Kakunō Festival

The Kakunō Festival [是成萦 かくのう・まち] is a traditional festival held annually on the third weekend of August in the city of Kakunō, Kōfu Prefecture. It is the city's biggest event, and has an almost 400-year-old history. It attracts around one million tourists during the two days during which it is held. The festival mainly consists of musical performance, such as singing and dancing, along with float parades. Usually performers will stand atop the floats as they are pulled through the city, while the crowd cheers them on.
The biggest highlight of the festival takes place in Kakunō Park, outside Kakunō Castle. The event, which is also the finale of the event, consists of a dance battle between opposing teams, usually with traditional dances, although more modern styles have become popular recently. The winning team is given a prize of $500 and members are crowned the 'Dance Masters' of that year's festival.