Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (花笠まつり)
Time: August 5-7
Prefecture: Yamagata
Location: Yamagata

Commencing in 1963, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival has evolved into a prominent event in Tohoku, drawing over a million visitors over its three-day duration. Central to the festival is the hanagasa, a hat adorned with red safflowers worn by performers engaging in traditional dances. The lively parade, featuring brightly decorated floats, comprises 100 groups, each approximately 100 members strong. As they traverse the main street of Yamagata City, echoes of "Yassho! Makasho!" fill the air—an homage to the calls of laborers during irrigation work on the outskirts of Yamagata Prefecture.