Omotesando

Late August is always a good time for dancing in the streets, with many major festivals happening around this time of year. The Yosakoi dance originated in Kochi prefecture in 1954, where it was created to help revitalise the struggling post-war economy. Tokyo's very own Super Yosakoi festival, however, while relatively new, has been going on for over two decades now. This massive event sees about 110 teams of brightly attired dancers trying to outdo each other as they strut their stuff to the rhythm of the naruko – a type of clapper that the people of Kochi originally used to scare birds away from the fields. The dance performances take place at various locations within the Harajuku/Shibuya area. But if you only see one thing, make sure it’s the massive parade along the tree-lined Omotesando avenue on Sunday from 11.10am to 4.15pm. Stage performances will be held at Yoyogi Park from 10am to 7pm on Saturday and until 5pm on Sunday. There are also smaller parades at the Yoyogi Park Event Square, along the road between the NHK Hall and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, around the same time. At the Yoyogi no Mori Bon-Odori venue (5-68-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya), you can enjoy Yosakoi performances from 11.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday and from 11.00am to 4pm on Sunday. For more information, check the event website.