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Asakusa Samba Carnival - Tokyo Hotels .com

Asakusa Samba Carnival, Tokyo

Every year in August, Tokyo's Ueno-Asakusa-Ryogoku district puts on their own version of Brazil's Carnivale, with beautiful girls in elaborate costumes swishing down the street to pulsing Latin rhythms. An annual festival since 1981, this relatively new event is quite unlike Asakusa's more traditional celebrations.

Gorgeous women clad in feathers, sequins, and sparkling beads mesmerize the audience and create a feast for the eyes or camera lens. But the Samba Carnival is not just a beautiful display; it is an intense contest for samba musicians and dancers. Thirty to forty teams, separated into different leagues, compete for prizes. Each team has its own theme music and decked-out float. There are serious samba dancers, expert percussionists, and those just trying to get a good laugh out of the audience.

Just as joyful as Carnivale in Rio, the Asakusa Samba Carnival takes place every August on the last Saturday of the month. As many as 500,000 people come out to enjoy this festival, so it is best to arrive early and bring a camera.