Yosakoi (よさこい) is a distinctive dance style that originated in Japan and is performed at festivals and events throughout. The first yosakoi festival took place in 1954 in Kōchi, Japan, located on the Shikoku island. Yosakoi-style dance has spread over much of Japan. The lively displays include vivid and often extravagant costumes and makeup, active waving of giant flags, chanting, and loud drum-based music.
What Happens In Yosakoi Festival?
The first three days of the festival are typical weekdays, therefore the major events are limited to the evening. On Saturday and Sunday, dancing continues throughout the day and evening. Food booths will be open in Odori Park from 10 a.m. on weekends and 11 a.m. on weekdays until 9 p.m. during the festival.
Yosakoi Festival Costumes
The Costumes used by yosakoi teams vary greatly. Happi jackets and yukata are the most common costumes, which come in a broad range of colors. However, other organizations choose costumes inspired by historical clothes, modern styles, or ethnic fashions. Typically, all team members wear similar costumes.
Yosakoi Festival Famous Dance(yosakoi naruko dance)
The official Yosakoi dance is based on Eisaku Takemasa’s song “Yosakoi Naruko Dancing“. This song combines components from three songs: “Yosakoi-bushi” (“yosakoi melody”), “Yocchore” (a children’s song), and “Jinma-mo” (a folk song from Kōchi Prefecture). At this celebration, teams of dancers and floats gather to perform the yosakoi naruko dance together. The number of participants has grown year after year, with over 10,000 dancers competing since 2005.
The Kōchi Yosakoi competition regulations are as follows:
- Participants must utilize the naruko clappers during the dance.
- Any musical arrangement is permissible, but the music must include at least a portion of Takemasa’s original “Yosakoi Naruko Dancing” song.
- The teams are limited to 150 people.
When And Where Is Yosakoi Festival Celebrated
The Yosakoi Matsuri (“yosakoi festival”) takes place in Kōchi, Japan. The original yosakoi event has taken place every August since 1954, except in 2020 because to COVID-19.
Yosakoi Festival 2024: Early – Mid Aug 2024
Venue: Kochi City
Yosakoi Festival In Other Countries
- Malaysia: Yosakoi has been held in Penang, a UNESCO Heritage City in Malaysia, every year since 2013. It was initially scheduled for March to remember the Japan Tohoku earthquake, but it has subsequently been moved to the second Saturday in September.
- Vietnam: Yosakoi is performed in Vietnam every year during the Japan Sakura Matsuri, which is conducted in Hanoi in April by the Japan Foundation Vietnam (JPF) to showcase Japanese culture. This event included over ten passionate Yosakoi teams from Vietnam and guest teams from Japan. Yosakoi also attends anime and manga cosplay events in major cities like as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Haiphong.
- USA: Yosakoi teams may also be found on campuses outside of Japan, including UC Berkeley, Kansas State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and New York City.
- Canada: In Canada, a group named Sakuramai plays at cultural events and fairs in Toronto and Montreal.
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