The Thousand-People Umbrella Dance Street Parade Carnival at Tottori’s Kyoukou Festival Kicks Off on August 11

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin, Information Provided by Moleskine Editorial Department

In Japan’s summer, festivals are held across the country. Whether it’s Sendai with its Tanabata theme or the underwater fireworks display at Miyajima, a World Heritage Site, these events attract numerous visitors. In Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, located along the Sea of Japan in the Chugoku region, the largest local festival, the “Tottori Kyoukou Festival,” will be held from August 11 to 15. Nearly 4,000 people are expected to participate in the “Kyoukou Umbrella Dance,” dancing with colorful paper umbrellas adorned with bells. Visitors can not only join in the dance but also enjoy a variety of local street food during the festival. On the evening of August 15 at 20:00, a citizens’ summer fireworks display will bring the festival atmosphere to its climax.

The Tottori Kyoukou Festival, which attracts about 70,000 participants annually, will feature a five-day program from August 11. Events include Kyoukou umbrella dance experiences, performances by Japanese artists, group umbrella dance parades, and a citizens’ summer fireworks display. The scale of the Tottori Kyoukou Festival grows more spectacular each year. During the mass umbrella dance, over 70 groups—around 4,000 people dressed in yukata (Japanese summer kimono)—will dance together, turning the entire city of Tottori into one giant stage where everyone becomes a skilled performer showcasing the results of days of practice.

The most important element of the festival, the “Kyoukou umbrella,” is made by pasting washi (Japanese paper) onto the umbrella frame in concentric circles, then painted with pure red and blue primary colors by skilled artisans. Because the umbrella ribs are very thin and must not pierce the paper surface, this is the most time-consuming part of the process. Next, dazzling gold and silver foil pieces are attached to make the Kyoukou umbrellas even more eye-catching. Finally, 50 bells that produce sound as the umbrellas move are tied to each rib, with small decorative items that emit a shimmering glow and white paper tassels attached to the tips of the ribs—thus completing the beautiful paper umbrellas.

In 1961 (Showa 36), to revitalize Tottori City’s commerce and industry, the annual festivals of Shinge Shrine and Omori Shrine were combined into the “Tottori Festival.” To give more residents the chance to participate, organizers researched various sources and discovered an ancient umbrella dance from eastern Tottori called the “Inaba Umbrella Dance,” performed to pray for rain and ensure a bountiful harvest. The dance form is simple yet versatile, making it an easy-to-learn, popular folk dance. This umbrella dance was incorporated into the festival’s program. It was named the Kyoukou Festival because the bells hanging from the dancing umbrellas jingle with every movement, creating a “kyoukou” (ringing) sound—hence the name “Tottori Kyoukou Festival.” Thirty years later, in 1991 (Heisei 3), the music “Yoshioka Melody” was added, forming the foundation of today’s Kyoukou Festival.

● Read More: Another Blast of Summer Festivals in Japan – Underwater Fireworks Illuminate the Night Sky of World Heritage Site Miyajima

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