Water Splashing Festival “Songkran” to be held for the First Time at Tetsujin Plaza in Shin-Nagata, Kobe

　The first Nagata Iron Man Songkran,” a water-splashing festival, will be held on August 11 at Wakamatsu Park Iron Man Plaza (Wakamatsu-cho, Nagata-ku, Kobe City) in front of the “Iron Man No. 28” monument in Shin-Nagata, Kobe. The event is sponsored by the Hyogo Korean Youth and Commerce Association.

　The event is modeled after Songkran, a traditional Thai festival, in the hope that children, who have been restricted from playing due to the new Corona disaster, will be able to play with lots of smiles.

　Mr. Shoichi Nishihara of the Kobe Nagata Songkran Executive Committee said, “We hope that by splashing water on each other, children will forget the intense heat and make energetic memories of their summer vacation. We also hope it will help revitalize the local community, which has been weakened by the new Corona disaster,” he said.

　The committee has already reached its support goal of 320,000 yen on the crowdfunding site “CAMPFIRE,” and is now aiming for its next goal of 420,000 yen. Support courses start at 1,000 yen, and return items include the right to discharge water at the venue on the day of the event and the inclusion of the supporter’s name in a YouTube video summarizing the day’s events.

　The funds raised will be used to cover the cost of tents, barricades, and other safety equipment.

　On the day of the event, a reception desk will be set up on the south side of the Ironman Plaza. Participants should bring water guns, wet clothes, a change of clothes, a towel, and waterproof protection for cameras and cell phones. Only those who sign a pledge at the reception desk on the day of the event will be allowed to participate.

　The event will be held from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (registration from 12:30 pm). Participation is free.