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, the forth Saturday in January each year.
- 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...
- Setsubun Bean-Throwing Festival, Everywhere! Feb. 3. Drive out the old year.
- Mibu Kyogen for Setsubun! Feb. 2, 3, 4 on the hour from 1pm to 5pm.. Description
- 64th Annual Sapporo Snow Festival!, Feb. 5-11, 2013 Sapporo, Hokkaido.
- Hari-Kuyo, Memorial Service for Broken Needles and Pins! Throughout Japan, various shrines; ask locally. Feb 8 -- OR December 8 at some shrines!
- Saidai-ji Eyo Matsuri, that's the "Naked Festival" near Okayama; 3rd Saturday in Feb.
Selected March Festivals...
- Hina Matsuri, Doll Festival, Everywhere! March 3.
- Male Fertility Festival, Tagata Shrine, near Komaki, north of Nagoya, March 15.
- Sagicho Fire Festival, ... huge floats set ablaze! Himura Shrine, Omihachiman, Shiga (near Kyoto) Another Site... 2nd Sat-Sun in March.
- Hanami, Cherry Blossom Viewing, throughout Japan at various dates from the end of March to mid-April, depending on location. List of popular Cherry Viewing Lcations. And How to do Hanami! Plum Blossom Viewing begins a couple of weeks earlier.
  - Check the Japan Weather Bureau's official Cherry Blossom Forecast Page for a map of the year's predicted peak of the blossoms in different areas. (This chart of "cherry fronts" is called the Sakura Zensen, and it won't update until late Feb.)
  - And another Cherry Blossom Report from Japan-Guide
Selected April Festivals...
- Takayama Sanno Matsuri, Spring Festival. Takayama City, Gifu-ken. April 14-15.
- Yabusame Horseback Archery at Tsurugaoka Shrine, Kamakura, April 3rd Sunday (Another Site)
- April Mibu Kyogen, traditional pantomime skits. Mibu-dera Temple, Mibu district, Kyoto, Apr. 21 to 29. 1pm to 5:30pm. Another Site
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. The Hamamamatsu Festival also includes nightly parades of large hand-carried floats!
- 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, 2pm.
Selected June Festivals...
- Takigi Noh Performance Torchlight outdoor performance of traditional Noh theater. Heian Shrine, Kyoto June 1 & 2, annually
- 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 Raucous 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.
- Mitsumine Shishi-mai Multiple different Lion Dances performed all day at the secluded Minsumine Shrine in Chichibu, outside of Tokyo. Last Sunday of August (26th, 2012.) Check the link for directions.
- 35th 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, 2012). 2002 Photo site; 2003 Photos. Japanese Site
Selected September Festivals...
- Yabusame Horseback Archery at Tsurugaoka Shrine, Kamakura, Sept. 16. (Another Site)
  List of 10 Yabusame Events throughout the year!
- Comb Festival Kushi Matsuri, homage to old combs! Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine, Kyoto; 4th Monday in Sept. (photo gallery)
Selected October Festivals...
- Autumn Mibu Kyogen Traditional pantomime skits. Mibu-dera Temple, Mibu district, 3 days before Health Sports Day, so Oct 7, 8, 9, 2011; 1-5pm.
- 31st! Annual! Kobe Jazz Street Jazz Festival at dozens of jazz venues! Kobe, Oct. 6 & 7, 2012. English Introduction
  PLUS: Jazz Night Special Friday night, Oct 5, 7 to 10 pm. Shin-Kobe ANA 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. Photos.
- 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.
- 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...
- Kyoto's annual Kao-Mise Kabuki performance at the Minami-Za Theater in Gion, Kyoto. "Kao-Mise" means to 'show your face' and is the annual performance where new Kabuki actors are introduced as they graduate into the upper echelons of the art... Nov. 30 to Dec. 26, 2012. Once a year -- don't miss it!
- 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.

Randy's Japan Events Page

Other Event Links: