二本松のちょうちん祭り Nihonmatsu-no-cyouchin-matsuri Nihonmatsu Chochin Lantern festival
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Nihonmatsu Chochin Lantern festival is held on October 4 to 6 every year at Nihonmatsu Shrine in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. It is counted as one of Japan's three most prominent lantern festivals.
The festival was first held in 1643 by Niwa Mitsushige, the first lord of the Nihonmatsu domain. He thought it was vitally important to encourage his people to worship gods in order to govern his domain in an ideal way. Then he founded Nihonmatsu Shrine in the village of Kurigasaku and made it open to the public worshippers.
During the festival, the parade of seven huge floats painted with lacquer and decorated with gold powder goes through the town. Each float carries a group of taiko drummers accompanied by flamboyant sounds of flutes and gongs. At night, about 350 red chochin lanterns hung from each float brightly illuminate the streets.
The festival was first held in 1643 by Niwa Mitsushige, the first lord of the Nihonmatsu domain. He thought it was vitally important to encourage his people to worship gods in order to govern his domain in an ideal way. Then he founded Nihonmatsu Shrine in the village of Kurigasaku and made it open to the public worshippers.
During the festival, the parade of seven huge floats painted with lacquer and decorated with gold powder goes through the town. Each float carries a group of taiko drummers accompanied by flamboyant sounds of flutes and gongs. At night, about 350 red chochin lanterns hung from each float brightly illuminate the streets.
- address
- Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture 964-0000
- name
- Nihonmatsu Chochin Lantern festival
- phone
- 0243-23-1111