My daughter’s school year had ended, and with the whole family together for the first time in a while, we went out to the annual historic festival, the 51st Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival.
My daughter, with her hair styled for a summer festival, was beaming in front of the mirror and excitedly saying, “We’re going to the festival!” Just seeing her like that made me smile, too.
The information provided was accurate when this article was published in August 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the 51st Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival?
The 51st Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival was held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, and is the largest festival in Kurashiki City.
The main venue is along Kurashiki Chuodori, from JR Kurashiki Station to the Kurashiki City Art Museum.
Although the festival has sometimes been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a beloved summer tradition for local residents, held every year in late July.
The main events are the Daikan Bayashi Dance and OH! Daikan Bayashi Dance, in which local residents take part. The following groups participated in the 51st festival:
- Daikan Bayashi Dance: 14 groups
- OH! Daikan Bayashi Dance: 13 groups
Until last year (2023), only teams that had registered in advance could participate, but starting this year, the 51st festival featured open-participation “all-together dances” for both events.
The festival
It was an extremely hot day, but the street in front of the station was filled with the festival’s excitement, and more people than usual had gathered.
The sound of laughter and cheerful conversation among families, friends, and couples is one of the festival’s greatest pleasures. Stalls in every color lined the streets, filling the air with enticing aromas. Children were absorbed in yo-yo fishing and choosing masks, while adults enjoyed nostalgic games.
The most popular stall was the shaved-ice stand.
My daughter happily picked up a lemon-flavored shaved ice and was delighted by how cold it was.
Cute dogs were also at the festival, enjoying the atmosphere with their necks craned as if to say, “Let us join in, too.”
Watching the peaceful scene, our family was able to enjoy the festival wholeheartedly.
Daikan Bayashi Dance and OH! Daikan Bayashi Dance
The festival’s main stage was set up in front of Achi Terrace Kurashiki, where the emcee explained what was happening. Sign language interpreters were also on stage, providing simultaneous interpretation.
Groups performed the Daikan Bayashi Dance and OH! Daikan Bayashi Dance, taking turns around the main stage.
We watched the Daikan Bayashi Dance, and the performance that particularly caught our eye was by the Chayamachi Oni no Kai.
When they appeared in imposing outfits and wearing oni masks, the festival atmosphere immediately grew more lively. They performed a dance expressing the hope that disasters would be eliminated, and it was impressive to see the audience enjoying it along with the rhythm.
Hiroeba Machi ga Suki ni Naru Undo
The Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival once again featured Hiroeba Machi ga Suki ni Naru Undo, an initiative that has continued since 2008.
Hiroeba Machi ga Suki ni Naru Undo is a participatory cleanup activity conducted by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) at local events such as festivals throughout Japan.
At the booth, staff lend visitors the garbage bags and tongs needed to pick up litter. Collected trash is brought back to the booth and sorted into bins labeled “burnable trash,” “non-burnable trash,” and so on.
The members of the 42nd Kurashiki Komachi, who were on their first assignment that day, were also taking part.
From the Writer
The Kurashiki Tenryo Festival is a wonderful event where you can not only feel its history and traditions, but also experience the bonds and warmth of the local community.
I hope to join this fun festival with my family again next year.
51st Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival Information
| Name | 51st Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, July 20, 2024, 3:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. |
| Location | In front of JR Kurashiki Station |
| Admission (tax included) | Free (food and drink costs extra) |
| Website | Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival |
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