A small-town staying true to its roots even today

The Okada area's Spring Festival in Chita City boasts a history said to have begun in the Edo period and on Saturday night during its rehearsal festival, children carry lanterns in a procession to ancient Japanese musical accompaniment. Sunday sees the start of the lively main festival with the introductory pounds of taiko drums by children when three villages' floats designated as municipal cultural properties come together: the Sato Float (Sun Float), Naka Float (Rain Float), and Oku Float (Wind Float).
A dance known as the Deku Dance is performed, again to traditional Japanese music, and men at the helms of the three floats spin them around in a dizzying array of awesome manpower.