Akita Kanto Matsuri: Balancing Towers of Golden Lanterns in August

As dusk falls in early August, the main avenue in central Akita fills with something that looks like a field of golden rice stalks come to life. Hundreds of tall bamboo poles, each hung with rows of glowing paper lanterns, rise into the dark sky. One by one, performers hoist a pole upright and balance it on a palm, a forehead, a shoulder or a hip, while the tower of lanterns sways and shimmers above them.

This is the Akita Kanto Matsuri (Kanto festival), held each year from August 3 to 6 in Akita City, in northern Honshu. It is counted among the four major festivals of the Tohoku region, and it is recognised as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. This guide explains what a kanto is, why the lanterns are shaped the way they are, the skills of the pole bearers, the schedule of days and nights, and how to attend.

What Is a Kanto?

A kanto is a tall bamboo pole crossed by bamboo bars, from which many paper lanterns are hung in rows. There are four sizes. The largest, called the Owaka, stands about twelve metres tall, weighs up to fifty kilograms and carries forty-six lanterns. The smallest is about five metres tall with twenty-four lanterns. Two mid-sized versions fill the range between them.

All told, around 280 kanto fill the avenue during the night parade, with some 10,000 hand-made lanterns glowing together. Each lantern is marked with the crest of its home neighbourhood, with designs that reflect daily life, such as boats under sail, horses, or wishes for a good harvest. Walking along the avenue, you can see how each team carries its own identity above the crowd.

Lanterns Like Ears of Rice

The glowing lanterns have a particular meaning: they are made to resemble ears of rice, heavy and golden with ripening grain. Akita is one of Japan's famous rice-growing regions, and the festival has long been a prayer for a bountiful harvest. When the poles sway together at night, the visual effect is of a vast rice field rippling in a late-summer breeze.

This symbolism explains why the festival falls in early August, a time when the rice plants are growing in the fields and farmers hope for good weather. The tall poles and the rising of the lanterns also give the festival a feeling of reaching toward the sky, as if lifting the hopes of the whole community upward.

Roots in Sleep-Chasing Rituals

Tohoku's summer calendar is full of festivals built around lanterns and floats, and the Kanto sits comfortably beside Aomori's Nebuta, Sendai's Tanabata and Yamagata's Hanagasa in the lineup of the region's most famous summer events. The origin of the festival lies in a custom called neburi nagashi, literally "sending sleepiness away." In the middle of the eighteenth century, people in the region performed rituals to wash away the drowsiness and fatigue of the hot summer, which could harm the work of farming. Similar sleep-chasing customs are often linked to the origins of Aomori's Nebuta and Hirosaki's Neputa festivals as well.

It is not known exactly when kanto poles were added to the rituals. Over time, the simple lanterns grew into the elaborate poles seen today. Akita's own folklore museum, the Akita City Performing Arts Heritage Center (also known as the Neburi Nagashi Kan), preserves this history and the lantern traditions throughout the year.

The Art of Balancing

The performers who carry the poles are called sashite. They hoist a kanto upright and balance it on the palm of one hand, then move it to the forehead, a shoulder, or the small of the back or hip, shifting the pole from one point to another without letting it fall. A pole of up to 50 kilograms, swaying in the evening breeze, takes remarkable concentration and coordination.

The balancing is said to require about forty percent strength and sixty percent skill. The sight of a twelve-metre pole balanced on a single forehead is the heart of the festival, and onlookers cheer each shift. The music of drums and flutes, called hayashi, accompanies the performance and keeps the rhythm of the night.

Day and Night Schedule

The festival offers two kinds of performance. The daytime Kanto competitions, called the Display of Special Feats, take place from about 9:00 am to 3:40 pm on August 4 to 6 at the Nigiwai Hiroba plaza. They are a good way to see the skills of the sashite up close.

The night parade is on August 3 to 6 along the main avenue, known as Kanto Odori Street. According to the official schedule, the poles enter around 6:50 pm and the performances run until about 8:35 pm. After the parade, a "try Kanto" session invites spectators to touch the poles, try balancing a small one and pose for photographs with the performers. Stalls selling food and drink open the day before, on August 2.

Seats and Viewing Spots

Watching the festival from the street is free. Reserved grandstand seats are also available for those who want a guaranteed view, and reservations are made by phone through the festival's grandstand reservation centre. Prices vary by section, so check the official website for current rates.

The first rows along the avenue fill quickly. If you prefer to avoid the biggest crowds, the daytime events are a calmer alternative. At the Akita City Performing Arts Heritage Center, you can see the poles and try a small kanto yourself, and on weekend and holiday afternoons from April to October there are balancing demonstrations. Check opening hours and admission before you go.

The Hall Open All Year

If August is out of reach, the Akita City Performing Arts Heritage Center, also known as the Neburi Nagashi Kan, offers a year-round introduction. Its permanent display shows kanto poles and the town crests painted on lanterns, and there is an area where visitors can try handling a smaller pole. On weekend and holiday afternoons from April to October, short balancing demonstrations are held, typically around 1:30 pm.

Admission has been very modest in recent years, and the hall is closed for a few days around the New Year. Hours and fees can change, so check the current information on the Akita city tourism website.

Plan Your Visit

The main avenue is roughly a 15-minute walk from JR Akita Station, so the festival is easy to reach on foot. From Tokyo, the Akita Shinkansen takes about four hours, so many visitors stay overnight, and hotels fill up well in advance. English information is offered by the tourist office inside Akita Station, and there are pamphlets and English-speaking guides during the festival.

August evenings are warm, so bring water and light clothing, and carry a small folding fan. Keep a safe distance from the poles, which can sway widely, and always follow the instructions of the staff. Do not touch the poles outside the designated "try Kanto" time. Check the official Akita websites for current dates, times and ticket information.