Written by Greg Lane
Researched by Aarohi Narain
Originally conceived in 1956 as an April Fool’s festival (“Baka” is the Japanese word for fool or idiot) the festival now happens closer to May 1 and isn’t all monkey business.
It’s Akabane‘s biggest festival of the year with attendance estimated at 400,000 people.
What happens?
Most of the entertainment is fairly conventional, with troupes from all the popular summer dance forms taking part — from samba to yosakoi to awa-odori. The fool part involves some participants dressing in comedic costumes and a parade.
Schedule
Highlights on April 26 include the Baka Festival Grand Parade Ceremony and a special stage with paid seating at Akabane Elementary School. Meanwhile, Akabane Park hosts family-friendly attractions, disaster-prevention and firefighting fairs, plus food stalls, while the Akabane Station East Exit Square will have stalls selling various goods.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
