Esashi Yama Hall: Festival Floats All Year Round

The Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival is Hokkaido’s oldest festival, dating back 370 years. From August 9 to 11, the streets of historic trading town Esashi are filled with people as 13 magnificent multi-tiered floats, known as yama, parade through the town accompanied by traditional music as an expression of gratitude for the year’s herring catch. If you are visiting outside of the festival period, be sure to check out the Esashi Float Hall. Here, two of the eye-catching floats are displayed on rotation along with other goods and an explanation of the festival’s fascinating history.