Taking place over the first three days of September, the ‘Owara Kaze no Bon Festival’ sees dancers fill the streets of Yatsuo – in the south of Toyama City – as a prayer for a good harvest. On each day of the festival, from mid-afternoon onward, traditionally dressed dancers create long processions through the historic streets lined with rustic buildings.

The matching kimono of the dancers, the faces of whom are covered by large ‘amigasa’ straw hats, creates a magical atmosphere as they moved through the streets lit by lanterns and filled with local families. Traditional ‘shamisen’ (three-stringed instruments), ‘taiko’ drums and flutes provide the soundtrack as the festival and dancing continues well into the night.

The festival draws a large crowd and transport to and from Yatsuo is extremely crowded. It is worth staying in Yatsuo to avoid long queues for transport but to do so, you will need to book your accommodation well in advance.