Japan Festival Parades People in Ancient Dress, Makeup in Chiba Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:17 JST, November 13, 2025

SHIBAYAMA, Chiba — Men and women dressed as ancients walk down the street in Shibayama, Chiba Prefecture, on Sunday, as part of the 40th Shibayama Haniwa Festival. The event celebrates the many haniwa clay figures excavated locally and was started in 1982 to bring together the town, which was divided over the construction of Narita Airport. Parade participants wore red makeup to ward off evil spirits, as well as linen clothes, kabuto helmets and necklaces. The crowd applauded when Kuni-no-Miyatsuko, the leader of the pack, exclaimed, “Let us protect the natural beauty and culture of this town for 1,500 years to come.”