The Kawagoe Festival was held splendidly in Kawagoe city of Saitama Prefecture on Saturday October 19 and Sunday October 20, 2019. Kawagoe Festival has a history of more than 370 years and was designated a “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage” in 2016. This time, we would like to introduce the Kawagoe Festival by telling you what was like to participate in it.
The strongest feature of the Kawagoe Festival is the numerous festival floats, which are gorgeous. On Sunday the 20th, 18 festival floats were carried around in the center of the town. “Hikkawase” occurs when the floats pass by and face each other in the streets. ”Hikkawase” is a contest performance where towns greet each other with their floats in a hayashi performance (a traditional Japanese orchestra comprised of flutes, drums, and handbells) when they face each other.
Both festival floats put on a great performance.
Everyone was excited.
People pulling the festival floats. They pull them along rhythmically shouting “so-re!” 
It is very difficult to make the big floats turn! It takes a lot of strength. 
After trying the float-pulling, we visited the meeting place of Saiwaicho. We were able to interact with the local people and hear their passion for the Kawagoe Festival. 
Japanese Sake after hard work, pulling the festival floats, is so delicious! 
The excitement reaches its climax in the evening “Hikkawase.” 
The foreign participants who joined us this time.
No one had experienced pulling a festival float before. They enjoyed the Kawagoe Festival.
The above was our report on the Kawagoe Festival.
You can also learn the history of the Kawagoe Festival at the “Kawagoe Matsuri Kaikan.”
Please have a look at its history when you visit Kawagoe.
| URL | https://www.kawagoematsuri.jp/English/index.html |
