Ohara Festival

The Ohara Festival, held every November 2nd and 3rd in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is one of the largest autumn festivals in southern Kyushu. It began in 1949 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Kagoshima's incorporation as a city. Centered on the main streets of the Tenmonkan district in the heart of the city, the festival features dancers clad in matching happi coats and yukata, dancing in procession to Kagoshima's representative folk songs "Ohara Bushi" and "Kagoshima Hanya Bushi"—a brilliant spectacle in which the whole city takes part.

"Ohara Bushi" is one of Kagoshima's most famous folk songs, and its opening lyrics—"The flowers are at Kirishima, the tobacco at Kokubu"—are widely known. Each year, more than 20,000 dancers participate in dance groups organized by companies, schools, neighborhood associations, and various organizations, dancing their way along roughly two kilometers of the main thoroughfare. There is also a "general dance" in which tourists are welcome to join spontaneously, making this a festival that can be enjoyed not only by watching but by dancing along—one of its great attractions.

In recent years, in addition to the traditional Ohara Bushi, new elements have been added, such as the "Samba Ohara" arranged for younger participants and a dance version performed during a spring festival, allowing the event to evolve into a celebration enjoyed across generations. The evening dancing held as a pre-festival is also enchanting, as dancers move gracefully amid the glow of lanterns, coloring the autumn night.

Set in the castle town of subtropical Kagoshima with views of Sakurajima volcano, the Ohara Festival unites citizens in joyful celebration. It is a warm-hearted festival that distills the cheerfulness and local pride of the people of Satsuma.