- published: 01 Aug 2013
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Hiroshi is a common male Japanese given name.
Takizawa (滝沢村, Takizawa-mura?) is a village located in Iwate District, Iwate, Japan.
As of 2003[update], the village has an estimated population of 52,981 and a density of 290.59 persons per km². The total area is 182.32 km².
Takizawa is the largest village in Japan by size of population. However, it is unlikely to ever gain city status as the village has no city center. The population is fairly well spread out throughout the village and there are no industrial or commercial centers within its borders.
The Chagu-Chagu Horse Festival ( チャグチャグ馬コ )
Takizawa is famous for its Chagu-Chagu Festival held every June. The festival is designated by the Japanese government to be an important cultural asset. The festival celebrates the horses which once played an important role in the areas agriculture. The festival gets its name from the bells the horses wear during the procession. The sound the bells make, in Japanese, is "chagu-chagu".
The festival begins at Chagu-Chagu Shrine which is a large shrine in Takizawa dedicated to horses. After a brief ceremony a long line of colorfully dressed horses ridden mostly by children in traditional dress leave the shrine and go on a 15 km procession that takes them to Hachimangu Shrine in Morioka. In total the trip takes nearly five hours to complete.