Honba Tsuruzaki Dance Competition

A traditional festival that has been held for over 1,400 years. Among its features, "barter" is famous, where in the past, mountain and sea products were exchanged with the phrase "kaen kae" before dawn. Nowadays, it has become an event that anyone can enjoy at Bankoji Plaza, organized mainly by preservation societies and local residents. Why not bring something you would be happy to receive and participate in the barter? Events on stage are held mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. During the period, stalls line the streets, creating a lively atmosphere. Image provided by Oita City Tourism Division.

The eve and the main festival are held for two days, with seven puppet floats, two taiko floats and one carrying floats milling around each town. The doll-floats are richly carved, and the doll rides in the center of the floats, and the luster of the doll and the sculpture weave touches the viewer. Taiko floats are cruised as the offering floats of the Shinkoshi along with the rhythm of the migratory time. At the main festival, the figure of the Kamikoshi leaving the main shrine mingling with 10 floats to the inn shows the full-glazed appearance of the spring sunshine. It is known locally as the Nosaka "yaka" shrine.

The "Yoshino Plum Festival" is a traditional event that announces the arrival of spring in Oita City. Named after the "Garyu Plum," which resembles a dragon lying on the ground, about 450 plum trees of various varieties, including Bungo Plum, Aojiku, Shirokaga, and Kanboubai, begin to bloom in mid-February and reach their peak from early to mid-March. On Sundays during the event, performances of stick martial arts by elementary school students, lion dances, drum performances, and Kagura are held. Image provided by Oita City Tourism Division.