JAPAN: Japanese dance the weekend away in oriental-flavoured samba carnival

Nearly 5,000 Japanese amateur dancers shook their hips to Latin rhythms Saturday (August 27) in an oriental-flavoured version of samba carnival in downtown Tokyo. Participants represented 33 samba teams that have won prizes at local competitions. The event attracted nearly thousands of spectators to Tokyo's traditional district of Asakusa. It turned out to be an exotic mix of Latin American and Asian flavours with some clad in Japanese samurai and other Asian costumes. Tokyo's annual samba carnival dates back to 26 years ago when a local mayor suggested the district need to revitalize itself by starting something new and exotic. Japan also embraces a large population of Brazilian immigrants, many of whom are of Japanese descent. Participants - young and old - seem to have enjoyed spending the weekend on a Latin beat. "I feels like real summer. I got all excited. I'll come back again next year," said a 24-year-old office worker, who gave only her last name, Ieda. Another participant, Yumiko Shoji , a 30-year-old pet trimmer, said it was an emotional experience. "I got emotional. It almost lead me to tears to be able to dance before the cheering crowd."

ITN Source | September 2, 2006