, also or , is the most famous festival in

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...

, Japan. It began as a celebration of autumn

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...

s in the late 16th century and became a shrine festival when Suwa Shrine was founded in 1642. Another purpose was to check for hidden Christians after the ban on Christianity. This is still evident today in the custom of , when the presenting neighbourhoods open up their homes to public scrutiny. One of the most famous performances of the festival is the

Dragon Dance Dragon dance () is a form of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance, it is most often seen during festive celebrations. The dance is performed by a team of experienced dancers who manipulate a long flexible ...

which was originally performed on

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

by the Chinese residents of Nagasaki. Rehearsals for the festival begin on June 1. From October 7–9 the presentations of the festival, which vividly reflect Nagasaki's colourful history, spill over from the three festival sites into the streets and create an atmosphere of celebration throughout the city.

External links

*
Nagasaki Dento Geino Shinko-kai
*
Nagasaki Kunchi, Nagasaki Shimbun
{{Coord, 32, 45, 14.85, N, 129, 52, 55.6, E, source:jawiki_region:JP-42_type:event_scale:10000, display=title Nagasaki Festivals in Japan Tourist attractions in Nagasaki Prefecture Culture in Nagasaki Prefecture October events

See also

External links