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On Sunday, 25 May, Yokosuka's downtown area, located around Keihin Kyuko Yokosuka Chuo Train Station will be celebrating a large, exciting & colorful "matsuri" (祭り, Japanese traditional festival). It is called "Shitamachi Festival", and Shitamachi has the meaning of "lower town" or "downtown", which in the olden days was where the common people lived and worked, separate from the areas of the upper class, nobles, and samurai, etc. The matsuri is organized and conducted by the shrines and neighborhood associations located around Yookosuka Chuo station. This year's event is being led by the Suwa Jinja Shrine (諏訪神社), in Wakamatsu-Cho (若松町). During the festival, many carnival-type stalls (called: "yatai", 屋台) are set-up along the main street. The booths sell food, drinks, sweets, toys and souvenirs, etc. For more information about yatai, please click on the links below. Some of the popular foods which can be enjoyed are fried noodles, sausages, buttered potatoes, cotton candy, shaved ice, and even chocolate-covered bananas! There are also game booths offering small prizes, and a unique one involves trying to scoop up live goldfish. Starting at around noon on Sunday, 25 May, the main downtown street will be closed off to vehicle traffic and a large parade is held, where music bands march by and portable shrines are pulled and carried. The Shitamachi Festival is the forerunner of Yokosuka's summer festivals, many of which will include fireworks displays. We hope you will have a chance to go out and enjoy this fascinating display of Japanese traditional culture, located just a short walking distance outside of the main gate of Yokosuka U.S. Navy Base (CFAY). Written by Goodfield - - - - -

LINKS:

What are Yatai? 
What Are Yatai? Japan's Festival Food Stalls Serving Up Classic & Trendy Street Food | LIVE JAPAN travel guide

Matsuri Food and Booths

Festival Street Food: Great Fun and Tasty! | Web Japan