Postcard from Japan
Tobata Gion Oyamagasa Festival is a traditional summer festival in Tobata Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The Yamagasa (or Yamakasa) are very large floats and are the focal point of the festival. During the festival in the daytime, the eight official floats with twelve great flags hoisted on the four large ones are carried for a parade, followed by some small floats for children. But in the nighttime, the floats are completely transformed into pyramids of light—huge Lantern Yamakasa floats, their decorations with the flags removed. Each with twelve layers of 309 lanterns, 10 meters high, and 1.5 tons in weight, is shouldered by about 100 carriers.
To move the Yamagasa is an art that requires concerted lifting by all the carriers. To ensure that they do it successfully, they all shout “yoitosa, yoitosa” together in a rhythmic chant with drums and cymbals.
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