A popular festival is being held in Fukuoka in western Japan for the first time in three years. The two-day Hakata Dontaku Port Festival kicked off on Tuesday.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival for the last two years.
The festival, which features music and dances, originates in a folk event dating back more than 800 years.
People lined the streets from the morning to watch dancers and musicians perform on stage. A parade through central Fukuoka started in the afternoon.
More than 8,000 people from about 100 groups were due to take part in the parade. It is the highlight of the festival, although the procession will be limited to about half the usual size.
A local resident said that his child, who watched the festival before the pandemic, had probably forgotten what it was like.
He said the Hakata Dontaku is important to the people of Fukuoka, so he is pleased to be able to watch it for the first time in three years.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival for the last two years.
The festival, which features music and dances, originates in a folk event dating back more than 800 years.
People lined the streets from the morning to watch dancers and musicians perform on stage. A parade through central Fukuoka started in the afternoon.
More than 8,000 people from about 100 groups were due to take part in the parade. It is the highlight of the festival, although the procession will be limited to about half the usual size.
A local resident said that his child, who watched the festival before the pandemic, had probably forgotten what it was like.
He said the Hakata Dontaku is important to the people of Fukuoka, so he is pleased to be able to watch it for the first time in three years.
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Summary
Hakata Dontaku Port Festival, a 800-year-old event featuring music and dance, resumed in Fukuoka after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over 8,000 participants took part in the festival's highlights: stage performances in the morning and an afternoon parade through central
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ID: 627118a6-0494-49ef-ad06-675ac0a80b98
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220503_16/
Date: May 3, 2022
Created: 2022/05/03 20:57
Updated: 2025/12/09 16:36
Last Read: 2022/05/03 20:57