Interesting Green: Asakusa Samba Carnival (Japan)

Source Website:
http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/news/2010/08/ (Photos)
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba2008.html (Photos)
http://beauty-models.onsugar.com/Rio-Carnival-Ala-Jepang-Asakusa-Samba-Carnival-15547471 (Photos)
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Asakusa+Samba+Carnival&f=hp#page=1 (Photos)
http://web-japan.org/atlas/festivals/fes11.html (Text)

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival
http://media.onsugar.com/files/2011/04/14/5/1554/15546184/cd/Asakusa_Samba_Carnival12.jpg
http://beauty-models.onsugar.com/Rio-Carnival-Ala-Jepang-Asakusa-Samba-Carnival-15547471

Lively and Joyful Samba Rhythms Strike a Chord in the Hearts of the Japanese
Date: Last Saturday in August
Place: Tokyo
Number of Visitors: 500,000

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival 2008 by Ptaro
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2994326211_b5fa4b0820.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/supersyl08/favorites/page9/?view=md

The Asakusa Samba Carnival is held annually, on a Saturday towards the end of August, in Asakusa, Tokyo. Attracting about 500,000 sightseers who fall under the spell of the passionate rhythms of the samba, the event has a strong international flavor.

PHOTO: 30th Asakusa Samba Carnival #3
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201008%2F31%2F70%2Ff0152770_2254130.jpg
http://girlsimet.exblog.jp/14507240/

As a town that grew up around a temple, Asakusa observes many traditional festivals, but the Samba Carnival, which started in 1981, is a new event. It started when the Mayor of Taito City (one of the central 23 cities of Tokyo) invited the winning group from that year's Rio Carnival in Brazil, the home of the samba, to put on a display.

PHOTO: 30th Asakusa Samba Carnival #3
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201008%2F31%2F70%2Ff0152770_225754.jpg
http://girlsimet.exblog.jp/14507240/

The main attraction of the festival is the samba parade contest.

Together with samba teams from the carnival homeland of Brazil, about 3,500 lovers of samba rhythms come from all over Japan. These teams compete to put on the most spectacular dancing and other performances, creating a carnival that is just as wonderful as the one in Rio.

PHOTO: 29th Asakusa Samba Carnival #1
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200909%2F03%2F70%2Ff0152770_19354391.jpg
http://girlsimet.exblog.jp/11862022/

Bright eye-catching costumes with beads and plumes of different colors also provide a visual feast. There are also plenty of ingenious devices that embody original ideas, including flower-decked floats on motor vehicles and allegoria handcarts with sound systems.

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival 2008
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba08/05.jpg
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba2008.html

Usually thirty to forty teams compete for prizes and they are divided into three leagues. The top league comprises dancers who are seriously committed to dancing real Brazilian samba, those who put on original dances with a high degree of technical skill, and musicians who can expertly play South American percussion instruments.

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival 2008
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba08/06.jpg
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba2008.html

The teams give powerful displays. Some teams decide a theme for the year, for example "Star Wars," and the unified design of beautiful costumes is stunning.

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival 2008
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba08/17.jpg
http://www.unonet.jp/~eos/samba2008.html

In leagues 2 and 3, the participants are basically there to enjoy dancing the samba and being part in the fancy costume parade that comes together on the day. Many of these teams have a comical aspect that will make you laugh.

PHOTO: Asakusa Samba Carnival
http://media.onsugar.com/files/2011/04/14/5/1554/15546184/a3/Asakusa_Samba_Carnival3.jpg
http://beauty-models.onsugar.com/Rio-Carnival-Ala-Jepang-Asakusa-Samba-Carnival-15547471

PHOTO: The Asakusa samba carnival is held in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is the largest samba carnival in Japan. The carnival was started in 1981 to vitalize tourism and boost the downtown economy. It is held on the last Saturday of August every year.

The event is modeled after the Rio Carnival in Brazil. Samba schools from all over Japan parade in their own specialized costumes, getting into the rhythm of samba. The parade also serves as a samba contest. The samba schools compete with each other with their dancing skills. A samba school from Brazil also appears in the samba show. Less than 10 minutes walk from Annex/Smile.

http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/news/samba.jpg
http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/news/2010/08/

PHOTO: apan – 2010 Asakusa Samba Carnival – Sexy
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4994683216_26f84c9f05_o.jpg
http://www.forrestbrown.com/blog/2010-08-28/japan-2010-asakusa-samba-carnival-sexy/