Koinobori Festival 鯉のぼり祭り
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Held during late April to early May, Kanna's Koinobori festival of carp streamers is this town's claim to fame. About 800 colorful carp streamers swim in the sky above a river. Strings of carp streamers viewable from the road.
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Strings of carp streamers latched to the ground from the mountaintop.
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Eight strings of carp streamers hover over the river.
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These pictures were taken in May 2003, when Kanna-machi town was newly formed upon the merging of Manba town and Nakazato village.
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I would say this is one of Japan's top five best places to see carp streamers at Kanna-machi, Gunma.
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Kanna-machi is quite out of the way, but worth the time it takes to get there (from Takasaki).
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Parking lot downstream. Most people arrive by car or bus. (No nearby train station.)
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Bridge with a view
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In Japan, the koi carp is regarded as a symbol of valiant manhood because it swims up the river against the rapids.
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Riverside
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Swimming in the air
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Eight strings x 100 carp streamers = 800 carp
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Carp streamer caught at Kanna-machi, Gunma
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Lying low
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Raft rides
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Ground connection
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Ground connection: Cable anchor for one string of carp
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Cables go all the way up the mountain.
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There's a secret technique to fasten the carp to the cable so they don't slide around.
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Entertainment on stage
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Hiking up the mountain.
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Hiking up the mountain.
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View from halfway up.
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The wind died.
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The mountain is an easy hike. But hardly anybody climbed it.
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Superb views from the mountain.
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The mountain top has a small rest house.
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Top of the mountain
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Cable anchor
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View from mountain top, Kanna-machi town seen below.
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Going down
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Bus back to JR Shin-machi Station, takes about 90 min.
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Kanna-machi banners celebrating the formation of the new town.
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JR Shin-machi Station to go back to Takasaki.
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Bus we rode to and from Kanna-machi.
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