☆ Handa Dashi Festival ☆

Do you know “Dashi”? It is a Japanese float. I’d like to dare to call it Dashi in Japanese. My hometown Handa (in Aichi) is famous for Dashi. “Handa Dashi Festival” is held splendidly every 5 years. It is rarer than the Olympics. The sixth Handa Dashi Festival was held in October 6-7 last year, so you have to wait the next festival till 2011. In passing, it is said that more than 480 thousand people came to Handa to watch Dashi from all over the country and the world.

In Handa there are 31 Dashi in all, and then all of them gather. Each group pulls each Dashi and parades the streets in the city. Attraction is sculptures, curtains, windup dolls and musical accompaniments. I’m sure that you feel the history, solemnity and beauty. Because there are also street stalls, you can enjoy eating and drinking, watching Dashi.

Already have you become to want to come to Handa and watch Dashi nearby? I hope you are impressed with Dashi when you watch them. Oh, I have to warn that you shouldn’t pick a fight with groups of the festival because they are like gangs.

Enjoy!!