This event has ended! Enjoy the night view created by kamakura at the Yokote Snow Festival in Akita!
- Akita
- Sightseeing
Yokote Snow Festival "Kamakura
It is said that the history of "kamakura" dates back about 450 years, and began as an event to worship the god of water. Originally, people made offerings of money to the water god enshrined inside to pray for family safety, prosperous business, and a good harvest, but as time went by, the event became more and more tourist-oriented and took its present form. Local children serve amazake (sweet sake) to the visitors while saying, "Ite tanze (please enter the kamakura)" and "ogande tanze (please pray to the god of water)".
About 80 kamakura are built, and inside, local children and participants enjoy talking with each other while drinking amazake (sweet sake) and forgetting that the night is passing by.
The kamakura at night is fantastic!
Lights from the kamakura fill the riverbed.
There are about 3,500 of them.
The sight of the riverbanks filled with the lights of the miniature kamakura is said to be "the Milky Way on earth.
On the day of the festival, the candles are lit at 18:00, the starting time.
The largest number of large kamakura is located in the "Yokote City Hall Main Building Road Park. Starting from here, it is recommended to walk around the kamakura sites such as "Yokote Minami Elementary School" with countless mini kamakura, "Janosaki Kawahara", kamakura built along samurai residences, and Yokote Castle and kamakura lit up with lights.
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●Date and Time
February 15 (Sat.) and 16 (Sun.), 2025, 18:00 - 21:00
●Place
In front of Yokote City Hall Main Building, Yokote Park, Futaba-cho, and other locations throughout the city (free shuttle buses will be available to tour the venues)
Location
8-2 Chuo-machi, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture 013-0023
Access
Approx. 10 min. walk from JR Yokote Station
*The contents and services in this article are subject to change.
Yokote City Fureai Center "Kamakura-kan
The "Yokote City Fureai Center Kamakurakan" is located next to the main Yokote City Hall building and is a cultural and tourist complex with a store, a hall, and conference rooms. Materials related to "kamakura," Yokote's traditional event, are on display, and in the "kamakura room" where the temperature is kept at minus 10 degrees Celsius, visitors can experience a real "kamakura" made of Yokote's snow throughout the year.
The Kamakura Room is closed for about one week from mid-August to mid-September and for about one week from mid-February to late February for Kamakura maintenance.
Please check the website for details.
You can take pictures of kamakura with children.
*Bus service to the venue will be available (for a fee)
Please come and experience the authentic kamakura and the fantastic world lit up at night.
Take your favorite train and lodging combination for a budget-friendly trip!
