Warai (Laughing) Festival held on October 10 every year at Niu Shrine in the southwestern part of Wakayama Prefecture is a bizarre laughing festival pertaining to a Japanese myth. It is designated as a prefecture’s intangible folk cultural property.

Legend has it that the deity of this shrine, Niutsuhime no Mikoto, overslept and was late for the conference of 8 million deities held in Izumo in Kanna-zuki (October). As she was deeply depressed, the villagers encouraged her by laughing.

On the day of the festival, the parade of mikoshi and floats go through the town led by the leader in a colorful costume like a clown and with bells in his hand and 12 followers carrying dry measures decorated with farm products. The leader encourages people to laugh, shouting “laugh! Laugh!” Then the participants laugh in time to the jangle of small bells and commands from a leader. It is a unique and pleasant festival.