The Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest, first held in 1981 has become a major summer-ending tradition drawing around 500,000 visitors each year. Inspired by the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil, participating teams bring vibrant energy to the streets of Asakusa with powerful bateria drum troupes, dynamic dancers, carnival-inspired music and elaborately decorated “alegoria” floats creating the largest samba carnival in the Northern Hemisphere.