Nihonbashi-kyôbashi-matsuri

日本橋京橋祭

“Nihonbashi Kyôbashi festival”

Nihonbashi was the starting (and ending) point of gokaidô, the “five highways”, which connected the capital Edo (now Tôkyô) with the outer provinces during the Edo period (1603–1868). From 1972 the parade was held to commemorate the completion of the national highways. This mammoth parade and festival boasts over 2,000 participants, hailing from regional spectacular sights all over Japan, perform a variety of festival dances, parades and marches.