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Okunchi: a fall festival in Nagasaki

Yesterday, today and tomorrow, one of the most unusual Japanese festival is taking place in Nagasaki: Okunchi. With Chinese and Dutch influences, Nagasaki celebrates the local deity and its international history!

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Okunchi is the most famous festival in Nagasaki. It started as a celebration of the fall harvest by the late 17th century when Chinese and Dutch traders anchored their ships in the city harbor. It started to be a celebration of the local deity when the Suwa-jinja sanctuary was founded in 1642. 

 
 

Japanese folk dances and processions take place all along the festival. Okunchi is also a tribute to traders through a Dutch dance and the Chinese dragon dance. The latter is one of the most famous show of the festival. It shows 4 colorful dragons led by a dozen hidden dancers who make it move in a snakelike way to reenact the legendary battle between darkness (the dragon) and light (the sun), represented by a golden globe held at the end of a pole. 

The Dutch dance shows 2 women (one of them wearing a fake moustache to play the role of the man) who bow, exchange smiles, and flirt, in a humorous way. A Dutch ship-shaped float is also part of the procession, among many others.

Vidéo

Okunchi is held every year on October 7-9. Rehearsals start from June 1st: over 3 months to prepare a festival that is one of Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties.

More about Okunchi on Nagasaki’s website: www.visit-nagasaki.com

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  • Culture & traditions
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