The Chinese Spring Festival — will celebrate the birthday of the Jade Emperor, King of the Heavens, with a parade through Yokohama’s Chukagai, or Chinatown. Although advertised simply as a celebration parade, this is also apparently the day to hold a birthday party for The Jade Emperor.
What happens?
The parade will feature traditional costumes, lion dances, and dragon dances. Whereas the lion dance usually has two dancers in one costume, the dragon dance has multiple performers holding up the dragon and due to its complexity, the longer the dragon, the luckier it is. Traditionally the Chinese dragon was associated with water and etymology fans might be interested to know that the Japanese words for waterfall, taki 滝, or tornado/waterspout, tatsumaki 竜巻, contain a kanji character meaning dragon: ryuu 竜. Hopefully it won’t rain on the parade and good luck will come to all those present.
The parade starts and finishes in Yamashitachō Park.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.- 317 m from Motomachi-Chūkagai Station Minatomirai Line (MM6)
- 0.6 km from Ishikawachō Station Negishi Line (JK4)
- 0.7 km from Nihon-ōdōri Station Minatomirai Line (MM5)
