Local News

On Jun. 2, the official characters for Hakata Gion Yamakasa were announced. The characters come from a play on the words “omedetai” (happy/joyous in Hakata dialect) and “tai” (sea bream). The male character, Oisa (from the Yamakasa runners’ shout of “Oisa! Oisa!”), is depicted as one of the participants. The female character, Kioi (from “kioimizu”, the water thrown on the runners and floats as they pass by), is shown as one of the women who support the men during the event. It is hoped that these characters (already registered trademarks) will help promote the festival as well as Fukuoka. Source: Livedoor News, 6/2

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