Photo/Illutration Street performers draw applause from a crowd as they play with fire during the Daidogei World Cup festival held in Shizuoka's Aoi Ward on Nov. 2, 2023. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

SHIZUOKA—Street performers from home and abroad are preparing to gather here for an annual street performance festival on Nov. 1-4.

The Daidogei World Cup in Shizuoka 2024 will see 90 entertainers in 51 groups from nine countries. Of these, 10 groups with a total of 17 artists are joining the festival from overseas.

Mimes, living statues, fantastical shows and other acts are scheduled to perform in Aoi Ward's Sunpu Castle Park and 20 locations across the city.

This year, a parade will be held for the first time in Shizuoka's main shopping street from 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 2.

Artists will perform in front of stores to promote their businesses and create a lively mood throughout the commercial area.

"We, members of the executive committee, are working together with the shopping street vendors and local street performance groups to make it an amiable event supported by the community as a whole," said Hiromitsu Inomata, chairman of the committee.

The festival, one of the largest of its kind in Asia, was launched in 1992.

It is organized by the executive committee that includes local residents.

Volunteers serve as guides to give directions around the city, while others are dressed as clowns to entertain spectators.

Last year, the festival attracted 1.18 million visitors over four days.

The committee expects 1.3 million people will attend this year.

For more details, visit the official website at (https://daidogei.com/en/).

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