Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival, Shizuoka

“Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival” will be held from May 3 to May 5 every year. It is famous for various kites flying up in the sky. It is a festival that the local people began in the Edo period and extends to the present age. Hamamatsu is suitable for kite flying, as a strong wind called “the wind of the coast of Enshu” blows. Celebrate the birth of a child by frying a kite.
The highlight is that many kites fly in the sky “Kite Flying Battle” and “Goten-Yatai Hikimawashi” (pulling festival floats) where various “Goten-Yatai” can be seen are famous.
Various kites fly in the period of Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival, but among them it is possible to see “thread cutting battle” on the 2nd and 3rd days. It is like a kite fighting that entangles threads with your opponent’s kite and cuts it. Kite flying is done at “Kite flying venue” next to Nakatajima sand dune called “Nakatajima venue”. The holding time is from 10:00 to 15:00 during the festival period. Also, please note that “Nakatajima venue” has no private parking lot for the festival, so you need to find a private parking lot somewhere.
“Goten-Yatai Hikimawashi” is an event that takes various festival floats around Hamamatsu city. There, you can see beautiful festival floats and entertain the viewer’s eyes. “Goten-Yatai” can be seen in the “city center venue” (mainly around JR Hamamatsu station). “Goten-Yatai” will take place from 18:00 to 21:00 during the festival period.
Because it is done in the same city, it is possible to see both kite flying and “Goten-Yatai”. However, it is convenient to use the shuttle bus because it is difficult to move by car by traffic regulation or congestion.
At the Hamamatsu festival, we see people reminiscent of old craftsmen such as happi coat, black undergarment, black gaiter. It is a hot festival that both adults and children blow up the festival trumpet. It will surely be fine.
Please go to the Hamamatsu Matsuri Festival by all means watching 174 big kites flying swiftly in the sky of May.

450 years or more of history

The Hamamatsu matsuri festival has 450 years or more of history, and the customs which congratulate a child on his birth and fly a kite are said to have became as citizens’ festival at the upcoming ages.
A brave kite-flying battle is held at the kite-flying site of the Nakatajima sand hill daytime, the gorgeous Yatai (float) is taken around at night in a central city area, and folk entertainment, a wind-instrument music parade, Miss Hamamatsu contest, etc. are held.

Traditional kite-flying battle

On May 3, the kite of 170 participating towns is fried with the signal of the fireworks of the opening ceremony, and sky is filled with kites. Then, the kite-flying battle, in which hundreds of people mix in confusedly with the sound of the trumpet which encourages a fierce fight, starts. Thread of each other is twined, and since the other party’s thread is turned off by friction, it is also called “Kenka-Dako” (Battle Kite). The spirit of the people of Hamamatsu collides violently from the front is a traditional kite-flying battle.

Possession of Yatai exceeds 500 sets

In whole Hamamatsu-shi, it is said that the number of possession of Yatai exceeds 500 sets. As for this, Hamamatsu-shi holds approximately 4% of Japanese dashi (festival cars, float), hoko (long-handled spears), danjiri (decorative portable shrines) and yatai (float) which is said to be 12,000 total number. It is No.1 of Japan which is much better than the rest region. Nevertheless, Yatai registered into a tangible cultural properties or an intangible cultural asset does not have one set in Hamamatsu, either.

Passion to devote to the festival

The kite-flying battle of daytime is “a man’s festival”. Leading of the Yatai of night is “a woman’s festival”. Such image is felt. A happi coat figure is gallant, and passion to devote to the festival of people of Hamamatsu, the heat for the festival are felt.

Get really lively

It is a period when Hamamatsu will get really lively in one year for three days from May 3 every year.

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