Dano, one of the oldest traditional feast days in the lunar calendar in Korea, fell on Monday this year. The Gangneung Danoje Festival in Gangwon Province aims to preserve traditional culture such as shamanic rituals, Gwanno mask dramas, and open markets.

"UNESCO designated the Gangneung Danoje Festival a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005," a city official said.

The main event of the festival is shamanic rituals, or danogut, which are held all day to pray for peace and prosperity. Shamans wearing colorful traditional clothes perform beautiful dance moves and emotional songs.

Dano was originally a day when farmers carried out rituals at the end of the sowing season but has now developed into an annual festival, providing games and art performances, with the Gangneung Danoje Festival drawing more than 1 million visitors a year.