Written by Shyam Bhardwa
The Akita Kanto is a festival from Akita Prefecture in Northern Japan. Traditionally done to ensure a good harvest, it’s a parade of lanterns dangling from enormous poles carried by celebrants.
Luckily, you can join in without leaving Tokyo at the Akita Kanto Asakusa Festival.
What to expect
Expect a train of traditionally dressed performers to parade through the west side of Asakusa with dozens of lanterns between them. Take a snap of the dancers, acrobats, and other dramatists who’ll pose for every shot.
The area is stocked with small restaurants and bars, as well as pop-up stalls if you get hungry.
Schedule
Saturday
- 14:00: Parade starts near the Asakusa View Hotel Annex
- 14:20: Parade passes through the Omairimachi Shopping Street
- 14:40: Parade passes through the Rokoku Broadway Shopping Street
- 15:00: Parade break in the midst of the festival stalls
- 18:10: Parade returns to Asakusa View Hotel Annex
- 18:30: Parade passes through the Omairimachi Shopping Street with a nighttime perfomance on show
- 19:00: Parade ends at the Rokoku Broadway Shopping Street
Sunday
- 11:00: Parade starts near the Asakusa View Hotel Annex
- 11:20: Parade passes through the Omairimachi Shopping Street
- 11:40: Parade passes through the Rokoku Broadway Shopping Street
How to get there
The Akita Kanto Asakusa Festival will be held in the area outside Asakusa Station, on the Rokku Broadway street near Don Quijote. The quickest way to get there is by taking the Tsukuba Express to Asakusa Station. From there, it’s only a 2-minute hop to the street venues. If you’re coming by other lines, it will be closer to 10 minutes.
