Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Well come to spring!

Children and men’s wearing red-kimono dance around the traditional drums and beat the drum around the city of Katsuyama, Fukui prefecture in north Japan. That all of performance held top of the specially prepared 12 wood stages placed at various street junctions in the city and it called"Katsuyama Sagicho Festival".


Which festival had more than 300 years history from Heian period.Katsuyama Sagicho is type of harvest festival, When I was visit Katsuyama during the festival I seen city’s so lively run with drum sound and songs of folk poetry. Also many people gathering around the performance functioning street side stage and eat food from roadside food stall. It’s like real festival picture in the street.

Every year last weekend of February they are performing Sagicho, "spring welcome" festival and people pray for a successes harvest and safety coming year. Drums herald the start of the festival on the last Saturday in February. The festival continues until midnight on the following day. The festival ends with the lighting of several huge bonfires on the shores of the Kuzuryu River. Tradition says that the beautiful bonfire reflecting against the winter sky will appease and delight the gods as they return to their home.