The "Mikoji Dance" is a 150-year-old dance performed during the Taromaru Shuuraku Spring Festival in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture. In this dance, the sitting doll of an old man and a standing doll of a young woman comically dance to the accompaniment of vibrant drums, flutes, and singing. They are controlled by men hidden behind a screen. Struggling with the declining number of young people in the city, the preservation society strives to protect and cherish this culture by fostering precious successors. The focus of this episode will be on a 19-year-old boy and his desire to carry on this local tradition.

Part of "Festivals of Japan - Season 2"!