Marugame Castle festival delights with lively performances
The 76th Marugame Castle Festival took place earlier this month, bringing vibrant energy to the historic city of Marugame in Kagawa Prefecture.
Blessed with fine weather, many families attended the last day of the two-day festival on May 4 and enjoyed a wide variety of events, including traditional lion dancing, impersonations and a comedy performance by comedians from the Yoshimoto Kogyo Group.
The lion dance was performed by 24 groups from inside and outside the city, beginning at 10 a.m. simultaneously on the moat-side stage and civic square.
Performers dressed in striking lion costumes, ranging from black and white fur to vividly patterned fabrics, moved majestically to the sound of bells and the rhythm of drums.
Children wearing traditional Japanese "happi" jackets and beating drums were also seen at the venue.
"It was fun to get rowdy and raise our voices together," said Niko Mori, a member of a youth lion dance troupe from the nearby city of Mitoyo. "I want to keep my local tradition alive," the 11-year-old added with a smile.
On a stage set up in Marugame Castle, impersonator Seiko Maneda passionately sang songs by famous Japanese singer Seiko Matsuda.
She stepped off stage to shake hands with the crowd, prompting many to clap and sing along, while some teared up.
Street performances and action hero shows took place at various locations, while a comedy show by five groups of Yoshimoto comedians, including Moody Katsuyama and the Biscuit Brothers, whose member Kin-san hails from Marugame, brought laughter to the venue as the festival came to a joyous close.
The Shikoku Shimbun
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