Akita Kanto Matsuri – Japanese Pole Balancing Festival 秋田の竿灯

Kanto Matsuri in Akita City of the Tohoku region is a Japanese festival where people balance tall bamboo poles strung with paper lanterns known as kanto on their hands, head, and hips. Some of them are 12 meters long and weigh about 50kgs/110lbs. The 300-year old festival from about August 3-6 is done to pray for successful harvests and drive away disease.