Don’t feel discouraged if you haven’t been sticking to your 2023 resolutions. According to the lunar calendar, we still have a few more days before we officially enter the 2024 new year, which begins on February 10. If you want to celebrate the year of the dragon in Japan, there are few better places to visit than Yokohama Chinatown, which has observed Chinese Spring Festival traditions since 1986.
This year’s programme will kick off on the evening of February 9 with a midnight countdown at Yamashitacho Park. The festivities run through February 24, featuring a host of performances, food pop-ups and lantern displays. Here are the highlights to look forward to.
February 11 (Sun), 12 (Mon), 17 (Sat) and 18 (Sun), 1pm-5pm: a showcase of acrobatics, lion and dragon dances, martial arts demonstrations and other spectacles will take to the stage at Yamashitacho Park. Everyone is welcome to catch the performances for free, but you should purchase tickets online in advance for the best seats.
February 23 (Fri), 3.30pm: the Shukumai-yuko procession will begin at Yamashitacho Park, where a dazzling ensemble of lion dancers, rickshaws carrying people dressed as famous Chinese emperors, and other performing artists parade through Kanteibyo Street, Fukken Road, Nishimon Street and Minami-mon Silk Road. The procession will finish back at Yamashitwacho Park.
February 24 (Sat), 5.30pm-7pm: more lion dances will take place during a lantern festival at Masobyo Temple. Get there early if you want to score a free paper lantern (while supplies last) from the ChinaTown80 information centre, and write your new year wish on it.
See the event’s official website to see the full programme.