Public Service Announcement for Yokohama City

5th February 2025

This week's edition is on the 'Yokohama Chinatown 2025 Spring Festival'.

Did you know that in China, the Lunar New Year is called the 'Spring Festival' and there is a tradition of celebrating it in style?

Yokohama Chinatown is celebrating the event too.

The 39th ‘Spring Festival’ started on Wednesday 29th January.

This year, "Street Entertainment Performances" will be held for the first time, on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th February.

Traditional Chinese dances will be performed throughout Yokohama Chinatown, so come and enjoy a special time filled with surprises.

And on Tuesday 11th February, a celebratory parade called the “Celebration Dance Parade” will be held.

As well as a team wearing colorful emperor costumes, there will be a lion dance expressing a mix of courage and sweetness, graceful traditional Chinese dancing, and Chinese zither performances, so visitors will have the chance to see special sights that are unique to the Spring Festival.

This year, there will be a giant lantern object too, so please keep an eye out for it!

Lastly, on Wednesday 12th February, a Lantern Festival will be held in Yokohama Masobyo to round off the Spring Festival celebrations.

Graceful votive dances and bold lion dances will be performed, filling the area with a magical air completely different to the usual bright atmosphere.

This year, the finale will feature fireworks for visitors to enjoy too!

Why not come and experience a different Chinatown to usual, a special Chinatown that’s unique to the spring festival period.