When it comes to big events in my local Aichi, aside from Mori, Michi, Ichiba, there is one other: yes, "Hashi no Shita" (Under the Bridge). This year is the main festival.
As the name implies, "Hashi no Shita" is a festival where they create a town that looks like it has time-slipped from the Edo period beneath the intensely designed Toyota Ohashi Bridge, which was designed by Kisho Kurokawa, and host various events there, including performing arts like singing and dancing, markets, and more.
Hashi no Shita World Music Festival 2024
Venue
Under Toyota Ohashi Bridge – 6-chome, Sengoku-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture
Special venue inside Sengoku ParkDates & Times
September 13 (Fri), 14 (Sat), 15 (Sun), 2024
【Fri】 Doors open 11:30 / Start 12:00〜
【Sat/Sun】 Doors open 9:30 / Start 10:00〜Website
It is generally categorized as a music festival, and this year there will once again be numerous stages featuring various famous and unknown artists, as well as traditional performing arts from Japan and abroad. However, calling it just a "festival" feels a bit too restrictive for the sheer diversity of things that come together there.
I go out to see festivals everywhere, but there is no doubt that Hashi no Shita is one of the most intense.
I think there are those who can handle its intense energy and those who cannot, but if you have even the slightest interest, I highly recommend experiencing this singularity of the Owari-Mikawa region at least once.
I will also be organizing a ride tour, so I will make an announcement about that later.
The Freedom Under the Bridge
I feel like I've written this before, but riverbeds and the foot of bridges are special places where state control is hard to reach; as the economy developed from the Middle Ages onwards, many markets were opened there, and they became places where performing arts gathered. The fact that such cultural genes have unexpectedly manifested here is one of the reasons why I love this festival. You can enjoy it even more if you read masterpieces by Yoshihiko Amino such as "Rereading Japanese History" or "Muen, Kugai, Raku."
The stories of the performers/artisans who moved between the authorities and the general public are quite fascinating.
We have a "Cycle Cloak" bike parking area
With that said, we will be setting up our "Cycle Cloak" bike parking service at the festival again this year. There is no reception; we are only providing bike racks and monitoring, so please make sure to lock your bikes securely.
The location will be in front of Toyota Stadium, right after you cross the bridge.
Events where many people arrive by bicycle are great—they have high local participation, no traffic jams or noise, and they don't consume fossil fuels. I am very happy that the Hashi no Shita organizing team understands this as well.
PFM will also have a booth there. See you in Toyota this weekend!