Located in Gifu Prefecture in Central Japan, Gujo is a mainly agricultural small mountain village.

It is famous for its uncontaminated streams  that  still works like in the 17th century.
The canals, streams and fountains are still used at present for washing rice, vegetables and separated canals for laundry washing. The entire community cooperates for the maintenance of the channels and fresh water streams. As a result the drinking natural water in Gujo is a source of local pride. Every year for the entire month of August this quite and peaceful village become an impressive tourist attraction for its ODORI dances festival involving

thousands of people from all over Japan.
The dance festival origin have been traced back to the Kanei Era (1624-1644) when it is believed to have originated as an exercise for social cohesion in a society based on rigid division (samurai,farming peasants, artisans and merchants). While the Japanese society is different now, the spirit of the Festival is still the same.

The Festival reachs the peak in the middle of August  when the dances lasts 24H, continuously for 4 days. A stage is built and musicians placed on: a soloist, a shamisen (3 string instrument), a taiku (drums) and a shakuachi (and-blown flute). The stage is parked every night in front of different shrine. The inhabitants, strictly dressed in traditional Kimono, dance around the stage. Farmers and traders leaves the daily activities and they dance all overthe night together with all the tourist coming from everywhere. Samoto Sagashi, is a guy in this story, he has  left the village for the capital Tokio for study and work but he back in Gujo to work in the family farm and he became the recipient of those traditions perpetuated by the old farmers. Samoto work 10-12 hours per day but never miss one single night of dance.