The grand procession began in the morning when a child in traditional costume on the lead float used a sword to cut a sacred rope stretched across one of the city's main streets.
A total of 23 floats made their way through the city, accompanied by traditional music.
Spectators cheered as the heavy floats negotiated right angle turns at intersections, with water-sprayed bamboo sticks laid beneath their wheels.
Police say about 120,000 people lined the streets to watch the parade.
A visitor from Tokyo in her 60s said the floats were beautiful, and that she felt the passion of those involved in the event.
An American who'd come with his family said they'd never seen anything like it and were happy to be there.
Another float parade is to be held next Wednesday.
Three employees were slashed by four men in a bar in Shinjuku, Tokyo, early Saturday morning.
(Japan Today) 
Spent mixed oxide fuel has been removed from a reactor at a nuclear power plant in western Japan in the first such operation in Japan, the plant operator said Tuesday. (Japan Today) 
A statue of a Japanese god of fortune has been recovered from the sea off the northeastern city of Kesennuma. It was swept away by the 2011 tsunami.
(NHK) 
Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a 36-year-old man over the alleged assault of a woman in Chiba City with a concrete block, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Jan. 12). (tokyoreporter.com) 
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 28-year-old woman over the alleged swindle of an elderly woman in Kanagawa Prefecture, reports Fuji News Network (Jan. 10). (tokyoreporter.com) 
A 62-year-old teacher and operator of a cram school in Nara City has been arrested for using dog collars to restrain one of his students, a young girl in her teens, last November. (Japan Today) 
The official posters are out for this year's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (Japan Today) 
A female flight attendant for All Nippon Airways (ANA) caused delays in the departures of four domestic flights from Fukuoka Airport after she was found to be over the legal alcohol limit before boarding. (Japan Today) 
(newsonjapan.com) 
The auction bell at Tokyo's wholesale food market in Toyosu rang for the first time this year on Sunday. A wholesalers' representative said he hopes for a prosperous year with many blue fin tuna up for auction.
(NHK)