Akita Kantō Matsuri

photo by 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0

photo by 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0

The largest pole weighs 50 kg, is 12 m tall and carries 46 lanterns: balanced on a single hand.

For four evenings, dozens of bamboo poles hung with paper lanterns (the kantō, designed to look like heavy ears of rice) are balanced on the palm, forehead, shoulder or hips of the bearers along Kantō-dōri avenue. The largest pole, the dai-waka, weighs 50 kg and is 12 metres tall with 46 lanterns; the smallest, 5 metres tall, are entrusted to children. A national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property since 1980.

Its roots lie in the Edo-period summer purification rite against the torpor of the heat (eyamidoshi); the form with lanterns took shape around the Kansei period, at the end of the eighteenth century, modelled on the lantern displays of local merchants. It is held every year from 3 to 6 August along Kantō-dōri avenue, in the centre of Akita.

ℹ️ There is a daytime technical competition (昼竿燈) and the main evening performance (夜本番) after dark, from 3 to 6 August; the avenue is public and watching from the pavement is free, while numbered seats must be paid for. 10–15 minutes’ walk from JR Akita Station.

🚉 Akita · 19 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · kantou.gr.jp

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