Chubu Wide-area Tourism Portal Site -- Travel to Ten Thrilling Scenic Sites This showcases sightseeing destinations in Japan's Chubu region (the prefectures of Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, and Shiga).

Fukui Prefecture Okuechizen Area

This is an unusual festival that “brings spring” to the Oketsu area. It boasts of a more than 300 year history. Men and children dress in women's red kimono underwear and dance around and beat drums to Japanese music. All of this is done on top of the 12 turrets in each town. On the last night of the festival, the Donko Yaki is performed on the dry riverbed of the Kuzuryu River. Then effigies of deities made of pine and bamboo are set alight at once. The two-day fire festival closes here by sending deities through Dondo Yaki and praying for rich harvest.