39th Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest

On September 15, 2024, the 39th Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest was held in Asakusa, Taito Ward, Tokyo. This carnival is an event that symbolizes summer in Asakusa and has been held since 1981, but this year's event was particularly meaningful. This is because the event has been postponed and scaled down due to the impact of the new coronavirus since 2020, and this time it has made a full comeback on a large scale for the first time in five years. The day was hit by severe midsummer heat, with a maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees, humidity of 75%, and a southerly wind blowing at an average of 4.9 m/s. The weather was sunny during the day, with occasional light clouds, but at night it was cloudy with occasional heavy rain. The parade started at 12:00 and was scheduled to end at 17:00, but ended 30 minutes early at around 16:30. About 20 groups and 5,000 participants gathered at this year's Asakusa Samba Carnival. Dancers wearing colorful feather headdresses marched down Kaminarimon Street, taking light steps to the rhythm of drums and flutes, and cheerful Latin music. Participants performed in gorgeous red and gold costumes and disguises. The streets were filled with local residents and tourists from Japan and abroad, who took photos and waved to support the dancers. The highlight of the carnival is that it is not just a parade, but a competition-style contest. Each team performs music and dances with songs and costumes that fit the theme, and the dynamism and harmony of the performances are judged. Teams are divided into leagues based on their size, with large teams of over 150 people participating in the S1 league and teams of 30 to 150 people participating in the S2 league. Teams are promoted and demoted within the league based on their performance the previous year, making it a highly competitive event. This year, G.R.E.S. Nakamise Barbaros won the S1 League, catching the eyes of the judges and the audience with their splendid performance and gorgeous costumes. Escola de Samba Saude came in second, followed by União dos Amadoris in third. Meanwhile, G.R.E.S. Academicos da Gloria won first place in the S2 League, and is expected to be promoted to the S1 League next year. Amigos Calientes came in second, and Imperio do Samba came in third. In addition, the Asahi Beer Special Award, selected by the chairman of the judging committee as a special award, was awarded to the Jiyu no Mori Gakuen Samba Band. Their enthusiastic performance left a strong impression on the audience as well as the judges. This Samba Carnival is not just a festival, but also contributes to revitalizing the local area. Asakusa once flourished as a major center of movie theaters and entertainment, but the city's vitality gradually faded from the 1950s to the 60s. The then Taito ward mayor and actors from Asakusa, who were concerned about this situation, launched this event. Since then, it has been held every year in cooperation with local shopping districts, tourism associations, and even the media. Today, the Asakusa Samba Carnival has grown into one of the largest samba events in the Northern Hemisphere through team efforts modeled on the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This year's event was very meaningful for those who had been looking forward to the return of the carnival, and participants unanimously expressed their gratitude for its revival after five years. The 39th Asakusa Samba Carnival was not just a tourist event, but once again a huge success, linking the region with culture and providing a place for participants and spectators to enjoy together.
Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest www.it-net.jp/...