I tried to summarize the history and origin of the “Akita Kanto Festival” where paper lanterns that look like ears of rice color the summer night sky!

The Kanto Festival is an annual event held in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, from August 3 to August 6. The lanterns are tied to long bamboo poles with horizontal bamboos, and up to 46 lanterns are hung from the poles. The whole Kanto poles are likened to ears of rice, and the row of lanterns are likened to a lot of rice bags, pray for a bountiful harvest by placing the Kanto pole on the forehead, waist, and shoulders. It is designated as a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset and is one of the three major festivals in the Tohoku region, along with the Nebuta Festival in Aomori Prefecture and the Tanabata Festival in Miyagi Prefecture.

The Nebuta Festival, Tanabata Festival, and Kanto Festival are all said to be variations of the “Floating Lanterns,” which entrusts lanterns to ward off misfortune and floats them down rivers and the sea. Since ancient times, mainly in the Tohoku region, sleepiness that interferes with labor before the autumn harvest has been considered one of the calamities, and on July 7th of the lunar calendar, “Nemuri Nagashi (Floating Sleepiness)” is held to ward off this. Until around the beginning of the Showa era (20th century), the Kanto Festival was called “Neburi nagashi,” a corrupted version of “Nemuri Nagashi”.

Adults are not the only ones who perform Kanto’s performances. There are four different sizes of Kanto lanterns. The largest is about 12 meters high and weighs about 50 kg, with 46 lanterns. The smallest size is about 5 meters high, weighs about 5 kg, and has 24 lanterns, some children start performing in kindergarten. By the time they reach the upper grades of elementary school, they are performing with Kanto lanterns that are about 7 meters high, weigh about 15 kg, and have 24 lanterns. In junior high school, it is about 9 meters high, weighs about 30 kg, and performs with 46 lanterns. And high school students and older perform with Kanto that are the same size as those of adults.
Performers must show their virtuosity by lifting the entire Kanto lantern in the palm of their hand or transferring the entire Kanto lantern from the palm of the hand to the forehead, shoulders, or waist. During the daytime during the “Kanto Festival,” a “Myogikai (exquisite skill tournament),” a team and individual competition among the townspeople, is held to determine the master of the year.

Akita City Folk Performing Arts Heritage Center is nicknamed “Neburi-Nagashi Kan.” The Neburi-nagashi Kan holds various events throughout the year, including pole lantern demonstrations.