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Where it's at
Most guide books will tell you to steer clear of Japan in
the summer months because of the intense heat and crippling
humidity; it's not bad advice but you'll miss out on some
of the best festivals Japan has to offer. With their roots
based in ancient folklore, these colorful spectacles are still
very much part of contemporary society. The Kanto Matsuri
in the city of Akita, in the northeast of Honshu
(mainland Japan), is one of the country's biggest summer festivals.
It has been designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural
Property.
History of the Kanto Festival
In the summertime the many festivals around the country have
a common theme: a bountiful harvest and protecting the spirits
of ancestors as they return home. Legend has it the Kanto
Festival is supposed to banish the sandman who brings sleep
during the long, hot days of the harvest season.
The Kanto Festival dates back to the middle of the eighteenth
century. It originates from a combination of rites requesting
good harvests and protection of physical health by ridding
the body of impurities and evil spirits. In summer the climate
is very hot and it is difficult to work enough to make a decent
living, so it was much easier just to take a nap. However,
people were afraid of catching sleeping sickness during this
time of year. To eliminate drowsiness, the Kanto Festival
was started.
What happens at the Kanto Festival?
Held annually from August 5th to 7th, it has become the symbol
of Akita, a leading rice-growing area. During the festival,
1.3 million people throng the city streets.
Today's kanto are made of many candle-lit lanterns mounted
on a bamboo frame to represent ears of rice. Kanto can weigh
up to 50 kg (110 lbs.), rise twelve meters (13.2 yd.) into
the air and suspend 46 lanterns. With more than 200 kantos,
the number of individual lanterns is around 10,000. Supporting
these lights are 3,000 people, including performers who demonstrate
their skills at balancing the kanto on their palms, foreheads,
shoulders, and hips.
The musical instruments used in the Kanto Festival are the
traditional Japanese drum, flute, and bell. Two types of music
are played: one is for marching and the other is for the kanto
performance itself.
The kanto performance depends very much on the weather. If
there is no wind at all, the kanto can feel very heavy to
the performer. A strong wind can cause the kanto to fall down,
to the amusement of the spectators. When a kanto falls down,
the air flow from the bottom of the lantern usually blows
out the candle so lantern fires seldom occur.
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