Akita Kanto Festival

2025 Event Outline

calendar_month Dates: Sunday, August 3, 2025 - Wednesday, August 6, 2025
location_on Venue: Kanto Odori (Kanto Avenue)
footprint Access: Approx. 10-minute walk from JR Akita Station

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Coloring the Night Sky with Prayers for a Bountiful Harvest

The Kanto Festival, a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property with a history of about 270 years, is a traditional festival where skilled performers called "sashite" manipulate "Kanto" – long bamboo poles adorned with many paper lanterns – balancing them exquisitely on their palms, foreheads, shoulders, and hips. The entire Kanto pole represents an ear of rice, and the hanging lanterns symbolize rice bales, praying for a bountiful harvest. Kanto poles range from 5 to 12 meters in length, with the largest, suspending 46 lanterns, weighing as much as 50 kg. The skill of the sashite in freely maneuvering these large Kanto is said to be "four parts strength, six parts technique," requiring daily training and a keen sense of balance. The techniques, passed down through generations, are truly a master craft! When the flute signals, approximately 280 Kanto poles rise in unison into the summer night sky, a breathtakingly beautiful sight, filling the streets with light as if the Milky Way has descended. When a Kanto is skillfully raised, cheers of "Dokkoisho, dokkoisho!" erupt to liven things up. You'll also hear a chant, "Oetasa, oetasa, nekko tsuita, oetasa!" This chant expresses that the Kanto is well-set on the sashite's palm or forehead, as stable as a rooted rice plant. The rice-bale-shaped lanterns are decorated with "chomon" (town emblems) symbolizing their respective districts. These emblems often feature auspicious motifs representing elegance, longevity, fertility, good harvests, and more. Many of these designs appear sophisticated even by today's standards, so be sure to pay attention to the chomon on the lanterns and "hanten" (traditional short festival coats). While the main Kanto event is the nighttime performance, the "Kanto Myogi Taikai" (Kanto Skills Competition), held only during the day, is also a must-see. At the Kanto Myogi Taikai, skilled sashite and "hayashikata" (festival musicians) engage in heated competition. You can witness a different, more intense side of Kanto performances compared to the nighttime main event, so be sure to visit.

"Kanto Myogi" - Feats of the Artisans

The techniques for supporting the large Kanto poles can be broadly divided into the following five types:
Two people raise the Kanto, and after the lead sashite lifts it with their dominant hand, the next sashite adds "tsugidake" (extension poles). The "Nagashi" (flowing) technique involves lifting the pole high, momentarily steadying it on the palm, then shifting it about 15 cm from between the thumb and forefinger to support it.
The "Hirate" (palm of the hand) is a basic, powerful, and dynamic technique where the Kanto is lifted high and displayed on the palm of the dominant hand.
For the "Hitai" (forehead), the pole is gently shifted from between the fingers and placed on the forehead. It's held still, with both hands spread wide for balance, creating a spectacular highlight that captivates the audience.
The "Ude" (shoulder; the term "ude" means arm, but the skill involves the shoulder, 'kata') involves supporting the Kanto with the dominant hand, lowering it straight onto the shoulder, spreading both hands, and is considered beautiful when the pivot leg and the Kanto form a straight line.
The "Koshi" (hip) is a grand technique that shines as the climax among the five types. The pole is shifted from between the fingers onto the hip, the upper body is tilted moderately to the side, and both legs are spread for balance.

Experience the Difficulty of Kanto

Near Akita Station, there's also a corner where you can try handling a miniature Kanto. By not just watching the sashite's skillful performances but also trying it yourself, you might gain a deeper appreciation for their amazing skill and the difficulty of the techniques! Furthermore, at the Kanto Yatai Mura (Kanto Food Stall Village) and the Local Gourmet Festival, you can savor Akita's local sake, regional cuisine, B-grade gourmet food, sweets, and more, allowing you to enjoy the festival all day long.

Learn More and Enjoy the Akita Kanto Festival