Hakata Dontaku
hakata dontaku 博多どんたく traditional festival held annually fukuoka japan year history become important part life fukuoka citizen one three major festival fukuoka following opening night event may km stretch meijidori one fukuoka busiest thoroughfare closed vehicle transformed dontaku street hakata dontaku annual festival held since golden week may fukuoka japan typical festival feature group including individual performer draw audience million people two day along takadajō hyakumannin kanoukai jōetsu niigata hirosaki sakura festival hirosaki aomori hiroshima flower festival hiroshima hakata dontaku also one famous biggest festival japan moreover also one biggest three festival fukuoka along hakata gion yamakasa hōjōya festival hosted fukuoka chamber commerce fukuoka tourism association draw local resident domestic international tourist theoriginates dutch word zondag zon mean sun dag mean day zondag mean sunday holiday dontaku named meiji government holiday origin hakata dontaku called matsubayashi matsubayashi celebrate old new year lunar new year event welcoming god bring happiness new year beginning matsubayashi kyoto usually people visited lord castle perform traditional dance since celebration spread country came hakata well hakata matsubayashi started hakata matsubayashi year history hakata matsubayashi honor taira shigemori death known one greatest samurai brought benefit hakata activating trade china people hakata started hakata matsubayashi way show respect one story told started historical story explain beginning hakata matsubayashi well main idea hakata matsubayashi edo period many samurai visit fukuoka castle fukuoka han based fukuoka han top samurai fukuoka samurai visited show respect time lunar new year line hakata castle called torimon consisted three god fortune visited hakata han went around city visited shrine temple house person authority like huge celebration citizen joined enjoyed following line performing dance however governor banned meiji government didnt want people waste money event instead hoped people use money celebrate emperor birthday seven year later meiji hakata matsubayashi started changed name hakata dontaku told name event date style event changed well wasnt celebration lunar new year anymore people festival period slightly adjusted change cancelled war war festival held may since hakata dontaku held annually – may hakata dontaku day event opening night event night festival starting pm pm may group called dontaku tai performing also people decide miss fukuoka night well show rkb mainichi broadcastingso people enjoy watching performance tv order come see show people need entrance ticket handed week event free first day hakata dontaku festival starting origin dontaku matsubayashi parade god fortune ride horse walk around city fukuoka original matsubayashi history thousand performer dancing walking street called meiji street people wear various costume clap rice scoping spoon play instrument wear mask street full people performer audience beside hana jidosha car decorated light flower also essential part event second day hakata dontaku schedule nearly first day hakata matsubayashi parade hana jidosha since last day finale everyone gather dance enjoy last moment festival official website japanese