Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri (Flower Hat Festival)

About

For three evenings every year, from August 5 to 7, central Yamagata fills with one of Tohoku's signature summer festivals. Huge troupes of dancers carrying hanagasa — straw hats decorated with safflowers, the prefectural flower — parade down Tokamachi, Honcho and Nanokamachi streets toward the historic Buntokan building, moving to the Hanagasa Ondo folk song, booming taiko drums and shouts of "Yassho, makasho!" Along one route you can see several styles: a graceful women's dance evoking the breeze over the Mogami River, a powerful men's dance inspired by dawn over the Zao mountains, the bold hat-spinning style of Obanazawa, and original choreography by each group. The festival runs from 6:00 pm to about 9:45 pm, and paid seating is set up in front of City Hall.

Sources

• OfficialYamagata Prefecture Hanagasa Council www.hanagasa.jp
• OfficialYamagata Prefecture Tourism Association yamagatakanko.com
• Reference「山形花笠まつり」開幕 彩り豊かに、和楽器響く（共同通信・熊本日日新聞） kumanichi.com

Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.

Other events this month

• Akagawa Fireworks Festival
• Obanazawa Hanagasa Matsuri
• Shinjo Matsuri