Where To Stream Journeys in Japan Season 2019 Episode 24
Sawara Festival Floats Keeping Ties Alive
- Aired August 20, 2019
- 30 Min
Sawara lies in northeast Chiba Prefecture, around 70 kilometers to the east of Tokyo. Thanks to its location on a tributary of the Tone River, by the 18th century it had become a prosperous center for freight transportation. For some 300 years, Sawara has held festivals twice a year, in July and October. Backed by rich merchants, these developed into major events, featuring 24 large and lavish floats. The festivities have now been registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural asset. On this...