Highlights
- 10,000 dancers in dazzling flower-hat costumes
- Decorated floats leading the night parade
- Live taiko and the signature 'Hanagasa Ondo' chant
Background & story
Begun in 1963, the dance derives from work songs sung while building irrigation reservoirs, with the flower hats representing local safflowers.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Approx. 10-min walk from Yamagata Station (Yamagata Shinkansen) Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, families, groups of friends
Good to know
It's one of Tohoku's big four festivals in early August — combine it with Sendai or Akita on a festival tour.
Getting there
Tokamachi–Honcho main street, Yamagata — Honcho, Yamagata, Yamagata 990-0043