Festival season starts in Tohoku region

The Morioka Sansa Odori Festival started in Morioka on Monday as the first of many popular summer festivals in the Tohoku region.

This is the first time in three years that the festival has taken place as it was canceled two years in a row due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

During the festival’s parade in the city center, dancers and drummers clad in bright-colored kimono marched through the street chanting the festival’s particular call, “Sakkora, choiwayasse.” Since coronavirus infections are rapidly increasing, the organizers took measures to reduce crowding. The dancers performed with at least two meters between each of them and part of the street was turned into an area for spectators.