The six prefectures of Japan’s Tohoku region will jointly present the “Tohoku Four Seasons & Tohoku Kizuna Festival” at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, highlighting the area’s cultural heritage, natural beauty, and technological innovation.
The event, scheduled from June 13 to 15, aims to express the region’s ongoing gratitude for global support following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Held at the EXPO Arena “Matsuri,” the festival will feature parades, performing arts, immersive travel experiences, traditional crafts, and regional cuisine. Entry is free with an Expo ticket.
The “Tohoku Wonder Trip Zone” will offer theater screenings and exhibitions showcasing the region’s seasonal landscapes, cuisine, hot springs, and tourism sites.
Traditional crafts such as Tsugaru lacquer and Odate magewappa woodwork will be displayed alongside regional innovations in science and technology, illustrating the fusion of heritage and future-forward thinking.
Live performances of Tohoku’s iconic dances—like Sansa and Hanagasa—will take place on stage, while food booths will offer samples of regional delicacies.
Local governments, destination marketing organizations, and private enterprises will also participate in exhibition booths to promote tourism.
Central to the event is the Tohoku Kizuna Festival Parade, a symbolic collaboration of the six major Tohoku summer festivals.
Approximately 550 performers will participate in the parades on June 14 and 15. The event continues a tradition that began as a unifying recovery initiative post-2011, reinforcing the shared identity and resilience of the region.
Additional promotion will include digital signage across Osaka Station from June 9 to 15 to attract domestic and international visitors.
The event forms part of broader efforts to revitalize tourism and cultural appreciation in the region ahead of the summer festival season.
Business News Asia