🎎 Ohsaki Balloon Festival大崎バルーンフェスティバル

About a two-hour drive northwest from Sendai City, Osaki City hosts an annual hot air balloon competition every November. The westerly winds blowing from Iwadeyama towards the Osaki Plain, along with fewer high-voltage power lines and limited commercial flight routes, create ideal conditions for launching hot air balloons. At the Egawa River Park, hot air balloons from all over Japan gather to participate in various competitions, including flying balloons to designated locations several kilometers away to drop markers. The balloons, over 20 meters in length and adorned with vibrant colors, rise into the clear autumn sky, creating a spectacular scene. The two-day event features not only hot air balloon launches but also a variety of exciting activities each day. The most popular attraction is the "Tethered Hot Air Balloon Experience," where participants can ascend and descend in a hot air balloon secured by ropes. There is a limit on the number of people allowed, and it is said that every year, some individuals line up as early as midnight to draw numbers for a chance to participate.

The Hot Air Balloon Competition is a famous autumn event held in Miyagi Prefecture. Hot air balloons from various regions of Japan rise above the river park. There are also various activities such as tethered hot air balloon experiences.