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Entrance to Uminonakamichi Marine World
A Lankmark of FukuokaHakata Dontaku
The name Dontakuis a corruption of the Dutch word Zontag, meaning Sunday.
The festival is said to have started as a New Year parade of merchants going to the local lord’s residence to celebrate is held on May 3 and 4 in Hakata.
About 30,000 of local townspeople take part, and its attractions include the traditional
Matsuribayashi parade, a fancy-dress parade and a shamoji band.
Matsuribayashi is a parade of children and adults in traditional dress, led by the three gods Fuku-no-Kami, Ebisu and Daikoku, on horseback.
The kasahoko, a float that forms part of the Matsuribayashi parade.
It is believed in Fukuoka that babies carried under the
kasahoko will grow up strong and healthy.
The shamoji band parade around the town beating time with shamoji, the wooden spatulas used for serving rice.
