Nagoya Festivals

The Nippon Domannaka Matsuri, commonly called Domatsuri, is the largest dance festival in the Nagoya/Chubu region and involves dancers from all over Japan and abroad. This festival is one of the highlights of the Nagoya summer. Every year over 200 yosakoi dance teams and 23,000 performers participate by sharing original music, costumes, and dance routines that incorporate their own local culture with an expected crowd of 2 million people in an effort to connect people from vastly different locations and cultures through song and dance. What the heck is yosakoi? The yosakoi dance style dates back to 1954 in Kochi Prefecture. Wanting to return some enjoyment to the local population following WW2, a youth group organized a yosakoi festival. A dance style that blends classical Japanese festival dance, like Bon Odori and Awa Odori, with modern music and styles, pretty much anything goes. A significant element of the festival is the dancers’ bright, outlandish, and downright wild clothing styles. Like the music, these blend the traditional and modern; think samurai era Japan set in the 24th century. Running for three days, Domatsuri sees some of the best dance troupes descend on Nagoya, though they are not just here to entertain you. They…