A relatively new anniversary of an age old "imonikai" tradition

Today, October 2nd, is "Imonikai Day" . This is a relatively new anniversary as it was only established last year, in celebration of the 70th year of Nakayama Town. Nakayama Town is known as the birth place of Imonikai, which is a traditional autumn event in Yamagata. For Imonikai  people, in many areas around Tohoku, gather around a large pot on a river bank to enjoy hot pot dishes, often using taro.  The date was chosen not only because it's the season for imonikai, but also because October 2nd is a play on words: "imo (1) mo (0) ni (2)."

Nakayama Town is located in the center of Yamagata Prefecture and is the smallest town in Yamagata Prefecture. Yamagata's autumn tradition "Imoni Kai" is said to have originated in the old days of river boats when boatmen and merchants would stay in Nakayama town as it was the last stop on the Mogami River. Reportedly when the boatmen and merchants involved in shipping on the Mogami River stayed, they would hang a pot on pine branches on the riverbank and boil stick cod and taro. Nowadays, people often do a barbecue simultaneously with Imonikai.

Have you ever heard of Imonikai? Have you ever done it? And if so, in the Tohoku region?