About Osu Street Performance Festival
Osu Street Performance Festival (大須大道町人祭, Osu Daido Chonin Matsuri, or OSPF) started in 1970s at Osu District, Nagoya, Japan.
In short formula, Osu is:
Osu = [ Akihabara + Harajuku + Asakura ] divided by 10
It's the melting-pot of cultures of young and old in Nagoya. Osu was originally the district by the temple
During the 70s, Osu Merchant district is divided into two, and they had no communication each other.
With the rise of TV and larger shopping malls in suburban area, the Osu Shopping District started concerning about losing its business.
In order to revive the community, the people decided to invite the street performers from all over Japan to Osu, and bring the hand-made entertainment to the community.
The festival became one of the biggest festival in Nagoya-city with the total of 400,000 attendees every year.
Street Performances Everywhere
They set up 15 stages across Osu Shopping District. The people can enjoy the performances in front of temple, shrine, park and stores.
Old, New. Japanese and non-Japanese
There will be various street performers from old, new Japanese to western style.
Oiran (Geisha) Parade
Dressed-up Oiran (Geisha) parade across the Osu Shopping District. They select the giels every year through audition process.
Organizers
Osu Street Performance Festivals are organized by local shop owners and volunteers. Each year, they select the festival committee director from the shop owners.
The shop owners can ONLY server the festival director once in his/her life-time.
This festival also serves the role to educate the leadership of Osu Shopping District.
The 33rd Osu Street Performance Festival
Dates:
Friday, October 15, 2010 3:00pm ~
Saturday, October 16, 2010 11:00~8:00pm
Sunday, October 17, 2010 11:00~8:00pm
Japanese website
If you can read in Japanese, here is the more detailed program guide of OSPF official website..
Give us your feedback
YoksooNews is welcome to collect some feedback. If you have any suggestio besides providing more detail information (sorry we didn't have enough time this year).
Tell us your favoite performers at the bottom of the comment section.
You can also send us some photos and videos. Upload the photo on our YokosoNews facebook page, or send us the link where you upload your video or photos.
Volunteer Wanted Next Year
Osu Street Performance Festival is looking for volunteer for the next year. We'll start calling volunteer in Aug 2011. Become a fan of YokosoNews' YokosoNews facebook or follow us on Twitter. We'll announce when they start accepting the volunteer next year.
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