YOKOHAMA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Chun Jie, or "Spring Festival", represents the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and Yokohama Chinatown celebrates it in style. Over 4000 fortune blessing flags and Lion Dance lanterns will illuminate the streets of Chinatown. The Symbolic Tree of Yamashitacho Park will radiate lights of countless illuminations, proclaiming the start of the New Year.
During this festive season, Chinatown will celebrate the New Year with various performances. "Gorakuhyouen" temple concerts will be held consecutively in Yamashitacho Park on the 5th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of February and will consist of two sessions each. Sessions will consist of various traditional performances, 1) Acrobatic performances of Chinatown's infamous Lion Dance and Dragon Dance; 2) Collaboration performances of four female Chinese vocal artists; 3) Traditional art of Chinese theatrical acts, dancing, singing, and classical instruments.
The highlight of the Spring Festival is the parade of "shukumaiyukou", which will be performed on the 6th from 2pm. This parade is the best acknowledged event of the festival, due to its grand scale and extravagant national costumes. This year, Chinatown will welcome a new group member of Lion Dancers, joining forces to expand the route of the parade. Spectators will come into Chinatown to save their spots a long time before the parade is intended to start. They come in excitement and hope that the Lion will nibble their heads, a symbol of blessing and good luck.
The finale of the festival is marked with the candle light service in the sacred temple of Guan Di Miao and Ma Zhu Miao on the 17th from 5:30pm. The ceremony also features Chinese spiritual dance performances to rejoice the New Year, symbolized by approximately 250 candles placed in each temple. Messages are written on these candles, to call upon the blessing of good harvest, peace, and happiness in the New Year.