▁race ▁involves ▁teams ▁with ▁ 6 ▁participants ▁racing ▁on ▁ra ft s ▁made ▁of ▁wooden ▁logs ▁over ▁ 5 m ▁in ▁length . ▁ ▁The ▁free ▁style ▁class ▁involves ▁particip ating ▁teams ▁bringing ▁their ▁own ▁self ▁made ▁ra ft s . ▁ ▁These ▁teams ▁comp ete ▁over ▁not ▁just ▁the ▁visual ▁attract iveness ▁of ▁the ▁ra ft ▁but ▁also ▁the ▁` style ` ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁ra ft ▁down ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁Town ▁Festival ▁middle ▁of ▁August ▁The ▁annual ▁town ▁festival ▁features ▁a ▁traditional ▁Ta iko ▁performance , ▁Bon ▁od ori ▁( J apan ese ▁folk ▁dance ), ▁and ▁fire works . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁para de ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁festival ▁where ▁Y os ako i ▁style ▁dan cing ▁can ▁be ▁seen . ▁ ▁Athlet ic ▁Festival ▁early ▁October ▁This ▁ 5 0 - year - old ▁festival ▁features ▁teams ▁from ▁various ▁business es ▁and ▁prof essions ▁particip ating ▁in ▁athlet ic ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁H undred s ▁of ▁loc als ▁particip ate ▁in ▁various ▁athlet ic ▁games ▁in ▁hopes ▁of ▁prom oting ▁the ▁benefits ▁of ▁team ▁work ▁and ▁health y ▁competition . ▁ ▁Aut umn ▁Culture ▁Festival ▁ ▁middle ▁of ▁November ▁H eld ▁during ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁har vest ▁in ▁M oto y ama . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁sh ops ▁set ▁up ▁from ▁M oto y ama ' s ▁sister ▁town , ▁U ra us u . ▁ ▁The ▁local ▁community ▁center ▁hosts ▁stage ▁performances ▁and ▁also ▁exhib its ▁local ▁art . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁closing