Let's hold a kanto at the Akita Citizen Folk Performing Arts Tradition Museum "Neburi Nagashikan"

The Akita Kanto Festival, held from August 3rd to 6th, is the festival that brightens the summer in Akita City. This is a traditional event where the entire Kanto is used as an ear of rice and the lantern is used as a rice bale to pray for a rich harvest. There are four different sizes of lanterns, and the largest, ''Owaka,'' is 12 meters high, weighs 50 kg, and has 46 lanterns. The performers, known as ''sashite'', perform the feat of supporting the kanto with their palms, shoulders, hips, foreheads, etc., leaving the audience in a state of excitement, excitement, and excitement.

There are spots where you can experience this Kanto all year round. The Akita Citizen Folk Performing Arts Museum, commonly known as the ''Neburi Nagashikan'', introduces traditional events and folk performing arts that have been passed down in Akita City. Neburi Nagashi is the ''Neburi Nagashi'' of the Tanabata event. Kanto is said to have originated in the mid-Edo period as an event to ward off summer illnesses and evil spirits.

In the open-air exhibition hall on the first floor, the kanto used in the actual performance is on display, and you will be amazed at the size and power of the kanto when you see it up close. In addition, lanterns with the town emblems of the 38 town associations participating in the festival are on display all together, and it seems that the pride of each town association that has inherited the kanto can be felt. Here, you can not only ''see'' and ''know'' kanto, but also ''hold'' them. The smallest one available is the ''yowaka'' (approximately 5kg). Once you realize how difficult it is to maintain balance, you will realize that kanto is a skill that only requires skill. You can also play a large drum in the exhibition room on the 3rd floor, so please give it a try and get into the festival mood.

In addition, kanto demonstrations are held on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from April to October (excluding festival periods), so it is recommended to prepare for the festival.