Fukushima Waraji Festival

Fukushima's summer festival opens with vibrant parade

Named after the traditional 'waraji' straw sandals, Fukushima's annual festival to mark the summer kicks off in early August. While you therefore understandably might see a lot of straw sandals on display, the centrepiece is the 12 m long, 2 ton giant version hoisted down the street to mark the parade's opening (sadly missing from this video though!).

This huge waraji is traditionally seen as a symbol of safe travelling and walking, and is dedicated at Haguro Shrine on Mt Shinobu to the north of the city (interesting fact: this mountain is said to have inspired the opening song of 'My Neighbour Totoro').

A traditional folk dance took place from 6pm on Aug 5th, starting at the junction of Route 373 and 13 (just a few blocks east of Fukushima station), beside Machinaka Hiroba, where a performance stage and festival stalls selling food help build anticipation for the main event.

Festivities continue for two days, with a number of events planned for visitors to enjoy, including a reggae-style parade taking over on the second day – in stark contrast to the first day.

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