Randy's
Japan Events Page
My list of just a few selected
festivals and events throughout Japan during the
year. Some of these are "obscure", "esoteric", or otherwise just
some of my favorites...
Each one has at least one link to an external site about that event.
Warning:
Some of these festivals are raucous, loud, and even bawdy!
Those who disdain wild abandon are advised to use discretion.
Ei ja nai ka?
Links to more comprehensive Event Lists are below...
[JAN]
[FEB]
[MAR]
[APR]
[MAY]
[JUN]
[JUL]
[AUG]
[SEP]
[OCT]
[NOV]
[DEC]
- Selected January Festivals...
- Dezome-Shiki Fireman's Parade
Firemen in traditional garb climb ladders and perform acrobatics(!) while parading
through the streets at Tokyo's "Big Sight" venue at Harumi Pier. Jan. 6th
- Wakakusa-yama Grass
Fire (Yamayaki)
Wakakusayama hill is set ablaze at dusk; fireworks, etc. Nara Park, Nara, Jan 15.
- Setagaya
Boro-Ichi Flea Market ('Rag Market'), a 400 year tradition in
Setagaya, Tokyo, Dec 15-16 & Jan 15-16, 9am-9pm.
- Selected February Festivals...
- Selected March Festivals...
- Selected April Festivals...
- Selected May Festivals...
- Hakata
Dontaku Festival and Costume Parade, Hakata (Fukuoka), May 3-4.
- Giant
Kite Festival, Yes, giant fighting kites!
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, May 3-5
- Takigi Noh
Performance Torchlight outdoor performance of traditional Noh
theater. Kofuku-ji Temple and Kasuga Shrine, Nara May 11 & 12, 4-9pm
- Takigi (torchlight) Noh Theater is performed throughout Japan at different
times. Here is a List of
Takigi Noh Performances Throughout Japan, various dates.
- Mifune
Boat Festival, 'Parade' of Heian Period boats and costumes.
Arashiyama, Kyoto. 3rd Sunday in May
- Selected June Festivals...
- Takigi Noh
Performance Torchlight outdoor performance of traditional Noh
theater. Heian Shrine, Kyoto June 1 & 2
- Rice Planting
Festival (Otaue Shinji)
to music and folk songs. Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine, Osaka, June 14.
And many other shrine locations.
- Selected July Festivals...
- Nachi Himatsuri
Fire Festival Torch-lit procession of Shinto priests; Kumano
Nachi Shrine, Mt. Nachi, Nachi-Katsuura, Wakayama Prefecture. July 14.
- Soma
Nomaoi Wild Horse Festival Horse-catching and Horse
Racing events, all in ancient costumes on Hibari-ga-hara plain,
Haramachi, Fukushima Prefecture. July 23-25.
- Tenjin
Matsuri, festival in Osaka. Historical street parade followed
by a boat procession and fireworks. July 24-25. Osaka, Tenjinbashi and
Temmabashi
- Sumida
River Fireworks Traditional Fireworks
Display on the Sumida River, Tokyo. Last Saturday in July.
- Selected August Festivals...
- Nebuta
Matsuri Huge paper-mache figures are lit like lanterns
and paraded raucously through the streets in a festival that lasts all
week. Aomori city Aug. 2-7; Hirosaki city in Aomori Prefecture Aug. 1-7.
- Kanto
Matsuri, Lantern Festival Large parade of balancing huge
latern structures in Akita City, first full week of August.
Another Site.
- Awa
Odori All-night Street Dance Festival, Tokushima city, Shikoku,
Aug. 12-15
- DaimonJi
Fire Festival Huge bonfire in the shape of the character for
"big", on Mt. Nyoigadake, seen from all over Kyoto. Aug. 16.
- 33rd Annual!! Sunset
Creek Bluegrass Festival (site now in English!!),
Yuhi-no-Taki (waterfall) campground, deep woods outside of
Hakone [Map here],
Last week-end of August (Aug 24-26, 2007).
2002 Photo site;
2003 Photos.
Japanese Site
- Selected September Festivals...
- Selected October Festivals...
- Autumn Mibu
Kyogen Traditional pantomime skits.
Mibu-dera Temple, Mibu district, 3 days before Health Sports Day, so
Oct 5,6,7, 2007; 1-5pm.
- 27th Annual!
Kobe
Jazz Street Jazz Festival at dozens of jazz venues! Kobe,
Oct. 4 & 5, 2008.
PLUS: Jazz Night Special
Friday night, Oct 3, 7 to 10 pm. Shin-Kobe Crown Plaza Hotel, 10F 'Blue Room'
- Takayama Festival
Autumn edition, Huge wooden floats paraded through town.
Takayama City, October 9-10.
- Nada
Kenka Matsuri Fighting Floats! jossle each
other as they parade through the streets near the Matsubara Shrine in Himeji,
Hyogo Prefecture (near Kobe). Oct 14-15.
- Doburoku
Matsuri "Grog Festival" of raw saké in
Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture. October 14-19. Another Doburoku
Festival is held in Ota village, Oita Prefecture, Oct 17-18.
- Kurama-no-Hi
Fire Festival, Torchlight procession at Yuki Shrine in Kurama,
just north of Kyoto, Oct 22.
- Selected November Festivals...
- Daimyo
Gyoretsu Procession of Lords, in period costumes,
down the old Tokaido Road. Hakone, Kanagawa Pref. Nov 3.
- Karatsu
O-Kunchi Festival Animated parade of yet more huge colorful
floats. Karatsu Shrine, Karatsu, Saga Prefecture (Northern
Kyushu Is.) Nov 2-4.
- Shichi-Go-San
Parents bring children aged 7, 5, and 3 -- dressed in finery --
to visit shrines. Throughout Japan. Nov 15.
(Another Good Site)
- Kamiari
Matsuri, festival at Idzumo Taisha and Kamosu
Shrine, Matsue, Shimane Pref. 6 days around the 2nd week of
November. Everywhere else in Japan, the (modern-day) month of November
(October in the previous Lunar Calendar) is called Kannazuki, meaning
"month without Gods". That's because all the Shinto Gods are known to
congregate at Idzumo in November, where it is called Kamiari-zuki,
or "the month with Gods".
- Selected December Festivals...
- Chichibu
Yo-Matsuri Huge all-night float festival,
Chichibu city, Saitama Prefecfture. Dec 2-3; Night parade on the 3rd.
- Setagaya
Boro-Ichi Flea Market ('Rag Market'), a 400 year tradition in
Setagaya, Tokyo, Dec 15-16 & Jan 15-16, 9am-9pm.
Other Event Links:
Search
for Events
...for any month, in any area. This automated system from JNTO is not
perfect but a good start to find lists of hundreds of festivals!
- A very useful JNTO .PDF file with a list of
Annual
Events in Japan (Acrobat reader required.)
Top of Page
Up to Randy's Japan Page
You're reading Randy's Japan Page -- all text Copyright ©
1995-2008, Randy R. Johnson.