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Matthew Haswell | profile | all galleries >> Japan 日本 >> Japanese Festivals 日本の祭り >> Akita Kantō Matsuri 秋田竿燈祭 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 青森ねぶた祭 | Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri 弘前ねぷた祭 | Goshogawara Tachineputa Matsuri 五所川原立佞武多 | Akita Kantō Matsuri 秋田竿燈祭 | Nagoya Matsuri 名古屋祭り | Hirokōji Natsu Matsuri in Nagoya 広小路夏祭り | Arimatsu Shibori Matsuri 有松絞り祭 | Hime-no-miya Matsuri in Inuyama 犬山の姫の宮祭り | Hōnen Matsuri in Komaki 小牧の豊年祭 | Ichinomiya Tanabata Matsuri 一宮七夕祭り | Hikone-jō Matsuri 彦根城祭り | Tottori Shan Shan Matsuri 鳥取しゃんしゃん祭 | Hirado Jangara Matsuri 平戸ジャンガラ祭 | Naha Matsuri 那覇祭り

Akita Kantō Matsuri 秋田竿燈祭

One of Tōhoku's "Big Three" summer festivals, Akita's Kantō Matsuri is held from the 5th to the 7th of August every calendar year. Held in honor of the coming harvest, the festival is focused around its grand display of kantō - tall bamboo poles hung with paper lanterns (said to resemble ears of rice) that can weigh up to 60kg. During the night events, the kantō are paraded down Akita's main streets, with young men hoisting them up and balancing them upon hand, head, shoulder and hip.
Folding up lanterns
Folding up lanterns		 Chatting with festival visitors
Chatting with festival visitors		 Row of kantō lanterns
Row of kantō lanterns		 Shirt motif of a rabbit making mochi
Shirt motif of a rabbit making mochi
Souvenir fan!
Souvenir fan!		 Pre-event kantō competition near Akita Station
Pre-event kantō competition near Akita Station		 Pounding the taiko
Pounding the taiko		 Lifting the kantō up with a single hand
Lifting the kantō up with a single hand
Posing by the kantō
Posing by the kantō		 Kantō lantern detail
Kantō lantern detail		 Placing a kantō atop the forehead
Placing a kantō atop the forehead		 Head balancing act in Senshū-kōen
Head balancing act in Senshū-kōen
Kantō set upon the shoulder
Kantō set upon the shoulder		 Crowd gathered to watch the competition
Crowd gathered to watch the competition		 Kantō bending off the hip
Kantō bending off the hip		 Tourists watching the show
Tourists watching the show
Banners fluttering below the kantō
Banners fluttering below the kantō		 Crowds gathering before the night event
Crowds gathering before the night event		 Dancers arrive at the start of the event
Dancers arrive at the start of the event		 Bon dancers in the procession
Bon dancers in the procession
Group of bon dancers out on the boulevard
Group of bon dancers out on the boulevard		 The kantō arrive
The kantō arrive		 Carrying out a kantō
Carrying out a kantō		 Taiko float
Taiko float
Local guys pulling along a kantō
Local guys pulling along a kantō		 Young boy with a small kantō
Young boy with a small kantō		 Truck with taiko players
Truck with taiko players		 Flute player in the parade
Flute player in the parade
Young boys carrying a kantō
Young boys carrying a kantō		 Lifting up the kantō
Lifting up the kantō		 Beginning the performance
Beginning the performance		 Kantō hoisted up by one hand
Kantō hoisted up by one hand
Kantō poles across the boulevard
Kantō poles across the boulevard		 View down the boulevard
View down the boulevard		 Boys getting ready for the next round
Boys getting ready for the next round		 Waiting beside a lit kantō
Waiting beside a lit kantō
The second round begins
The second round begins		 Re-lighting the boys' kantō after too many falls
Re-lighting the boys' kantō after too many falls		 Flute players
Flute players		 Hoisting up a kantō
Hoisting up a kantō
Group of kantō over the boulevard
Group of kantō over the boulevard		 Pair of kantō hooked at the top
Pair of kantō hooked at the top		 Kantō pole with burned out lanterns
Kantō pole with burned out lanterns		 Pair of taiko performers
Pair of taiko performers

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