworks Display: Saturday, August 17th
Time: 19:00-20:30
Location: Mamuro River

・Kanayama Festival

The Kanayama Festival sees gorgeous floats depicting famous scenes from Kabuki and historical themes parade through the town.

It is said that it originally began as a festival of Hachiman Shrine, with a portable shrine procession held by parishioners on August 15th.

This year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the town’s establishment, projection mapping will be held for three days during the Kanayama Festival.

Additionally, on the final day, Friday the 16th, there will be a summer fireworks display, creating a spectacular display of large flowers in the evening over Kanayama.

[Date]
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 [Evening Festival]
15th (Thurs) [Main Festival]
16th (Fri) [Fireworks Festival]
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<August 14th (Wednesday) [Evening Festival]>
・Float parade ・Night sky market
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<Thursday, August 15th [Main Festival]>
・Mikoshi procession ・Dashi float tour ・31st Dashi float competition ・Bon Odori festival ・Nanokamachi Karaoke competition
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<Friday, August 16th [Fireworks Festival]>
・64th Summer Fireworks Festival
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❖ Shonai region

・The 3rd Shonai Kiryu Festival [Shonai Town]

Shonai Town was formed in 2005 (Heisei 17) when the former towns of Amarume and Tachikawa merged.

A new festival was held last year to pray for bountiful harvests and the prosperity of the town, based on the concept of the dragon-related legends that are passed down in the two towns, “Flying Dragon Legend” (formerly Amarume town) and “Dragon God Belief” (formerly Tachikawa town).

Highlights include the Amarume Hiryu Taiko drum performance, dragon carrying experiences by junior high school students, and the dragon dance that will mark the finale, featuring a 40m-long Hiryu dragon and a 30m-long Himeryu dragon dance.

Additionally, food stalls and food trucks featuring delicious foods from Yamagata and Shonai will liven up the festival.

[Date]
Sunday, August 11, 2024 (National Holiday)
[time]
17:30～20:30
* Food stalls and outdoor stall area (15:00-21:00)
[place]
Prefectural Route 44 Shonaimachi Gallery Onsenmachiyu area

・The 42nd Fujishima Summer Festival [Tsuruoka City]

The Fujishima Summer Festival is a festival that can be enjoyed by everyone from children to adults, with activities such as a children’s sumo tournament, fish catching, and a traditional performing arts festival.

The 23rd Tsuruoka Traditional Performing Arts Festival invites traditional performing arts performers from various regions inside and outside the city, and has become Tsuruoka’s representative traditional performing arts festival.

The third Fujirock Festival will have an increased number of performers and is sure to be a big hit!

We hope you enjoy it.

[Date]
Saturday, August 3, 2024
[time]
10:30～19:00
[venue]
Fujishima Area Community Activity Center
[Event Details]
・Fujirock Festival
・The 23rd Tsuruoka Traditional Arts Festival, stalls, festival food stalls, etc.

・[Cancelled] The 38th Shonai Hirata Eyeball Summer Festival [Sakata City]

Yamagata Prefecture is shaped like a human profile, with the Hirata area of Sakata City (formerly Hirata Town) located right where the eyes are.

The Shonai Hirata Eyeball Summer Festival features stage performances, Bon Odori dancing, fireworks and more, all adding to the excitement of Hirata’s hot summer.

There will also be a flea market, food stalls, food trucks, and more.

Please enjoy Hirata’s summer to the fullest.

[Date]
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 cancel
[time]
16:30～20:30
Fireworks: 20:00-20:30
*In the event of bad weather, the fireworks display will be postponed to the 15th (Thurs) and 16th (Fri).
[venue]
Hirata Town Center North Plaza and others
[Contents]
・Hirata District JA Festival Bon Odori, big raffle, flea market, food stalls, food trucks, fireworks, and more

・Sakata Summer Festival [Sakata City]

The Sakata Summer Festival features a dance parade by local citizens accompanied by Sakata Jinku dancers.

Walk-in participation is also possible, so please come and join in the dancing and enjoy the summer in Sakata.

In addition, a large number of festival stalls will gather in Nakadori, offering delicious food, and a MUSIC FES will be held in Central Park to liven up the festival.

[Date]
Sunday, August 11, 2024 (National Holiday)
[time]
11:00～20:45
[venue]
Sakata City Main Street and Main Street
[Contents]
・Festival food stalls gathering ・Sakata Jinku Dance ・Stage event ・Cars and Trucks!
・Hamada Elementary School Traditional Arts Performance

❖ Okitama area

・29th Nagai Water Festival "Mogami River Fireworks Display"

A water-themed summer event held in Nagai, the water town that is the birthplace of the Mogami River!

At the Water Supply and Sewage Exhibition in the Water Festival, there will be activities such as underwater coin drop and water gun shooting, as well as a product exhibition of tropical specialties from Kin Town, Okinawa Prefecture, which is very popular every year.

The finale will be a fireworks display that beautifully colors the surface of the Mogami River.

It is a summer tradition in Nagai, attracting many people from children to adults.

[Date]
Saturday, August 3, 2024
[time]
Opening Ceremony : 9:30~
Mogami river fireworks display : 19:30 (launch start)
[place]
Mogami River Green Park (Funaba)
[Paid seats]
・Family seat (4 people/table and chairs) : 4,000 yen
・Pair seats (2 people/vinyl bed) : 3,000 yen
<Application start date>
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 9:00- (until 17:00 on weekdays only)
＜Inquiry＞
Nagai City Tourism Association ☎ 0238-88-5279

・Kawanishi Summer Festival 2024

With the theme of “This is my summer, my pride,” the event will feature a packed schedule including fireworks, food and drink sales at food stalls, and traditional performing arts performances.

Come enjoy a lively summer evening with your family and friends.

[Date]
Sunday, August 11, 2024 (National Holiday)
[time]
16:00～20:30
[venue]
Around Kawanishi Town Hall

・The 58th Takahata Summer Festival "Green Bamboo Lantern Festival"

The Takahata Summer Festival “Green Bamboo Lantern Festival” is celebrating its 58th anniversary.

In addition to the Mikoshi parade and the folk song parade, various other events will be held.

Please enjoy this experience with your family and friends.

[Date]
Thursday, August 15th and Friday, August 16th, 2024
[time]
15th (Thu): 11:00-21:00
16th (Fri): 17:00-21:00
[Contents]
・Mikoshi Parade (15th)
・Mikomiko Lantern Festival (15th)
・Folk Song Parade (16th)
・Aotake Market in Takahata (both days)
・Stage events (both days)