Pop Japan

The Chichibu Night festival (Chichibu Yomatsuri) is a festival that highlights floats and a divine palanquin called "mikoshi". It is also the time where the japanese locals delight in a rare, two and a half hour fireworks display (hanabi) in winter season. The festival's peak takes place on the last day. Having enormous wheels, the floats are moved around by human power. They are decorated with lit lanterns, embroidery, and embellished wood carvings. Further, a group called Mikoshi team lifts the portable shrine uphill. Mikoshi weighs around 1000 to 1600 kilograms (2200 to 3500 pounds), and around 10-30 members carry mikoshi with their shoulders. Numerous stalls selling festival food and amazake (sweet rice wine) are also served for participants to withstand the cold winter night.