![]() ![]() The area also gets rather muddy, so I would wear a good pair of shoes you don't mind getting dirty. So remember to cover up and apply sunscreen. There’s even a beer tent so if you wish to match the levels of intoxication of the kite fliers…Ī word of warning-this time of year it can be extremely warm and if you're as pale as a sheet you'll get sunburn as there is very little shade. The flying area itself is lined with the usual festival stalls selling food such as yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and chocolate bananas. You can also wear a happi coat and pose by some of the kites while having your picture taken. It's staffed by English-speaking volunteers who will help you take part, but it does require a lot of skill and strength. There’s a demonstration area near where the shuttle bus stops. It's lots of fun to see the groups launching and flying the kites. In the weeks prior, districts will practice chanting, blowing trumpets, banging drums, and generally making noise. The kites themselves represent a newborn boy and at various points in the day, the group will hoist the child onto the father's shoulders and jiggle him around near the kite making lots of noise and scaring the child. This event has no start time (some teams arrive at 5 am!) but I find arriving between 9 to 10 am is a good time as things begin to get into full swing. Teams will frequently have to repair the kites at which point they will most likely have some sake before relaunching and you will see teams carrying the kites around. As these are quite large kites they have a habit of crashing (so beware when you're walking around). The teams themselves wear happi coats with their district emblazoned on them. They're decorated with a paper sheet that has the emblem of the district and are attached to long 5mm hemp strings. Each district (or neighborhood) designs and builds a kite that is around 3.5m x 3.5m in size. Over the three-day festival, kites are flown by neighborhood or district teams from Hamamatsu. There will be a sign for which bus to get (250 yen each way). ![]() Take a shuttle bus from the bus station near JR Hamamatsu. The main event of the festival is kite flying, which takes place at Nakatajima dune by the sea and is free to watch. It dates back to the 16th century when large kites were flown in celebration of the birth of a baby son to the Lord of Hamamatsu Castle. At 450 years old, this traditional festival is still going strong. More than an initiation, it was an encounter with a true artist who perpetuates an ancestral art, unfortunately now in decline in Japan.One of the most famous festivals held during Golden Week in Japan (early May) is the Hamamatsu Festival. Ono – the president the Yuzawa Kites Association. Japanese kites are among the most spectacular in the world, both for their aesthetic value and for the tradition they perpetuate, not to mention the pleasure they bring.ĭuring my stay in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture, I had the opportunity to discover the secrets of the creation of these masterpieces, in Shunpu-Kan (春風館), the workshop of Mr. Decorated with the most beautiful colours, the most original shapes and drawings most often represent historical Japanese characters from Kabuki theater they have a religious and symbolic meaning. There are hundreds of styles and types of kites, and each region has its own shape. Aside from being a hobby that enables one to enjoy the outdoors, kites are an integral part of traditional Japanese art. Have you ever flown a kite before? While in Western countries, kites are considered a child’s toy, in Japan, they are enjoyed by people of all ages.
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