The Nippon Domannaka Matsuri, also known as Domatsuri, is the largest dance festival in the Nagoya/Chubu region. It features dancers from all over Japan and abroad and is a major highlight of the Nagoya summer. The festival aims to bring together people from diverse locations and cultures through the art of song and dance.
The festival was established in 1999 by college students to create a platform to share the joy of dance in Nagoya and beyond. From its humble beginnings with 26 dance teams and 1,500 performers, it has grown to welcome 210 dance teams with 23,000 performers, attracting around 1.85 million viewers from inside and outside Japan, making it one of the country’s largest events of its kind.
The festival’s rules require each dancer to hold a naruko, or clapper, and incorporate a melody from a local folk tune of their home area into the music. This results in the creation of original dances and music representing the participants’ local cultures. Domatsuri’s appeal lies in its ability to connect people from various regions and countries, fostering community revitalization and the development of new cultural expressions.
The Spirit of Yosakoi: A Dance Revolution
Yosakoi is a vibrant dance form that has captured the hearts of audiences in Japan and beyond with its infectious energy and lively performances. Originating in 1954 in Kochi Prefecture, yosakoi was created to bring joy and vitality back to a community recovering from the aftermath of World War II. The first yosakoi festival was organized by a local youth group, blending traditional Japanese festival dances like Bon Odori and Awa Odori with modern music and contemporary dance styles—a revolutionary new dance form that broke all the rules.
Yosakoi is known for its dynamic and inclusive nature. Its music ranges from traditional Japanese tunes to modern pop and rock, creating a unique and exhilarating auditory experience. The choreography is equally diverse, allowing for a wide range of movements and styles, making every performance distinct.
One of the most striking aspects of yosakoi is the dancers’ costumes, which are a riot of color and creativity, combining elements of traditional Japanese attire with modern, often avant-garde, designs. The costumes add to the visual spectacle and reflect the dance’s ethos of blending the old with the new.
The Nagoya Domatsuri is a critical event in the yosakoi calendar. It is a three-day festival that transforms the city into a dance battleground. Here, the best yosakoi troupes from across Japan gather to perform and compete. The festival features performances at multiple venues throughout Nagoya, each more electrifying than the last. The competition is fierce as troupes bring their most innovative routines and dazzling costumes in a bid to be crowned the best.
The origins of yosakoi can be traced back to a song called “Yosakoi Naruko Odori,” which incorporates the use of naruko, wooden clappers traditionally used by farmers to scare away birds. These clappers have become a staple of yosakoi, adding a distinctive rhythmic element to the performances.
Over the years, yosakoi has expanded beyond Kochi and Nagoya, becoming a nationwide phenomenon with festivals and competitions held in various regions. It has even gained international recognition, with yosakoi festivals being held in countries such as the United States, Brazil, and France, showcasing the universal appeal of this dynamic dance form.
Yosakoi is more than just a dance; it celebrates life, resilience, and creativity. Whether you are watching a performance or participating in one, the spirit of yosakoi is infectious, drawing you into its world of exuberant movement and unbridled joy.
Nippon Domannaka Matsuri 2024
The Domatsuri Festival in Nagoya is a premier yosakoi event, and in 2024, it will be held from August 23 to August 25. Now in its 26th year, the festival features an additional event, the Tele Domatsuri & Autumn Domatsuri, from November 21 to November 24. The festival is a competitive event where yosakoi troupes perform at various locations across the city, vying for the top honors. The three-day summer festival is packed with electrifying performances, bringing together the best yosakoi dancers from around Japan.
- August 23: The festival kicks off in the evening with vibrant opening ceremonies and preliminary performances by various dance troupes. The energy is palpable as teams showcase their unique routines and costumes, setting the stage for the competition.
- August 24: The second day continues with more performances across multiple stages in Nagoya. The highlight of the day is the Final Contest in the evening, where the top teams compete for the prestigious Domatsuri award. This contest is the climax of the festival, featuring the best choreography, music, and costumes.
- August 25: The festival’s final day features encore performances from the top teams and the grand parade. This is a day of celebration and community, with everyone joining in the fun. The festival concludes with closing ceremonies, marking the end of another exhilarating Domatsuri.
Nippon Domannaka Matsuri 2024
Various Locations: www.domatsuri.com/access/schedule.html
Main stage: Edion Hisaya Plaza 3 Chome-65 Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0008 (map)
KKPCW, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Images – courtesy of www.domatsuri.com
