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The colorful festival of Hakata Dontaku in Fukuoka is celebrated in 3rd and 4th of May every year. On the occasion of this two days festival people dress up in unique and colorful costumes and parade through the streets while clapping Shamoji Spoons and various dance performances also take place as part of the celebration on the stages and in different areas of the city. A Shamoji is the wooden utensil for rice serving and represents a woman’s image preparing a meal. Another main attraction of Hakata Dontaku festival is the parade of the decorated vehicles called Hana Jidosha. During the golden week of April to early May Hakata Dontaku is the festival, which draws the majority of the crowd and the largest number of spectators (2 million approximately). The term Dontaku emerged from the Dutch word Zondag meaning ‘Sunday’ or ‘a holiday’. It was commenced as matsubayashi in 1179 through a New Year performance. It was a folk art performed in Kyoto during the Muromachi period in 1333-1568. In the Edo Period, it matured into a parade headed by people who used to dress up as auspicious gods when people visited the castle of the Lord of Fukuoka. Young children, who danced to a special chant called iitate, followed the ‘gods’. This parade was earlier known as Torimon but later modification in the festival changed the name from Torimon to Dontaku. It is actually a citizens’ festival. Today, its name has been transformed to the Hakata Dontaku Port Festival with a number of events simultaneously held around Hakata Port. Over 12,000 people who belong to around 120 groups perform traditional matsubayashi. The groups vary on using traditional Japanese instruments and others perform folk songs with brass instruments. Hakata Dontaku festival is also the symbol of unity as different population classes of the city greet each other and stand together on the same platform. Finally the day is over with gorgeous plays of fireworks and guests and tourists are always welcome to be a part of this celebration.
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