Arikawa 17th Day Festival

With over 400 years of history, this festival taking place in front of Arikawa's Kaido Shrine presents shorts skits (called "niwaka") and dance performances as offerings, praying for the protection of the islanders from maritime disasters. 50 performers create a parade float, and march to 9 different dance spots starting at Kaido Shrine. The float is small, only 2 meters long and 1 meter in length, so it typically has a background drawn on it that the plays are performed in front of.
Experience both modern and traditional 10 minute plays, and join in with the crowd in welcoming and clapping for the performers between laughs. Each of the plays end with a final punchline, to which the spectators respond with "Niwaka ja!". Then, with musical accompaniment, they head to the next location. It's a festival where the performances come to the viewer--very rare in Japan.

(Shinkamigoto Intangible Folk Cultural Property)

This year's schedule: TBA