Japan Parade in New York features traditional dance from Toyama
An annual parade showcasing Japanese culture has been held in New York, featuring performances including a traditional dance from the Japanese city of Toyama.
Participants in "Japan Parade" included groups representing different prefectures of Japan, such as Wakayama and Tokushima. They marched down a main avenue running along Central Park on Saturday, while giving dance and drum performances.
Toyama City was invited to take part in the event this year after being selected by The New York Times as one of the "52 Places to Go in 2025." A group performed the "Owara Kaze no Bon" dance, which is usually done at an annual festival in Toyama.
The city set up a booth at the event to promote its attractions as a tourist destination, distributing towels featuring Toyama Castle and other designs.
A person who received a brochure at the booth said: "I don't think I knew too much about Toyama, so I'm excited to learn more about it. I think it's important to go see the whole country, not just Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka."
Toyama Mayor Fujii Hirohisa took part in the parade wearing traditional Japanese armor. He said visitors to a regional city can get a taste of Japanese culture, tradition and friendly connections with the people, as well as local sake and specialties unique to the region.
The mayor expressed hope for more visitors to regional areas, saying that people in his city will welcome them with the spirit of hospitality.
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