4456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata 999-3301 Yamagata Prefecture

Zao Onsen, Yamagata 990-2301 Yamagata Prefecture

Near Jizo Mountain, Yamagata 990-2301 Yamagata Prefecture

229-3 Zao Onsen, Yamagata 990-2301 Yamagata Prefecture

Kajomachi, Yamagata 990-0826 Yamagata Prefecture

3-4-51 Hatagomachi, Yamagata 990-0047 Yamagata Prefecture

Kajomachi, Yamagata 990-0826 Yamagata Prefecture

1-1 Kajomachi, Yamagata 990-0826 Yamagata Prefecture

1-1-1 Jonanmachi, Yamagata 990-0827 Yamagata Prefecture

1-53 Otemachi, Yamagata 990-0046 Yamagata Prefecture

2-7-6 Nanukamachi, Yamagata 990-0042 Yamagata Prefecture

1-63 Otemachi, Yamagata 990-0046 Yamagata Prefecture

1-8 Kajomachi Kajo Park, Yamagata 990-0826 Yamagata Prefecture

2-1-8 Tokamachi, Yamagata 990-0031 Yamagata Prefecture

Hanagasa is the word for 'flower hat' in Japanese. At the Yamagata Hanagasa festival, over 10,000 dancers with beautiful traditional straw hats decorated with the prefecture's blossom, the safflower, take to the main street street for three days of intricately costumed parade. The procession is led daily by a series of floats that are sumptuously decorated, with dancers and musicians trailing behind, shouting 'Yassho! Makkasho!' Dances alternate between graceful, precisely choreographed works, and more modern, eclectic performances. Each individual dance troupe has up to 100 members.

2-16-7 Higashiharamachi, Yamagata 990-0034 Yamagata Prefecture