Last Updated: Sep 26, 2024

The Kawagoe Festival

An Epic Celebration of Dueling Floats

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

Anyone who follows me on social media knows I’m a big, big, big fan of Kawagoe. From the historical pieces of Edo Castle to Kawagoe’s phenomenal craft beer, there’s a lot to love about this town. That said, given all of Kawagoe’s offerings, nothing quite compares to the magic of its annual festival. The Kawagoe Festival is held every year on the third Saturday and Sunday of October. The festival is definitely one of the country’s liveliest and has been registered as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

One of the major features that sets the Kawagoe Festival apart from all others is its multiple two-story floats. These colossal creations are hauled around the traditional areas of the city, including Kawagoe’s famous preserved warehouse district. As can be seen above, large teams of local residents work in unison to lug the floats up and down the town’s narrow streets. Some floats are so tall that they need to designate a crew member to hoist the overhead power lines while the floats pass underneath!