What do you know about dancing with umbrellas?

Not as much as Tottori City in Tottori-ken, Japan. The Shan Shan Matsuri (鳥取しゃんしゃん祭) is Tottori’s biggest festival. Every year during Obon week, around 4,000 people line the streets dressed in summer festival clothes (usually Happi or Kimono) and do Kasa-odori, choreographed dances with umbrellas… for 3 hours!

It may seem a little repetitive, but that’s if you don’t count the 100+ groups that each do a separate dance and have their own unique clothing. Not too mention the festival foods! (Can I get a shout for Karaage?)

That said, the festival and surrounding activities are full of fried food and fun, from the Luchadors pulling carts, to the umbrella dance hype-man (He’s the guy in the back yelling “Sore, SoRE, SORE!!!”).

If you ever find yourself in Tottori Ken in the second weekend of August, be sure to set aside time to visit The Shan Shan Festival.

Until next time, STAY AWESOME!

Tottori Shan Shan Homepage: http://tottori-shanshan.jp/

Tottori Tourism page: http://www.tottori-tour.jp/en/