Festivals

The list below is taken from the Japan National Tourism Organization.  Click on the individual event for information.  It’s estimated that 25% of the population partake in a local festival, and with each shrine holding an annual event Japan must count amongst the most festival-loving people on earth.  The typical pattern is for a religious ritual to be performed prior to the festivities, then a parade of the kami around the community with pauses for entertainment of some kind, and then return to the shrine where the closing ritual is held.

Traditional Annual Events

  • January
    1. Ball-Catching Festival
    2. New Year’s Parade of Firemen
    3. Bullfinch Exchange
    4. Toka Ebisu
    5. Grass Burning on Mt. Wakakusayama
    6. Archery Contest at Sanjusangen-do Temple
    7. Bonden Festival
  • February
    1. Sapporo Snow Festival
    2. Setsubun Lantern Festival
    3. Bean-Throwing Festival
    4. Kamakura Snow Festival, Yokote
    5. Naked Festival at Saidai-ji Temple
    6. Hachinohe Enburi
  • March
    1. Water-Drawing Festival
    2. Doll Festival
    3. Sagicho Festival
    4. Dai Himonjiyaki at Aso Fire Festival
  • April
    1. Floral Festival
    2. Kamakura Festival
    3. Takayama Festival
    4. Yayoi Festival
  • May
    1. Hakata Dontaku Festival
    2. Kite-Fighting Contest
    3. Bonfire Noh performance
    4. Cormorant Fishing
    5. Kanda Matsuri
    6. Hollyhock Festival
    7. Grand Festival of Spring, Nikko
    8. Asakusa Sanja Matsuri
    9. Mifune Matsuri
  • June
    1. Bonfire Noh performance, Kyoto
    2. Otaue Rice Planting Festival
    3. Chagu Chagu Umako Horse Festival
    4. Sanno Matsuri
  • July
    1. Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival
    2. Star Festival
    3. Lantern Festival
    4. Nachi-no-Hi-Matsuri
    5. Gion Matsuri
    6. Warei Taisai Festival & Uwajima Ushi-Oni Matsuri
    7. Wild Horse Racing
    8. Tenjin Matsuri Festival
    9. Miyajima Kangensai Festival
    10. Sumida River Fireworks Display
  • August
    1. Aomori Nebuta Matsuri and Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri
    2. Gujo Odori Dance Performance
    3. Akita Kanto Matsuri
    4. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
    5. Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri
    6. Sendai Tanabata Matsuri Star Festival
    7. Awa-Odori Folk Dance Festival in Tokushima
    8. Yamaga Lantern Festival
    9. Daimonji Bonfire
    10. Giant Lantern Festival
  • September
    1. Owara Kaze-no-Bon Festival
    2. Reitaisai
  • October
    1. Nagasaki Kunchi Festival
    2. Marimo Matsuri
    3. Takayama Matsuri Autumn Festival
    4. Ikegami Honmonji O-Eshiki
    5. Nada Fighting Festival
    6. Nikko Toshogu Shrine Grand Autumn Festival
    7. Festival of the Ages
    8. Kurama Fire Festival
  • November
    1. Feudal Lord’s Procession in Hakone
    2. Karatsu Kunchi Festival
    3. Children’s Shrine-Visiting Day
    4. Tori-no-Ichi Rake Fair
  • December
  • 1.Chichibu Night Festival
  1. Gishi-sai
  2. Battledore Fair
  3. Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri
  4. Oga Namahage Festival
  5. Okera-Mairi Festival

    For more information: 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/festival-listings/

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Penny Kaela Bauer • info@traditionalkyoto.com

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