Kanto Festival

• Akita
• Festivals & Events
• Summer

The Akita Kantō Festival is one of the Three Great Festivals of Tohoku, along with the Aomori Nebuta Festival, and is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, held annually in Akita City from August 3rd to 6th.It is a traditional Neburi-nagashi (sleep-driving away) event where the entire Kantō pole is likened to an ear of rice and the lanterns to straw bags of rice, praying for a bountiful harvest. The greatest attraction is the skillful performance of the bearers (sashite), who deftly balance and manipulate the massive Kantō poles (Ōwaka) weighing approximately $50text{ kg}$ and adorned with $46text{ lanterns}$, using their palms, forehead, shoulders, or hips.At night, about $280text{ Kantō}$ poles line Kantō Ōdōri Street, accompanied by the chant of "Dokkoisho," creating a fantastic and magnificent spectacle that resembles shimmering ears of rice made of light.