Annual Nagasaki Kunchi Festival Starts at Suwa Shrine with Traditional Dance Performances

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:48 JST, October 7, 2023

A large float in the shape of a historical ship weighing five tons is paraded by traditional dance performers at Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki on Saturday. Nagasaki Kunchi Festival is an important intangible folk cultural property that dates to the Edo period (1603-1868). The festival, which also consists of dancing performances dedicated to deities of the shrine, was held for the first time in four years, following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. The festival lasts until Monday, and groups of participants perform across the central parts of the city.