This month, those who drop by the Caretta Shiodome shopping complex will be treated to a world of dance as the venue hosts the Shiohaku 2011 Caretta Odori-21.
Dancing is a must at summer festivals. But why do people enjoy dancing in the summer heat? In the past, people danced to prevent illness and maintain good health, an angle that organizers are using to help promote the event.
Caretta Odori-21 will feature dancers representing nine countries performing 19 different kinds of dance. These include the Japanese Sansa Odori (a tradition from Iwate Prefecture), Egyptian belly dancing, Brazilian samba and Spanish flamenco. The dance performances will all be free, and live music will also be provided by instrumental band Funkastic on Sundays.
Alongside the dance performances, there will be a beer garden and several shops will operate booths inside the plaza. This summer, the gourmet shops in the complex have chosen to feature dishes mainly using tomatoes, which they say is a "sun-filled" vegetable that reflects the mood of the season.
Organizers say the event will use green energy and the beer garden will reuse cups to cut back on waste. Donations will be collected for "Flower's Yell," a movement to provide 100,000 roses to victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Shiohaku 2011 Caretta Odori-21 will be held on the B2 floor of the Caretta Plaza in Minato-ku, Tokyo, from Aug. 1-21. On weekdays, the plaza will be open from 5:30 p.m. till 9 p.m. On weekends, it will be open from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. For more information, call (03) 6218-2100 or visit www.caretta.jp.