Yosakoi

Yosakoi (よさこい) is a unique style of dance that originated in Japan and that is performed at festivals and events all over the country.

One of the defining aspects of yosakoi dance is the use of naruko: small wooden clappers that are held in the hands of each dancer.

The 2011 manga series, Hanayamata, which received an anime adaptation in July 2014, also focuses on yosakoi.

Yosakoi has been celebrated in Penang - a UNESCO Heritage City in Malaysia every year since 2013.

It was originally held in March to commemorate the Japan Tohoku Earthquake but has since changed its schedule to the 2nd Saturday of September.

There are also yosakoi teams at universities outside Japan, such as UC Berkeley,[3] Kansas State University.,[4] Minnesota State University Moorhead, and in New York City [5] In Canada, a team called Sakuramai performs locally at cultural events and fairs in Toronto and Montreal.

In Europe, one can learn and dance Yosakoi in France, Poland, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Hungary, Czech Republic or Estonia.

[6] The first european team is French and was created back in 2010[7] and perform in several festivals, including the International Fair of Bordeaux.

Two performers at the 2006 Yosakoi Festival in Harajuku , Tokyo
A performer at the 2008 Yosakoi Festival in Harajuku
A group of yosakoi dancers dancing down a street, with naruko clappers and large flags waving
Yosakoi dance performed by Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember team in Surabaya , Indonesia