Founded in 1954, Yosakoi Matsuri fills Kochi City with around 200 teams and 20,000 dancers blending traditional folk moves with modern choreography. Each team must incorporate the naruko wooden clapper and the traditional Yosakoi melody into their performance. Spectators line ten stages and street venues across the city for four exhilarating nights. It is the mother festival of the nationwide Yosakoi movement and remains one of Japan's most energetic summer celebrations.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Summer
- Month
- August (9–12)
- Region
- Shikoku
- Prefecture
- Kochi
- City
- Kochi City
Highlights
- ◆20,000+ costumed dancers from across Japan
- ◆Naruko clapper percussion integral to every routine
- ◆Ten simultaneous performance stages citywide
- ◆Grand finale parade along Kochi's central Obiya-machi arcade
- ◆Free entry for most street-side viewing spots