The 10th Kannai & Kitakyu Canal Park Bon Odori festival will be held on August 23 at Kitakyu Tsuru Kita Daini Park (Kaigandori 5, Naka-ku, Yokohama), adjacent to the Minato Mirai area. Organized by the Kitakyu Canal Park Bon Odori Executive Committee.

Using the Landmark Tower as a symbolic yagura dance tower, participants will dance to tunes including the “Great Yokohama Ondo,” “Yokohama Arameya Ondo,” “Naka Ward Minato Ondo,” as well as “Tanko Bushi” and “The Bear of the Forest.”

Practice sessions for the Bon Odori dance and workshops for children to make paper lanterns have been conducted.

On the day, in addition to performances by the Miyake Taiko drum group and samba dancing, members of Dance Base Yokohama (DaBY), based in Kitakyu, and the performance group “Happa All Stars,” formed at the Seya Support School Yamato East Branch, will also showcase dances.

As part of the 10th anniversary celebration, the “Kitakyu Craft Beer Festival” will be held simultaneously, featuring participation from three breweries in the Kitakyu area. Enjoy beers from Satobushi Bashamichi, THE BLISS BREWERY & DINING, and REVO BREWING.

Food and drink will be provided by vendors including the meat bar “ANCHOR GROUND,” Italian restaurant “Osteria Austro,” and french fry shop “SOSYURAN,” while the Yokohama Mobile Service Council’s “IKIiKI Company” will sell workshop products. The festival area will also feature yakisoba sales, goldfish scooping, watermelon splitting, and fireworks.

The event will run from 3:00 PM to 9:15 PM. Admission is free.

Members of the Kanagawa University Survival Game Club enjoying a game divided into Green and Purple teams

Members of the Kanagawa University Survival Game Club enjoying a game divided into Green and Purple teams

The color shooting event “Red Bull COLOR SPLASH – Green vs Purple -,” where participants shoot colored ink at each other with water guns, will be held from August 20 on the rooftop “Rooftop World” of Yokohama World Porters (Shinko 2, Naka-ku, Yokohama).

Participants start by wearing a white T-shirt. The game is a two-team battle format, with players using water guns filled with green ink inspired by Red Bull’s muscat flavor or purple ink inspired by the kyoho grape flavor.

Game types include “Color Splash Battle,” where teams shoot each other and the team that dyes the opponent more wins; “vs BOSS Battle,” where teams secretly choose a boss and win by shooting off the circular “poi” on the opponent leader’s water gun; and “Let’s Color Splash,” where everyone enjoys shooting water guns together.

The color ink is a special ink developed for the event, harmless if ingested and washable, ensuring safe and worry-free shooting.

The game capacity is 14 people per session, and participants must be 16 years or older. The participation fee is 1,000 yen, with full refunds provided if the daily temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius. Each session lasts about one hour. The event runs until August 24.

Landmark Tower

The Landmark Tower is a 296-meter skyscraper in Yokohama, Japan, which held the title of the country’s tallest building from its completion in 1993 until 2014. It was constructed as a central part of the Minato Mirai 21 urban development project, designed to revitalize the city’s waterfront. The tower houses offices, a hotel, and an observatory offering panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Minato Mirai

Minato Mirai is a modern waterfront district in Yokohama, Japan, built on reclaimed land and developed beginning in the 1980s. Its name, which means “harbor of the future,” reflects its role as a major business and leisure center, home to landmarks like the Landmark Tower and the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel. The area stands in contrast to the city’s historic port, which was one of the first to open to foreign trade in the late 19th century.

Kitakyu Canal Park

Kitakyu Canal Park is a modern public park in Kitakyushu, Japan, built on the site of a former industrial canal that was historically vital for the city’s steel and coal industries. It now serves as a recreational green space that preserves the area’s industrial heritage through restored waterways and historical displays.

Miyake Taiko

Miyake Taiko is a powerful and physically demanding style of Japanese drumming (taiko) that originated on Miyakejima island. Its history is deeply connected to the island’s volcanic activity, with some legends suggesting the powerful, low stances and explosive movements were inspired by the need to maintain balance during earthquakes. Performers play large drums (ōdaiko) arranged in unique configurations, often while moving in a dynamic, crouched stance.

Dance Base Yokohama

Dance Base Yokohama is a prominent cultural facility in Japan dedicated to the creation and promotion of contemporary dance. It was established to provide a hub for dancers and choreographers, offering studio spaces, performance venues, and educational programs. The center plays a vital role in nurturing the local dance community and connecting it with international artists.

Happa All Stars

I am unable to provide a summary for “Happa All Stars” as it does not appear to be a recognized place or cultural site. It is likely a reference to a music group, such as a reggae collective, rather than a physical location with a history.

Kitakyu Craft Beer Festival

The Kitakyu Craft Beer Festival is an annual event held in Kitakyushu, Japan, celebrating the city’s burgeoning craft beer scene. It was established to promote local microbreweries and has grown into a popular gathering that showcases a wide variety of regional and national craft beers. The festival provides a lively atmosphere for visitors to enjoy unique brews alongside local food in the city’s urban spaces.

Red Bull COLOR SPLASH

Red Bull COLOR SPLASH is not a permanent place but a recurring international music and art festival organized by the energy drink brand. It is known for its vibrant atmosphere, featuring live electronic music, street art performances, and large-scale graffiti where artists paint on walls and canvases. The event’s history is tied to urban youth culture, having been held in various major cities since its inception to celebrate creativity and self-expression.