Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is one of the major summer festivals of northeastern Japan, held every August in Yamagata City. Spanning three days, the event features over 10,000 dancers parading through the city streets each evening, waving "hanagasa" — flower hats decorated with artificial safflowers, the floral symbol of Yamagata Prefecture.

Originally part of the 1963 Zao Summer Festival to promote tourism in the region, the hanagasa parade became a standalone event in 1965. Its popularity grew nationwide after being showcased as a representative folk art at Expo '70 in Osaka.

The festival’s highlight is the hanagasa odori (flower hat dance), performed to the rhythmic beat of taiko drums and the traditional “Hanagasa Ondō” folk song. Each dance group wears unique, colourful costumes, moving in unison to create a mesmerizing wave of sound and motion. The joyful, synchronized dancing expresses the spirit of Yamagata’s people and their deep ties to the land.

Alongside the parades, cultural performances and festival stalls offer visitors a chance to explore Yamagata’s local traditions and flavours, from freshly grilled yakitori to the region’s famous cherries.