DANCE FOR HARVEST

People dance to pray for a plentiful harvest in a traditional three-day festival in the city of Toyama, which started on Thursday. The Owara Kaze no Bon festival is being held for the first time since 2019. The festival is known for the Machinagashi parade of dancers who are accompanied by musicians playing “Etchu Owara-bushi” on shamisen and other instruments, but the parade was canceled Thursday due to rain. Tourists were captivated by dancers on a specially made stage wearing braided straw hats hanging low over their heads and gracefully moving their hands. (Sept. 3)

The Yomiuri Shimbun