Japanese Festivals: Hamamatsu Matsuri, a Japanese Carnival?

Hamamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, located in the central part of Japan, is one of the cities designated by decree in Japan, and is home to the factories of many familiar Japanese brands, such as automobile makers Suzuki and Honda, and musical instrument maker Yamaha, making it a city that combines ancient heritage with modern vigor. So today's Japanese festival introduces you to the Hamamatsu Matsuri, a folkloric festival held here every year.

Hamamamatsu is a familiar name to those who are fond of Japanese history, and the historical site of Hamamatsu Castle, where Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate, spent his youth, is located in present-day Hamamatsu City, which is held on May 3-5 every year. The Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival, held in Hamamatsu on May 3-5 every year, is famous throughout Japan for its spectacular kite-flying contests and gorgeous parade of floats, and is said to have been started by the lord of the castle more than 400 years ago to celebrate the birth of his eldest son.

The Hamamatsu Matsuri is characterized by two main attractions: the Kite Festival at Enshu Beach during the day and the Yadai Festival at night. "The "Kite Festival" originates from the Hamamatsu tradition, in which families fly kites at the Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival for the first boy born in the family, but in recent years, due to the influence of "childlessness" in Japanese society, some families have started to fly kites for the first boy born in the family. However, in recent years, due to the influence of "childlessness" in Japanese society, some families have begun to make kites for girls as well, and because it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for a child, it is highly valued by adults.

The kites used in the "Kite Festival" are generally three to eight tatami mats in size (a tatami mat is about 1.2 square meters). For such a large kite, the string attached to it is almost as thick as a well rope, and is nearly several hundred meters long. It was a touching sight when the kite was carried up to the sky on the Far Island beach by a child's father and a dozen or so young men dancing on the rope with the strong wind blowing from the Pacific Ocean amidst the noisy sound of drums and music.

The best kite-flying event to watch is the "Kite Battle" at the end of the festival, when hundreds of kites fight in the air and nearly 1,000 people tumble across the ground to the beat of drums and music, a spectacular sight that will surely lift your spirits as a spectator.

The second highlight of the Hamamatsu Matsuri is the Yadai festival, which starts every evening during the festival. "The yatai is a beautifully carved wooden float, generally divided into two floors, 5.6 meters high and 6.7 meters long, weighing about 5 tons and pulled entirely by human power.

"Yakadai" is basically a community-based unit, each "Yakadai" is decorated with lamps representing its own community, and the vehicle is brightly lit, with a dozen or so costumed maidens sitting on the upper tier, holding traditional Japanese folk instruments and playing pleasant Japanese The upper deck is filled with a dozen or so young girls in costume, holding traditional Japanese folk instruments and playing pleasant Japanese folk songs. Below them, people living in the community gather and slowly march along the main streets of Hamamatsu, often late into the night, pulling the yatai.

Participating in a Japanese "matsuri" is an excellent opportunity to experience the traditional folklore hidden behind modern Japan, and it is an experience not to be missed as visitors can see the warmth and boldness of the Japanese people, who have always been courteous and even a bit aloof.

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