Hiroshima Toukasan Matsuri

Toukasan is a yukata festival. Yukata are the light and often bright kimonos worn by both men and women in Japan during the warm summer months. The Toukasan Festival marks the start of summer and the first chance for most to break out their yukata for the year.

The festivities are centered around Enryu-ji Temple and the Peace Boulevard end of Chuo Dori. 450,000 people typically venture to Enryu-ji to receive their blessings over the 3 days of the festival.

Toukasan runs from noon until 11pm each day, but most of the action happens in the evening with taiko drumming and choreographed dance performances.

(Greg Lane)