Yamagata's Rokkon Festival ~ May 24 and 25 (2 days)

The Tohoku Rokkon Festival Executive Committee held a press conference at the Yamagata Grand Hotel in Yamagata City on January 30th, announcing the "Tohoku Rokkon Festival 2014 Yamagata" will be held in the city on May 24th and 25th.

The Tohoku Rokkon Festival, which brings together the six major Tohoku festivals—Aomori Nebuta Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, Morioka Sansa Dance, Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, Sendai Tanabata Festival, and Fukushima Waraji Festival—was first held in Sendai City in July 2011 with the aim of raising a beacon of hope for recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. It was held in Morioka City in 2012 and in Fukushima City last year.

This year's theme is "Beginning." In addition to parades featuring all six festivals along National Route 112 (near Tabigomachi, Yamagata City), stage events will be held. A Tohoku regional products fair and promotional booths for the main festivals will also be set up. Approximately 200,000 visitors are expected over the two days.

At the press conference, mayors from the six prefectural capitals expressed their enthusiasm. Akio Ichikawa, Mayor of Yamagata City and Chairman of the Executive Committee, stated, "We set the dates for May 24 and 25, when the weather is pleasant, positioning this event as a promotional opportunity before each city's main festival. We ask for your cooperation to make this a success together. We also hope many people will participate."

Additionally, junior high school calligraphy student Takuya Takahashi from Morioka City, who created the festival's title calligraphy, inscribed the character "起" (beginning), imbued with his hopes for reconstruction.