One of the Wildest Festivals in Japan - Yokote Okuribon Matsuri

The Yokote Okuribon Festival (横手の送り盆まつり）is held every year on August 16th from around 6:30pm. While its origin lies in the tragic famines that struck during the Edo period, the atmosphere is anything but subdued. There's electricity in the air and just being there is exciting, even if you're just watching! It is dangerous for the participants - in the last 20 years there have been two deaths, people that were crushed under the 750kg yakatabune boats. (They place flowers and offerings where they died before the festival starts every year.) There's also a fireworks display at the end!

Special thanks to Pete Leong of Pete Leong Photography - a recent addition to the community up here in Iwate. He does great work promoting Shizukuishi and takes great photos, and helped me with some of the video footage for this video. Find him on Instagram here: / peteleongphotography

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