Description

Sawara Grand Festival Paper Lanterns Illuminated Grand festival of Sawara was registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This festival has a history dating back about 300 years since Edo period. The festival was originated by groups of merchants, they made the giant “wooden floats” and pulled the floats around the city creating good vibes to recover the city from economic crisis. The festival held twice a year in July and October. The floats made of Japanese Zelkova (as known as “Keyaki” wood) and decorated with fierce giant dolls. The floats are pulled around the city by the cooperation between young people and the elders. The Japanese letter on each float will represent the cities they came from. Nowadays, it is one of the three major float festivals in Japan.