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Thousands of Japanese have been flocking to a Tokyo exhibition to see the highlights of the country's many traditional festivals and to taste food from all over the country.
The spectacle of hundreds of paper lanterns floating high in the air is something that can only usually be seen during a festival in Akita, northern Japan.
But organizers of the "Kanto" festival and other annual summer events brought the highlights to Tokyo for a mid-winter exhibition.
On the first day of the four-day event, about 27,000 people, packed the Tokyo Dome to see performances from Okinawa, in the far south, to Aomori in the north.
"Tokyo Hometown Festivals", which is co-sponsored by government ministries hopes the event will encourage tourism in regional Japan and offer a glimpse into local cultures.
Tsuyoshi Togashi, 33-year-old performer, said, "I hope people who enjoyed today's show will come to Akita in the summer to see more vigorous Kanto performances which normally take place there."
Other performances included the pulling of a giant float from Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. The float measuring 8 metres by 10 metres is adorned with gods and goddesses that appear in local folklore.
The festival experience is not just a feast for the eyes.
In another corner of the exhibition hall a market of more than 300 food stalls sold specialties from all over Japan as well as agricultural products.
