Tottori Shan-Shan Matsuri is the biggest festival in Tottori Prefecture.
It is annually held during bon holidays(mid August).
The dancers are holding ornamented umbrellas with tiny bells and perform dance in the parade.
The name"Shan-Shan" comes from the noise that the bells on the umbrellas make when it rattles.
The Kasa Odori(Umbrella dance) is very popular in the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture.
According to the legend, an old man named Gorosaku danced with an umbrella for the village god praying for rain during a drought in the Edo period(1603-1867).
The Kasa Odori is considered as a part of Bon Odori(Japanese dance in Bon festival) as well as Te-Odori( Hand dance).
More than 100 groups dance and march on the street.
Stage performances are held at Tottori station.
#tottori #summerfestivaljapan #tottoritravel #shanshanmatsuri #tottorifestival #umbrelladance
Oki Islands is an archipelago in the Sea of Japan located 40-80km north of the Coast of Shimane Prefecture.
It is a group of four inhabited islands and 180 uninhabited islands.
Oki Islands are included in Daisen-Oki National Park and were designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2014.
These islands used to be volcanic in origin dating back to 5 million years.
As this archipelago has such a long history, the oldest rock s in Japan was found in Oki Islands.
Dogo is the largest island in area whereas the rest 3 islands(Nishinoshima,Nakanoshima,Chiburijima) are called Dozen.
Dogo has the highest peak,Mt Daimanji 608 metre high.
The climate and isolation from the mainland Japan fostered a unique combination of warm-temperature and cool-temperature species.
During Heian period, these islands are used for a place to exile people form the mainland.
Emperor Gotoba was sent to Nakanoshima in 1198 and emperor Godaigo was exiled to Nishinoshima in 1331.
There are many outdoor activities available such as sea kayaking,scuba diving,snorkeling,fishing,biking and eco tours.
What makes these islands special is perfect tranquility and super fresh seafood!
Although there are local buses available in Oki Islands except for Chiburijima, they are not frequent enough to use for visitors.
Rental bike is available at Tourist Information centre.
If you have a valid drivers license, car rental is the best option or else you may have to take taxi to get around.
http://bluepoint-travel.com/2018/05/oki-islands/
A friend of mine living in Yonago shared breathtaking photos of Mt Daisen and Yonago city.
San'in is awesome place to visit even in winter.
