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The Akagawa fireworks display is held along the Akagawa riverside in early August. About 13,000
fireworks are displayed. It is among the 50 best fireworks displays in Japan.
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From mid to late April, a Tea ceremony and Tanka party are held in the Tsuruoka park, one of
the most famous parks for its cherry blossoms in Yamagata prefecture.
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The Yutagawa plum festival is held from the last ten days of March to early April.
The festival is bustling outdoors with tea ceremonies and tea shops. Each hotel sells its special lunch boxes.
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On April 15, people carry a portable shrine with a drums and pipes performance. They parade around the residential area for 3 or 4 hours.
It is the heroic festival where they finally reach the Nezgaseki River and then enter the water.
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In mid-February, a 20 meter – high slide is made in the Yudonosan Skiing ground. The Nabe Festival is also held then.
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August14th and 15th. For 2days, the main event is a Daimyo’s procession which re-enacts the Shounai
clan’s Sankinkotai (a system under feudalism in the Edo period. Clans or lords were required to spend every two years in residence in Edo.) About 500 people join the procession.
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June 5th. It is a festival for a dog that exterminated a monster, Mujina, which lived in a mountain behind the shrine.
People carry a portable shrine for the dog and march along the street.
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Held in mid-June. About 90 kinds of 3,000 roses bloom in the Atsumi hot spring rose garden in a shrine from June to the end of October.
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Held at the beginning of August. Many kinds of lion dances are handed down in Fujishima.
Lion performers gather to dance for this Shonai entertainment festival and compete with their dances.
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May 25th. People wear showy full-length undergarments worn under kimono and cover their faces with face towels and a braided straw hat.
These people bring a sake bottle and small cups to entertain other people without speaking. It is also called the “disguise festival”.
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Held at the beginning of September to commemorate the selling of Gassan wine. You can enjoy the greatoutdoors, traditional dishes and fine quality wine.
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December 17th. This is an annual festival of the temple dedicated to the Kannon in Nanokamachi.
Surrounding the temple, many stalls sell some traditional New Year’s Decorations like Dharma dolls, bamboo rakes and battledores.
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May 3rd and November 23rd. This Noh play has been inherited in the Yamairagawa area.
Yuhi Noh is performed as the sunsets in the Sea of Japan at the end of August.
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May 3rd and November 23rd. This Kabuki play with Yamato Noh is dedicated to the shrine.
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Held at the end of January. Dongarajiru is a hot pot dish using whole fatty codfish. It is the popular menu of winter in Tsuruoka.
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February 27th. It is held in the beginning of the mountaineering season. Associated with helping
each other walk the mountain path, this festival is also called the“matchmaking festival”.
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Feb 1st and 2nd. It is an important national intangible cultural asset. As a Shinto ritual Noh
of Kasuga shrine, it has been succeeded for 500 years. People move the object
of worship in a Shinto Shrine for a good harvest in the coming year. Candle Noh (the last Sat. in Feb.) is also performed for the shrine.
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The plays are performed on the special outdoor stage on the water with lit torches.
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 March to early April, ancient Hina dolls are displayed in various places. |
 Chido Museum Shonai Shrine’s Treasure Repository Tatsunoyu (Yunohama Hot Spring） Old Kazama House （Heishindo） Matsugaoka Cultivation Memorial Hall Yutagawa Hot Spring (former Shirahata mansion house) |
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This site was edited and translated by the Dewa Shonai International
Exchange Foundation. The information is based on the visitor’s
brochure, “Tsuruoka” which was made by Tsuruoka city.
Information Tourism and Local Products Division of Tsuru oka city Tel: 0235-25-2111 Fax: 0235-25-7111 E-mail : kanko@city.tsuruoka.yamagata.jp Tsuruoka Tourism Information Center Tel・Fax: 0235-25-7678 Information in Other Languages (English, Chinese, Koran) Dewa Shonai International Forum Tel: 0235- 25-3600 Fax:0235- 25-3605 E-mail : info@dewakoku.or.jp The foreign language sites were made thanks to contribution by the Tsuruoka Nishi Rotary Club. | |