Latest news with #TanabataFestival
SoraNews24
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Towering lanterns light up the summer sky at Akita's famous festival
Watch performers balance spectacular lantern poles on their chins in an unforgettable summer festival. With a quasi-holiday celebrating all of the people surnamed Sato, and a festival for verbal abuse, it can sometimes feel like Japan has an event for almost everything. With summer well underway, many towns and cities are gearing up for summer festivals full of fireworks, shaved ice, and a whole lot of bug spray. However, if you head up to Akita City in early August, you'll discover something a little bit different: a festival based entirely around lots of candle-lit lanterns on very large poles. One of the Tohoku region's three great festivals, along with Sendai's Tanabata Festival and Aomori's Nebuta Festival, the Kanto Festival of Akita traces its roots back around 270 years to a midsummer ritual designed to drive away illness and evil spirits. Today, it's an event that draws crowds of people to witness participants hoisting up to 12-meter-long (39-foot) bamboo poles called kanto (literally 'pole lights'), adorned with up to 46 lanterns and weighing up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). ▼ And boy do they bend! These lengthy poles are used by performers to showcase impressive skills as they balance these swaying giants on their palms, foreheads, shoulders, and even hips, all to the tune of taiko drums, and chants of 'Dokkoisho! Dokkoisho!' from the spectating crowd. ▼ Check out these professional balancing skills There's more to these lanterns than meets the eye, though. The candles used are given out at the end of the night as charms for safe childbirth, and the shorter the candle the shorter the labor time is believed to be, so anyone with a little one on the way might want to go and get a hold of the shortest one you can get your hands on. With all of that fire waving about up in the air, some people might wonder about the possibility of a bundle of flame randomly dropping on their heads as the poles sway to and fro. However, thanks to some clever engineering using holes at the base of the lantern, if they happen to swing a bit too wildly, the wind will extinguish the candle, preventing any unfortunate heads-being-set-alight incidents. ▼ Beautiful and not-so-deadly is a great combination. The festival is split into two parts: the main evening performances, and the skill competition during the day. Starting from August 3 and lasting until August 6, the evening section is held between 6:50 p.m. and 8:50 p.m. on Kanto Odori, about a 20-minute walk from Akita Station. After the performance finishes, there is an interactive kanto experience, where visitors can touch the kanto and take photos with them. The preliminaries for the daytime skill competition will be held on August 4 and 5 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:40 p.m., and the finals on August 6 from 9:20 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Nigiwai Park next to the Akita Museum of Art. If it happens to rain, the competition will instead move indoors to the CNA Arena Akita. From noon there will be an opportunity for visitors to experience lifting the kanto themselves, alongside the music, and if you happen to be one of the first 100 people, you will even get a free traditional mameshibori cloth, which could be used to wrap lunch boxes or as a tea towel or head scarf. While you'll no doubt be able to see the towering behemoths as you walk past, to have the best view, you'll want to consider getting a seat. The seats are split into four tiers, with both adults and children paying the same price: a tatami box seat for six people (28,000 yen [US$190.63]), S Seat (4,500 yen), A Seat (4,000 yen), and B Seat (3,500 yen). However, do take note that only A and B Seats remain, and are being swept up fast. Reservations can be made by phone or online through one of the ticket purchasing sites in the link at the end of the article, and there are special places for wheelchair users, but you will have to phone them to reserve a space, as it can't be done online. Fireworks are a mainstay of Japanese summers, but how about changing things up a little and watching the skies light up with poles covered in lanterns this August? Of course, while also taking the opportunity to give it a go yourself. Event information Evening performances August 3–6 (6:50 p.m.–8:50 p.m.) Location: Kanto Odori / 竿燈大通り Skill Competition / 妙技大会 Preliminaries: August 4–5 (9:00 a.m.–3:40 p.m.) Finals: August 6 (9:20 a.m.–3:00 p.m.) Venue: Nigiwai Hiroba / にぎわい広場; (if raining) CNA Arena Akita (Akita-shiritsu Taiikukan) CNAアリーナ★あきた（秋田市立体育館） Inquiries and reservations: Telephone: 018-866-9977 (Weekdays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) Seat Reservation Website Related: Kanto Festival official website Source: PR Times Top image: PR Times Insert images: PR Times (1, 2) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Zawya
UAE Pavilion celebrates two million visitors with a celebration of hope and shared dreams
The milestone coincides with Japan's Tanabata Festival, reinforcing the Pavilion's commitment to cultural exchange and collective aspirations. Osaka, Japan: The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, today celebrated a major milestone as it welcomed its two millionth visitor, affirming its status as a destination of inspiration, dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. The milestone was marked with a special celebration inspired by Japan's beloved Tanabata Festival, reinforcing the Pavilion's ethos of shared experiences and collective hope for the future. As part of the celebration, visitors were invited to write their wishes for a better future on custom-designed Tanzaku cards and hang them on the Pavilion's outdoor signage. Tanabata is a traditional Japanese festival that has been cherished for generations. Rooted in themes of love, hope and dreams, it invites people to write their wishes on colourful Tanzaku strips and hang them on bamboo branches, with the belief that their hopes will be carried to the sky. The celebrations, which drew thousands of participants, featured palm leaves in place of bamboo, echoing the UAE Pavilion's symbolic date palm. Wishes were hung upon them, transforming the Pavilion's forecourt into a vibrant visual symbol of dreams and aspirations. Designed under the theme 'Earth to Ether,' the UAE Pavilion offers a multi-sensory experience across five thematic zones that reflect the UAE's story of heritage, ambition, and innovation. Visitors have consistently praised its immersive storytelling, architecture, and warm hospitality, all of which underscore the UAE's commitment to forging meaningful international partnerships and creating inclusive platforms for dialogue. His Excellency Shihab Alfaheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said: 'We are deeply honoured to have welcomed two million visitors to the UAE Pavilion. This reflects the world's interest, trust, and connection with the UAE's journey. By celebrating this milestone during Tanabata, we not only honoured a cherished Japanese tradition but also embraced the spirit of cultural exchange that defines Expo 2025. Our Pavilion continues to be a living space of ideas, creativity and shared values.' Since its opening in April, the UAE Pavilion has hosted a variety of impactful events, cultural showcases, and thematic activations. These have included expert talks, cultural performances, creative workshops, Emirati cuisine demonstrations, and exhibitions by Emirati artists alongside collaborative dialogues, each carefully curated to engage diverse audiences and provide meaningful insights into the UAE's culture, values, and spirit of collaboration. Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, runs until October 13, 2025. The UAE Pavilion remains open to all visitors throughout the Expo, offering a powerful, human-centred perspective on how nations can come together to shape a better tomorrow. About UAE Expo Office The UAE Expo Office serves as a national platform to convene people, ideas, and innovations in service of global progress. Incubated by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office leads the UAE's strategic participation at international expositions — most recently Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. The UAE Expo Office was created with a clear purpose: to bring together people and innovations to address challenges facing humanity. Guided by the values of optimism, openness, ambition, and resilience, the Office delivers magnetic and meaningful experiences that inspire action and foster collaboration across cultures, sectors, and generations. Through curated programming and strategic partnerships, the UAE Expo Office designs environments that accelerate progress — connecting global audiences and catalysing solutions in education, healthcare, sustainable technologies, and space exploration. In doing so, it contributes mindfully to the overarching goals of each Expo, while generating distinctive value for the UAE through content, ideas, and initiatives that may not otherwise have emerged. At Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Expo Office aims to bring joy, curiosity, and collaboration to every visitor encounter. Its work is anchored in the UAE's vision for inclusive global development, and its programming will empower new thinking, shared purpose, and collective progress—from the Earth to the Ether. About UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka The UAE Pavilion, Earth to Ether, is an immersive multisensory journey through the UAE story, from our values and cultural heritage to our pioneering innovations. Our Japanese and Emirati Youth Ambassadors will welcome you to learn about our Explorers of Space, Catalysts of Healthcare, and Stewards of Sustainability, who are drawing on heritage and cutting-edge technology to tackle global challenges. Join us in accelerating collective progress towards a flourishing future for all life, from Earth to Ether. Taking design inspiration from our cherished date palm tree, we reimagined areesh, traditional vernacular architecture of the UAE. Fusing agricultural date palm waste with Japanese woodworking expertise, the pavilion bonds our two cultures in the spirit of collaboration. From our first pavilion in Expo Osaka '70, to our nation's hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai, we have an enduring legacy of gathering with the world to accelerate collective progress. As we return to Osaka, discover how tradition drives progress as we push the boundaries of what is possible–drawing on our heritage to create a lasting legacy of impact. Visitors can also experience an authentic Emirati culinary experience at our restaurant, peruse a curated selection of products by UAE-based creatives at our shop, and enjoy a dynamic range of programs activated in our workshop space. The UAE Pavilion, Earth to Ether, is located in the Empowering Lives zone, near the Japanese Pavilion and Shining Hat exhibition hall. We are welcoming guests daily between 09:00 and 21:00, April 13 to October 13, during Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. For more information, please visit the Pavilion website: You can also follow the pavilion on our social media channels: Instagram: @uaeatexpo X: @uaeatexpo LinkedIn: @uaeatexpo YouTube: @uaeatexpo TikTok: @uaeatexpo2025 Facebook: @uaeatexpo For media enquiries, please contact: media@
The Mainichi
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
High schoolers demonstrate calligraphy for upcoming star festival in Japan's Shizuoka Pref.
NUMAZU, Shizuoka -- Members of the calligraphy club at a local high school performed a live calligraphy demonstration on giant "tanzaku" paper strips for the upcoming Tanabata star festival at a shopping street here on June 15. The event aimed to revitalize the Numazu Nakamise Shopping Street in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and bring vibrancy to the city center. Both tanzaku measured about 50 meters in length and 1.1 meters in width. During the Tanabata Festival from June 27 to July 7, shoppers can write their wishes in the blank spaces, and the strips will be displayed from July 8. The calligraphers were Mana Kurita and Kanna Uemura, both third-year students at prefectural Numazu Nishi High School. Dressed in green "hakama" traditional trousers and black "tabi" socks, they stood in the center of the shopping street, each holding an extra-thick brush about 50 centimeters long and 10 centimeters in diameter. With a spirited shout, Uemura boldly wrote, "Celebrating the 70th Numazu Nakamise Tanabata Festival," while Kurita, with a light touch, wrote, "May everyone's wishes reach the stars in this 70th year!" The performance drew applause from shoppers who stopped to watch. Kurita commented, "I was very nervous performing in front of so many people, but I think I did well. I put my heart into it, hoping everyone's wishes come true." (Japanese original by Hiroshi Ishikawa, Numazu Local Bureau)
Pink Villa
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Maebashi Witches Episode 9: Eiko Zen Returns To The Shop—Recap, Release Date, Where To Stream And More
In ' You Sure Are An Idiot, Kyoka,' the girls noticed a gloom over the shop with Choco absent and Yuina falling sick before the Tanabata Festival. Despite uncertainties, they decided to reopen on the festival day. Meanwhile, Choco was still juggling her many responsibilities. When Tanabata arrived, Choco returned. With Keroppe's help, she managed to show everyone her situation. She apologized to Kyoka, who realized she had misunderstood her. Choco's siblings then arrived as customers, and their wish—to cheer Kyoka up—was granted, restoring harmony among the girls. Expected plot in Maebashi Witches Episode 9 Maebashi Witches Episode 9 will begin with the shop bustling during summer break. Yuina, realizing they have not had any 'summer fun,' will suggest doing something festive together. However, Azu, who cannot leave the shop, will appear to be uninterested. The story will take a turn with the reappearance of Eiko Zen, the Maebashi Witches' very first customer, who was introduced in Episode 1. As the season quickly approaches its end, the episode's focus may shift toward Yuina, whose inner story is yet to be explored. Maebashi Witches Episode 9, titled 'Maebashi Witches Are Eternal and Immortal,' is set to debut on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at 10:30 pm JST. Depending on the viewer's location, the episode may be available in the early morning or afternoon the same day. The episode will first premiere in Japan on Tokyo MX. It will then be broadcast on BS11 at 12:30 am JST on June 2, 2025, and on Gunma TV at 11:30 pm JST on June 6, 2025. Viewers can also watch Maebashi Witches Episode 9 on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video, and other platforms with a subscription. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on the Maebashi Witches anime.
Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Maebashi Witches Episode 8: The Flower Shop Has A Staff Shortage—Recap, Release Date, Where To Stream And More
In ' When Things Suck, It Sucks to Admit That They Suck,' an old woman entered the shop, triggering Choco's uncharacteristically rude reaction. The others fulfilled the woman's wish anyway, leading to Kyoka confronting Choco, who remained indifferent and left. Kyoka avoided discussing her own burdens, instead immersing herself in anime. While distributing flyers, Choco became increasingly distant. After collapsing, Yuina —disguised as Choco by Keroppe's magic—witnessed Choco's responsibilities firsthand. Through heartfelt conversation, Choco admitted her exhaustion and desire to protect her siblings, strengthening her bond with Yuina. Maebashi Witches Episode 8 will begin with Choco informing the group that she will take time off from the flower shop. Despite her efforts to stay cheerful, Yuina falls ill, leaving her unable to participate. Kyoka proposes keeping the shop open regardless of their reduced numbers. With Choco and Kyoka still estranged and Yuina out of action, some tensions will persist within the group. As the Tanabata Festival day approaches, the strained relationships and mounting pressure will challenge the remaining members. Maebashi Witches Episode 8, titled 'You Sure Are An Idiot, Kyoka,' will be premiering on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at 10:30 pm JST. Depending on time zone differences, some international viewers may be able to watch it earlier the same day. As detailed on the anime's official website, Maebashi Witches Episode 8 will first air on Tokyo MX, followed by a broadcast on BS11 on May 26 at 12:30 am, and on Gunma TV on May 30 at 11:30 pm JST. It will also be available for streaming on platforms such as Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video, milplus, and other paid services. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates from the Maebashi Witches anime.
