5 days ago
Women take part for first time in central Japan town's festival
Women have taken part for the first time in a traditional festival in a town in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.
The evening event of the two-day Sunari Festival was held on Saturday in the Sunari district of Kanie Town.
The festival started with flute music performed by six children and two adults in front of a sacred object of Shinto worship.
Later in the evening, a boat decorated with about 200 lanterns cruised up a river to the sound of drums and flute.
Seven women joined the men on board.
The festival at two local Shinto shrines has been held for about 400 years to pray for bountiful harvests and good health. It is on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage as part of the Float Festivals of Japan.
The organizers called on women to join for the first time this year as the participants are aging and fewer young people now take part.
A woman who took part with her daughter says she wants to liven up the festival together with other people as she will continue to live in this area.
The head of the Sunari Cultural Properties Protection Committee, Baba Tsuneyuki, says they are making use of women's power as the number of participants is decreasing. He expressed hope that the festival will keep going.
