- Morioka Sansa Odori
- Morioka Sansa Odori began in 1978 as an event integrating the traditional Sansa Odori dance, which has been performed on the outskirts of Morioka City since the feudal era. In 2014, the festival took the world record for the largest simultaneous performance of Japanese taiko drums. The beautiful dance of the dancers and taiko performers, boasting over 10,000 in total (the highest in the world), resonate across Morioka throughout the night.
During the festival, activities start at 6 PM in front of city hall. Ms. Sansa Odori leads the parade with an elegant performance. The festival takes off with the Sansa Odori Big Parade with over 100 groups dancing. Once the parade ends, events are held where you can enjoy dancing in circles with Miss Sansa Odori and other general groups in the parade, and you are free to get involved at any of the areas across the grounds. Sansa instructors will kindly provide instruction on how to perform the dance, so you can enjoy your first time participating in the dance with peace of mind. Furthermore, in the day time traditional Sansa Odori dances passed down from the feudal ages are performed at the plaza in front of the station and at the Morioka Civic Cultural Hall. You can enjoy learning about the differences in structure, costumes, and movement of each region. On the last day, a recreation of the “World’s Biggest Taiko Parade” (commemorating the world record for simultaneously taiko players), and the Daiwa Odori dance are performed as a finale, as the festival is wrapped up in an intense fervor.
[Location]
Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
[Festival Dates]
August 1-4
[Official Homepage]
http://www.sansaodori.jp/