(Minghui.org) Practitioners from different parts of Japan came to Kanazawa on June 1, 2024 to participate in the Hyakumangoku Festival. While performing traditional Japanese dances, practitioners handed out information about Falun Dafa along the way, passing on the message of courage and blessings to local residents in the aftermath of the earthquake in Ishikawa prefecture this year.
The Hyakumangoku Festival is the largest annual event in the Kanazawa region. Every year, an estimated 400,000 people visit the area to admire traditional Japanese performances such as taiko drumming and lion dances, as well as a feudal-era procession where performers dress in period attire. As this festival was a large-scale event held after the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture in January of this year, many people came to show their support and there were more spectators compared to prior years. According to the organizers, the number of people who came to see the festival that day exceeded the previous years by 20,000. The streets were packed with visitors and ticketed seats along both sides of the parade route were sold out early.
Practitioners were invited to participate in the Kanazawa’s Hyakumangoku Festival on June 1, 2024.
This year, 65 groups with over 6,500 members were in the Hyakumangoku traditional dance performance. As one of the groups, Falun Dafa practitioners performed a traditional dance and displayed banners with the messages “Falun Dafa is great” and “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is great” to introduce the practice to spectators.
Practitioners took a group photo.
The Values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Are Vital
Mr. Nakamura learned about Falun Dafa during the festival.
Mr. Nakamura, who attended the festival for the first time, said the practitioners’ performance was great. A practitioner told him about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. He said, “I think the CCP should make changes. The government should change.”
David Eckhard from Australia, who came to see the festival for the first time as well, praised the values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance and said, “These are excellent values. They are vital and as members of society, we should follow them. That way, the whole society and people’s lives will become better.”
Ms. Sapana (left), Mr. Karkj (center) and Mr. Yubraj (right) from Nepal loved the practitioners’ performance in the parade.
Mr. Karkj, Yubraj and Ms. Sapana from Nepal said they loved the practitioners’ dance performance in the parade. After listening to a practitioner explain what Falun Dafa is and the facts about the persecution in China, they took home materials to read.
Group Exercises at a Local Park Attract People’s Attention
Practitioners did the exercises at the Fourth High School Memorial Park in Ishikawa.
On the morning of the festival, practitioners did the exercises at the Fourth High School Memorial Park in Ishikawa. The peaceful scene attracted the attention of local residents and tourists.
Tom from New Zealand said Falun Dafa was amazing after a practitioner introduced the practice to him.
Tom from New Zealand, who passed by the park, said after listening to a practitioner describe Falun Dafa, “This sounds amazing. I think this will help relieve fatigue.”
Ms. Fujii encouraged practitioners in China who face persecution to keep on going.
Ms. Fujii, who lives nearby, was taking a walk in the park. She told practitioners that she learned of the persecution in China through reports in magazines and media outlets. She said, “They are tortured for practicing this to gain a healthy body. This is not right. My friends say they are worried about the current situation in China.” She encouraged practitioners in China who continue to expose the persecution at the risk of arrest: “Keep on going!”
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