What a Japanese Dance Festival is Like

My sister-in-law's mother-in-law wanted me to film her dance troupe performing in Shibuya... so that's what I did.
It turns out this Ohara dance festival is put on by the Kagoshima Kenjinkai, which it the hometown association of Kagoshima.
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[@ranija]

I love how you also show the small things about Japan, not just the big, well known things. It's fascinating as a foreigner to hear about average people's food, recycling or non famous festivals! So thank you very much for that!

[@Unai_asdf]

Greg has been a perfectly chill gentleman for years on this KZbin channel, and then all of the sudden he chooses to obliterate those poor girls at 6:03 😂

[@user-no2mz9hl4f]

I think he was just being honest, but still in nice way.

[@tehoneandonlyhaha]

I assumed he only referred to the mascot.

[@s70driver2005]

Hahaha right!!!

[@khalidalali186]

Touché, and the same applies to all of Asia. Be it we in West Asia, or those in the East, South East, and Central Asia.

[@originLa]

6:14 Love the energy of the wheelchair grandma!

[@hoshiataru]

Haven't finished watching yet but my man! 1:49 my heart skipped! It's been what, 15 years? And just this shot still hits me. You can't just pop Makoto Shinkai without warning Greg-san!

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Love me some Shinkai Makoto!

[@hallejohn]

I'm sitting at home and watch with joy. almost had some tears in my eyes. I guess, I feel like home sick but never have been in Japan.

[@SaintShion]

ppl often tell me that, than they cone to Japan and get culture shock* by how ppl actually act.

[@pergunnareriksson]

Congatulations to your sister-in-law's mother-in-law, her team and all who took part. And thanks for filming and sharing.

[@user-lz5vh9bb5w]

As someone who lives in a country that has thrown away almost all traditional stuff, this is super cool to see.

[@Flake52]

Which country you live in

[@LemifromJapan]

We can enjoy these festivals when we know its backgrounds and participants stories.😊 I'm Japanese, and I love festivals. Thank you for making this video. 😊I enjoyed it a lot!

[@richardjohntierney5434]

you show the Japan that we wouldn't normally see. so enjoyable, thanks for all your hard work .

[@MSmith-Photography]

I think it's neat that festivals like these exist.

[@Vandebirt]

These guys are Pros, they definitely understand how a fishing net feels when it’s being pulled in whenever they perform the Soran Bushi.

[@jamesgray6238]

The smaller dancing festivals are very enjoyable. On my last trip in 2019 we stumbled over one taking place in Yokohama on the way to the cup Museum. Was the highlight of that City and a fond memory of the whole trip.

[@bonyo888]

Aaaah these costumes are just too good!! My eyes are feasting 🙏 thanks for yet another great vid!!!!🎉🎉💖💖

[@tankeryy1566]

i like the first and second criteria upon deciding on who the winner will be.

[@sparkey67890]

I used to live in Satsumasendai, in Kagoshima prefecture and we did a similar dance too!

[@khankhattak.]

Greg I absolutely loved this. Also, A humble request for the music played the slow type. Felt amazing listening to it. Thanks again for sharing.

[@LoveMeDontHate77]

I dance yosakoi in the US, which is a dance from Kochi. It's been a dream to go to perform in Japan, because all the Japan teams always talk about how amazing dance festivals like this are! thank you for sharing this!!!

[@etherdog]

That was fun, Greg! We didn't know the backstory of the Kagoshima festival being in Shibuya. And my dance skill is still trying to reach your level 🙂

[@ryaaannnn]

Very cool to see how people preserve their regional culture in a big city like Tokyo! Thanks for this.

[@sensnowy]

How is this video not watched over a million times ? It’s so good. Cause of the title being not liked by yt? Such a good video.

[@oaktree__]

This is so sweet, I loved learning about this! I didn't even know Japanese dance festivals were such A Thing, let alone about this one specifically. Thanks for sharing this :) The costumes are great, and I love that the primary criteria for success are "having a good facial expression", "having fun", and "creating a good atmosphere for onlookers". Just relentlessly positive stuff, which we all need so much these days. The "hometown association" reminds me a bit of landsmanshaftn (roughly translated "countrymanship groups"), which are (were) a similar cultural institution in the US and Canada, when Ashkenazi Jews emigrated from eastern Europe they would often form these landsmanshaft societies, which functioned both as mutual aid societies and social groups. It was especially important in the years immediately following the Holocaust, when the towns and villages people had come from had quite often been totally obliterated, or in the cases of larger cities, the Jewish populations had been wiped out. So people had these sort of satellite communities that remained for them in the west. The hometown associations in Japan seem like they have less of a dark or sad history, but they do seem to work in the same way, to both foster hometown pride and help people not to forget all the traditions and specificities of the places they came from. I love that.

[@TioDeive]

My grandfather and his family were immigrants from Kagoshima. Thank you for the video.

[@hi__catherine]

I love seeing these small festivals and features on these smaller regions out of Tokyo. As someone who is planning an upcoming trip to Japan I would prefer to see things like this, so thank you for sharing! More local and authentic, not always the popular and touristy stuff. It was so sweet to see the dancers participate in these festivals to get in touch with their childhood and hometowns 🥹

[@jasonbig1353]

I’m going back to Japan in Jan for 17 days 😎I cannot wait

[@Martlns]

I recently started seriously considering a visit to Japan. Videos like these are amazing for ideas and events that I should include in travel plans. Summer and dance festivals like these seem just so interesting.

[@alexquyenvo5196]

Tip to save money in Japan: if you decide to visit few places other than Tokyo, get yourself a JR PASS ! Just 1 round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto already "win" your money with the pass hihi... And don't forget all the Convenient stores, they're your best "friends" when it comes to food and many other things hihi... Oh, and walk on the left side hihi...

[@rm9968]

all the planning wont help you. i spent 6 months figuring out where I wanted to go and what I wanted to see. if you see a side street or alley, go. check it out. the 'what down this street' is the best part of tokyo. disclaimer i was in the shibuya area.

[@alexquyenvo5196]

@@rm9968 true but still, one has to make decisions of where to visit, for how many days to book a stay ahead of time hihi...

[@thorbergson]

If you can stand the heat, August around Obon is the best time for matsuri all over the country. Dance festivals, fireworks, shrine parades, you name it. Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, Awa Odori, Daimonji in Kyoto, the list goes on.

[@XSpImmaLion]

Not famous but still gathers this many people and has this much work and organization behind... xD Awesome! There is something about these traditions, organizations, and reverence given to your origins, community and sense of place that is at the core of how Japanese society works... it's just fascinating!

[@awildcyclistappears]

A bit late to the party, but I absolutely love japanese dance festivals. There is so much grace in the choreography and it makes me feel like I'm slipping into a different world just for a moment. It's just like Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori - you literally gain a real second life because it's so magical, different from everything in the west and the time your brains takes to process it all seems like an eternity.

[@josefinematildehansenvonki2384]

Great video, and great performance by the dancers🤩👍👍

[@justinemccabe5309]

Congratulations!!! I can't believe there is a video of this festival! It brings back memories for me. I competed with my team 'International Ohara' in 2019. It was the best experience I had in Japan! I can't wait to share this video with my students! Thank you!

[@defunctchannel942]

This was great! Glad it got its own video! It's an unexpected side of Shibuya for sure!

[@jingling-tam4192]

Love your shows. So informative.

[@maruwan-dono]

This is wonderful and the coverage. SO GOOD thank you

[@joecanis484]

That was fun to watch. Being there to see it in person would be best.

[@reubenc3830]

I'd love to watch this festival someday! Awesome video!

[@tankeryy1566]

short but amazing documentary!

[@Taknight2006]

Thanks!

[@KirstenReusch]

💜this. Congratulations to your sister-in-law mother-in-law's team for their win. The festival looks like a lot of fun. I'll put it on my list to keep an eye out for in the future.

[@teraymarine148]

Watching them all dance at the end... I think it soothed my soul! Beautiful flow!

[@michaelrm2317]

Luv the editing!

[@Kevin-xz4jq]

Awesome video. Thanks

[@prity777]

What a great festival it is

[@StarlordStavanger]

I love little things like this! Thanks so much for sharing :)

[@pretsof]

Miss your videos, they do not seem to be as frequent as they once were. Hope everything is going well for you and your family. Thanks for the video. Grats to your mother-in-law's group.

[@VerhoevenSimon]

I love seeing these festivals

[@LadyJennivieve]

This is beautiful!

[@PrettyTranslatorSarahMoon]

One of my favorite festival dances that absolutely blew me away was one in Mizusawa. I forget what it's called, but it was held sometime between mid-April and mid-May.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thank you.

[@CptFitzgerald]

ok this was super neat and awesome, but that Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade incident shot caught me off guard. Good on your sister-in-law for the inside scoop/connection. This turned out to be one of my favorite videos you've done.

[@jethroibarrola]

Thank you for sharing this... one day I will visit Japan...

[@ThePunisher0313]

4:09 the first criteria of judging is having good facial expression... except that everyone is wearing a mask! 😂

[@kaisermuto]

It holds 300,000 festivals in a year in each town of Japan.

[@christopherwilson3113]

I absolutely love the Shibuya area. Hope you and your family are doing well!

[@wackychicken]

This is sooo cute!

[@Maaaggii]

Never ever seen this about Japan. Loved it. 👍

[@mauriman2210]

😆lolz I really enjoyed this presentation I can affiliate with people who get a bit homesick for the memories of their place of origin. Good fortune & God bless you all...

[@WilsonSpeeches]

A lovely, fun slice of life.

[@nasshu_life]

so cool to learn new cultures 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@colomboricua]

One of my fondest high school memories is learning Soran Bushi in Japanese class. Watanabe Sensei a real one.

[@davidallen2058]

Lovely.

[@dylandualsport1462]

I love all your videos that have anything to do with japan. I literally play your channel on repeat. I was wondering if you moved back to Canada perminatly? And how much more japan content do we have to look forword too? My all time faveriot video of yours is the bike ride thru japan. I would love to see anther video like that. ❤

[@capedluna]

There is a massive drum festival in Morioka Japan called the Sansa Odori. Tons of schools, businesses and organziations playing taiko. I think it is the biggest taiko gathering. Y'all should look at videos, very cool.

[@soundknight]

I live Kagoshima. Great history too.

[@boomshakalaka415]

I'm going to have my wife suggest to her mother whom lives in Kagoshima join this dance troupe! 👯💃

[@CarinRuff]

So great to see people of all ages and abilities participating! I'd love to know more about the dance moves: are they traditional in Japan generally, or in the home town of the dancers, or are they a modern tradition specific to these kinds of dance festivals?

[@shineyourlightwithraz]

Enjoyable..

[@_spartan11796]

Nice moves

[@goldentrout4811]

Cool

[@dazzlingfreeman8903]

Life where I'm from. Have you done a vlog from Canada?, like where you grew up. It's always fun to go back to your roots.

[@jessie6835]

Life Where I'm From Rafting & Camping in Canada kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp_ViKd-Zd55ftE

[@jessie6835]

Life Where I'm From Who Am I kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmrXiqarZ66Ee9k

[@wendyon4517]

I live in Kagoshima. The Ohara Festival is the first week in November here. 25,000 dancers is NOT underestimated. I'd heard of the Shibuya O'Hara Matsuri and wondered whether people flew up there to participate it makes sense that dancers live in the Tokyo area. What percentage of dancers in your Mother-in-law's Mother-in-law's group are originally from Kagoshima?

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Mother-in-law said there are 60 members in her team and 2-3 people are from Kanto, whereas the rest are from Kirishima city. She said that most of the other teams are similar, with most members being from Kagoshima.

[@ioan_jivan]

Such good suff

[@kochichris]

Washa washa oh so joy full washoi washoi dancing all the round🥰😇

[@palalabu]

reminds me of the bon odori dance i used to join in matsuri in jakarta!

[@azraieruslim]

I remembered Awaodori from the anime "Golden Time"

[@elizabethdavis1696]

Please do a video on Kyoto train station and all the stores and amenities it has

[@88Kidlat]

❤❤❤

[@stephanieok5365]

Yesss, return of Akko (sp?). \o/

[@nerd26373]

I’ve been to Shibuya in 2019, and the whole place was overly crowded. We also have festivals in the Philippines. Some examples I could think of are the Maskara and Sinulog festival. Japan seems to be that type of country that has a lot more to offer, apart from manga, animé, cosplay, and the list goes on. Thank you for showing us the lesser known cultures and traditions of the country.

[@SaintShion]

We've been around since 660BC I'd hope so

[@Unan1mouz]

Those old ladies are cute. Haha

[@wanaan]

Love your videos as always. very interesting. Wish we have something like this in Thailand too. The different regions are known for their meticulous dances. It would ve really cool to see them highlighted. And we have so many perfect places to do them.

[@KuruGDI]

1:50 This is _Your Name_ but the other way round 😅

[@j134679]

The idol shade 🤣

[@tuh1cax]

❤

[@SansBalance]

1. The comment about the idols' dancing skills was brutal. But, not inaccurate. 草. 2. The shot of the old lady dancing in wheelchair was sweetly affecting. Thank you for the video.

[@vindo17]

Yoimiya sighting 2:41

[@DDB168]

I think that was Greg in the spiderman mask 😉

[@chudbabies]

oooh. Fuzzy demon dragon dog.

[@WhitedeathSN]

You said yes? Wait that is a spoiler I was not prepared for ;)

[@yannistan639]

あっこさんのビデオをありがとうございます。

[@kokofan50]

Two degrees of in-law. It’s interesting how you’re starting to put that personal network to use.

[@Elixirs_mp4]

I really wasnt expecting spiderman

[@lalilulelo]

I like how some masks are designed to match the costume.

[@khalidalali186]

Was the last bit by design or by accident?

[@UmATrinta]

Wait! What do you mean "see you next time"? What was that at the end? With the lanterns on the poles. Was that a exhibition? A competition? I'm so intrigued.

[@Bakapooru]

Lanterns look like from the Kanto Festival in Akita.

[@thepan]

5:34 what in the multiverse heck O_O

[@LARKXHIN]

Well now I know how to pronounce Shibuya correctly.

[@anon4096]

does anyone know the name of the song at 6:14

[@salsichalivre5401]

Very nice, I wish to be part of Japanese community to be part of this. Very few places nowadays are good like this for local festivals held by people from the place, without foreigners looking as like incriminating.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

A section that got cut from the video is that they usually have international people participate as well. Before COVID they even had their own team and won one of the awards one year. One of the members of the Kirishima team mentored them. So anyone can participate if they find a team. It's not just for locals.

[@salsichalivre5401]

@@LifeWhereImFrom I wish to be there also. Thank you for your kind response.

[@Last_Baguette0001]

Hello!

[@mariegowon4758]

Your daughter would have been big now I want to see her

[@mariachantv3104]

5:14 love this part . big city and screen and culture