Ever want to meet a dragon god in person? (Dragon God Festival)

At the Ryuujin Matsuri (Dragon God Festival), you'll get about as close as you can to meeting dragon gods. At Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture, the locals reenact the love affair of two dragon gods. The stickler is that the female dragon named Tatsuko, used to be a beautiful young girl who was punished for her vanity. Her boyfriend Hachiro Taro comes down from Lake Towada in the winter and as a result of their love, Lake Tazawa never freezes over.

Steamy love affair meets Japanese history in this annual summer spectacle. From a ceremony uniting them as humans to them meeting each other in the lake as giant dragon palaquins carried by locals (you, too, can participate!) as well as the picturesque "kiss" as they meet together with the sunrise as the backdrop with fireworks shooting out from the lake at just the right moment. This is one festival that you definitely don't see everyday.

Held the last weekend of every July, make a point to visit Semboku, Akita and check out this unique festival if you ever want to meet a dragon god in person. Tatsuko and her boyfriend Hachiro Taro will be waiting for you.