The Dadaocheng Fireworks Festival kicks off with a special performance by Japan’s famous Ookaga Lion Dance.

The “Ookaga Lion Dance × Drum Group” from Matsuyama City, Japan, will perform on the main stage of the 2014 Taipei Dadaocheng Music & Fireworks Festival on August 2.,They are scheduled to perform at 5 PM that day in a joint exclusive show with YOYO Family from ETTV, popular among toddlers—promising an eye-catching spectacle. In addition to their main stage performance at Gate 4, starting at 4 PM they will also take part in a street parade between Gates 3 and 5 at Dadaocheng, interacting with the public and celebrating Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) with Taiwanese audiences. Among them, single taiko drummer Kōichi Jōmatsu hopes to find love through this firework festival full of affection. Meanwhile, Ehime Prefecture and Matsuyama City will set up two tourism promotion booths at the fireworks festival venue, offering limited-edition souvenirs to attendees, and Ehime’s mascot “Mikan Dog” will also make an appearance. Visitors are welcome to check out their booths.

 

The “Ookaga Lion Dance × Drum Group” originated from Ookaga Town, located on the northwest coast of Matsuyama Airport in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the few performance groups that combines the powerful Ookaga Lion Dance with the vigorous Japanese taiko drumming. The Ookaga Lion Dance includes two dance styles: “Dancing in the Fields” and “Dancing in the Mountains.” Unlike the typically slow-paced traditional lion dances seen in Japanese rural performances, this version is more lively and even somewhat wild.

 

This highly energetic “Ookaga Lion Dance × Drum Group” is formed by six families who train together before major performances, aiming to deliver the most spectacular shows to audiences. Furthermore, the group’s leader, Takatoshi Murakami, is said to be the best taiko drummer in Ehime, possibly even in all of Japan. With such dynamic performances brought by Matsuyama City, Japan, audiences are sure to experience a unique and thrilling sensation.