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Soma Nomaoi festival held in Fukushima
Cavaliers in samurai armor compete in traditional style horse racing during the Soma Nomaoi festival in Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, on July 28. (Kengo Hiyoshi)
By TATSUYA SASAKI/ Staff Writer
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--About 300 horseback riders dressed in samurai armor engaged in races and mock cavalry battles during the Soma Nomaoi festival here on July 28.
The traditional local event can be traced back more than 1,000 years. More recently, it has become a symbol of recovery efforts for the city of Minami-Soma, which was hit heavily by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
The Hibarigahara riding ground in the Haramachi district, where the festival was held, is located just 23 kilometers north of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
The three-day festival lasted through July 29, with some 45,000 spectators attending on July 28 for the equestrian competition.
more..http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/recovery/AJ201307290091