土崎港曳山まつり始まる　掛け声とおはやしで熱気広がり「戻り曳山」でクライマックス　秋田市 (26/07/20 19:00)

The annual festival of Tsuchizaki Shinmei Shrine in Akita City, the "Tsuchizaki Port Float Festival," began on the 20th, with 21 magnificent floats parading through the town. The Tsuchizaki Port Float Festival, filled with the vibrant "Minato Bayashi" music and shouts, has been held since the Edo period to ward off evil and pray for good health. In 2026, 21 floats were brought out from each neighborhood, passed through the large torii gate of Tsuchizaki Shinmei Shrine, and were then offered as a dedication before parading through the town. Announcer Momoka Yoshikata: "One of the highlights of this festival is the 'mikaeshi' (reverse side decoration) on top of the floats. In this neighborhood, a figure of President Trump is displayed along with the haiku, 'Naphtha shortage, will the floats also be monochrome in the future?'" The "mikaeshi" is a short, satirical piece of text displayed on the back of the floats, and in 2026, it addressed the naphtha shortage and bear sightings. Furthermore, while a local doll shop previously handled the rental of dolls for the floats, they withdrew in 2026. Therefore, each neighborhood has either produced the dolls themselves or commissioned doll makers from within and outside the prefecture. A visitor from Katagami City said, "I like the lively atmosphere. I always find the dolls interesting when I see them every year." A visitor from Tsuchizaki, the local area, said, "I hope this continues for a long, long time. I look forward to gathering here." The festival reaches its climax on the evening of the 21st with the "return procession," in which the floats return to their respective neighborhoods.