KARATSU, Saga -- The Karatsu Kunchi festival was held to mark the start of the new Reiwa era in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, on Sunday.
The traditionally three-day annual autumn festival of the Karatsu Jinja shrine is usually held November 2-4.
About 110,000 spectators watched 14 hikiyama floats that were paraded on the day.
The festival, which is included on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, was held in May to celebrate the change of the era name and also to mark 200 years since the production of the first Hikiyama Akajishi (red lion) festival float.
Rousing cries of "enya, enya" filled the air as festival participants energetically maneuvered floats around the town.
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