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.
The five-year survival rate for people diagnosed with cancer in 2010-2011 stood at 66.4 percent, up 0.3 percentage point from 2009-2010, the National Cancer Center said in a report Saturday. (Japan Times) 
Traditional female entertainers in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto are offering early New Year greetings to their teachers. (NHK) 
The first of the two kanji characters used in Japan's new imperial era name, "Reiwa," has been chosen as Kanji of the Year. (NHK) 
A former top bureaucrat at the farm ministry admitted Wednesday to killing his socially reclusive son, during the first day of his high-profile trial in Tokyo. (Japan Times) 
Japanese scientist Akira Yoshino accepted the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Tuesday at a ceremony in Sweden for his contribution to the development of lithium-ion batteries. (Japan Times) 
Empress Masako said Monday she is happy to have completed her duties as part of Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement rituals, and pledged to continue such work and help her husband more for the happiness of the people. (Japan Times) 
In a major privacy breach, 18 hard drives used by the Kanagawa Prefectural Government to store taxpayers’ data were auctioned online over the summer instead of being destroyed, prefectural officials disclosed Friday. (Japan Times) 
The Japanese government approved 13.2 trillion yen ($121 billion) worth of public stimulus spending on Thursday, with the economy due for a total infusion of 26 trillion yen if private-sector and other outlays are factored in.
(Nikkei) 
The Niigata District Court on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old man to life in prison for the sexual assault and murder of a 7-year-old schoolgirl last year. (Japan Times) 
A welfare ministry panel said Tuesday that forcing children to sit extensively in the formal Japanese style known as seiza will be recognized as a morally unacceptable form of punishment under a new law that will enter into force next April. (Japan Today)