Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako visited Obuse town this afternoon. It was the first visit for the couple; however, locals said that the prince had visited with his parents around 40 years ago. Large crowds of spectators gathered at around 3:00pm to view the arrival of the couple’s motorcade. The Crown Prince and Princess ended their tour of the town at around 5pm. Please enjoy this short video of their visit.

Obuse town’s annual Fox Festival, usually held mid September, features a bridal procession of characters made up to look like foxes. The event was created nine years ago to help rejuvenate community spirit and participation. Since the beginning, the festival has continued to grow, attracting the attention of national media and distant visitors.