ItalianoIn Joetsu, Niigata prefecture, on August the 24th has been announced that participant at the Kenshin Kousai (from 21 to 23 August) with musician GACKT serving as Uesugi Kanshin have reached the record high of 243.000 people.
Photo: the crowd of people gathered to see the parade
GACKT participation started in 2007, and this is his third consecutive year and the seventh time overall.
Of course, in all his participations he was able to break through the 200.000 number of visitors, but until now the record of attendance was in 2010 with 240.111 of people.
From the sponsors side, in addition to the benefits of GACKT’s participation, has been calculated that it led to an increase of customers using the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, opened in March this year, for day trips.
According to the announcement, on the 21st evening before the festival, 2500 people used the line, on the 22sd for the rising of the signal fire and the Oobussanshi events 33.000 users, and on the 23rd for the parade and the Kawanakajima battle re-enactment 209,000 users.
Will GACKT participate to future events?
GACKT after completing this year’s festival announced “Next year I’m thinking about how new exciting elements could be added to make this a rappresentative festival of Japan, so it can suceeed as a big event, and I’ll be working with the city representative and its people”
The executive committee said about GACKT’s appearance “After this year he’ll be taking a break” . On the 24th, at the regular press conference the Mayor Murayama Hideyuki said referring to his statement above “I wish to give some serious thoughts about how GACKT’s presence can be of encouragement to the festival and how this would influece the citizens. I, together with the executive committee will be thinking about how to improve this festival from nex year on”
Source: Joetsu Journal
Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team
© GACKT ITALIA