User:AyanoTanaka/sandbox

Overview
The Hakata Dontaku is a festival that has been held every year since 1962 during Golden Week, from 3 May to 4 May in Fukuoka, Japan.

There are usually over 650 groups, 33,000 people of attendance and audience of over 2milion people during these two days. Along with “Takadazyou Hyakumannin Kanoukai” in Nigata “Hirosaki Sakura festival” in Aomori and “Hiroshima Flower Festival” in Hiroshima, “Hakata Dontaku” is also one of the most famous and biggest festival in terms of audience in Japan. Moreover, it is a very representative festival in Fukuoka with other two large festivals which are “Hakata Gion Yamakasa” and “Houzyouya.” Now it is held by Fukuoka Chamber of commerce and Fukuoka Tourism Association and is called Fukuoka citizens’ Festival – Hakata Dontaku Matsuri.

There will be people from in and outside of Fukuoka as well as from overseas to see this huge festival. This festival has two main part which are parade and performance. Men and women regardless of age parade through the streets in various costumes, and they are playing the instruments, and others are clapping shamoji, wooden spoons used for serving rice. People who join the meeting that is usually held in February can be participated in the parade so in the past Mickey Mouse Snoopy came and joined the parade. Also, there would be more than 30 stages/performance places in the city.

Etymology
Matsubayashi parade which was begun at 1179 was the origins of Hakata Dontaku so Matsubayashi itself has over 700 years of history until governor of Fukuoka banned it at Meiji 5 (1872). The beginning was, during Heian period, when local people celebrate feudal lord on New Year as upper class people walked back to town from the castle. However, seven years later, at Meiji 12 (1879), It was started again and changed the name to “Hakata Dontaku”

Also, during Edo period, Matsubayashi was originally for people to go to Fukuoka Castle to show respect to the Kuroda clan at New Year. 3 Gods of fortune ride a horse and walking to the castle and, people in the town sold things was the big part of Matsubayashi.

The word "Dontaku" originates in Dutch "zondag" meaning Sunday. Dontaku was named by Meiji government for a holiday some 150 years ago, then for any festival held merely on holidays along with distinction of original usage. Hakata or Fukuoka-city is the exceptional location now in Japan preserving this named festival. assuming origin in Matsubayashi parade of feudal age about 500 years ago.

May 2nd
Hakata Dontaku is a 2 days event but there will be an opening night event night before the festival starting from 4:30 PM till 8:30 PM on May 2nd, group called "Dontaku Tai" will be performing and decided the Miss Fukuoka as well. This takes place at Kokusai Center. This show will be on RKB Mainichi Broadcasting so that people can enjoy watching this performances on TV. In order to come and see the show people need to have a entrance ticket which will be handing out 2 weeks before the event and free.

May 3rd
The first day of Hakata Dontaku. Festival will be starting with origins of Dontaku, Matsubayashi parade. 3 Gods of fortune ride a horse and walk around the city of Fukuoka then group of children follow the Gods. You can se this parade in the morning, then Dontaku parades will begin in the afternoon. While parade is happening, people performs at many different performance stages in the city.

May 4th
The second day of Hakata Dontaku. Schedule will be almost the same with the first day. There will be Matsubayashi parade, Dontaku parade, performance, and hana-jidosha (it's flower car which is a car decorated with lights and flowers) parade. Hakata Dontaku will be closed with grand finale.