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Mar 11, 5:09 (JST) updated
Event Guide (2010)
Event Back Numbers:
See Event Guides in July - December 2010 In order to see an event corresponding to the cities, bring mouse-pointer over the name of the city and click it.
1. Hakata Dontaku [Map 1]
Date : May 3-4 Place : Hakata, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Officially named 'Hakata Dontaku Port Festival', this event takes place in Fukuoka City, in the northern part of Kyushu Island. The festival originated from the greeting procession of the New Year to the Lord of the Domain, called 'Hanshu', but presently, it is observed by men and women of all ages. People dressed as 'fortune gods' parade while dancing to the sounds of musical accompaniment. This entertaining event evolved from 'matsubayashi', a folk art widely performed in Kyoto during the Muromachi Era (1333-1568). Today, not only many people in and outside Fukuoka but also visitors from overseas eagerly await and get together on this date looking forward to this exciting carnival.
Date : For 2 weeks starting from the Chinese New Year’s Day Place : Minato-koen Park/ Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown/Chuo-koen Park/ Hamaichi Kanko St.
This annual festival is held for 15 days during the Chinese New Year. The celebration originally took place in Chinatown but has become one of the largest festivals in Nagasaki. 15,000 lanterns adorn Minato-koen Park, Chinatown, Chuo-koen Park and other spots, and the festivities also include processions featuring authentic Chinese costumes and floats.
3. Shimonoseki Kaikyo Matsuri [Map 3]
Date : May 2-4 Place : Akama Shrine, Center of Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi
Each year, Shimonoseki commemorates the decisive
naval battle which took place between the Heike and
Genji clans in 1185 on the Kanmon Strait, marking the
end of the Heian Period. Festivals are held for three
days, with each day marking a distinct event in this
important battle. Day one will thrill visitors with the
'Senteisai', a magnificent festival held at Akama Shrine
in commemoration of the brave eight-year old Emperor
Antoku, who perished during the battle. The 'Genpei
Funa Gassen' is a spectacular sight to watch on day two. It is a re-enactment of the
battle between the bitter enemy clans in Dan-no-ura and the numerous boats
sailing through the Kanmon Straits. The festival ends with the 'Ganryu' Island
Festival, a re-staging of the clash between two great Samurai warriors, Miyamoto
Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro.
4. Saidaiji Eyo (Naked Man's Festival) [Map 4]
Date : 3rd Sat. of Feb. Place : Saidaiji Kannonin, Saidaiji-naka, Okayama city, Okayama
This festival's history dates to the Eisho
Era (1504-1521) when a good luck
amulet was distributed by temple priests.
'Shingi' (sacred sticks), gained in reputation
and priests began
tossing it into gatherings
to satisfy popular
demand. Nowadays,
men clad in traditional
loincloth gather at the
temple and in a ritual display shove and push each
other; near midnight, the lights are turned off and a
priest throws 'Shingi' into the melee. The festival
comes to a climax as, in the dark, a fierce struggle
ensues; the men who successfully grab a number of
sticks will be the lucky ones through the year.
Date : April 3rd and 4th Place : Wakamiya-Hachimangu Shrine, Nagahama, Kochi City, Kochi
The Doronko Matsuri is a rice-planting festival held at Wakamine Hachimangu Shrine. Doronko means 'muddy' in Japanese. In this joyful festival, the women chase the men to catch in a huge mud pool and smear their face with mud gathered from rice paddies. It is a symbolic local spring festival to pray for a good harvest and a perfect state of health.
6. Shuni-e (Water-Drawing) Ceremony [Map 6]
Date : Mar.1-14 Place : Todaiji Temple(Nigatsudo hall), Nara City, Nara
Photo By Nara City Tourist Association
This ancient religious
ceremony is over 1,250 years
old and features a series of
Buddhist rituals where
priests pray to 'kannonbosatsu'
(God of Mercy),
confessing their sins and
asking for peace and a good
harvest. The Ceremony of
Fire, or 'o-taimatsu', where
monks run, swinging huge basket torches, is a fantastic sight.
7. Aoi Festival [Map 7]
Date : May 15 Place : Kyoto Imperial Palace, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, Kyoto City, Kyoto
A majestic parade called 'Rotou-no-gi' highlights this festival. Donning
the splendid regalia of the nobility and displaying decorations of the Heian Era (794 - 1192), over 500 people, 36 horses, 4 cows, 2 bullock carts and a palanquin decorated with 'Aoi' (hollyhock) leaves, set out from Kyoto Imperial Palace, proceeding to Shimogamo Shrine, hence to Kamigamo Shrine, all in all an impressive 18 kilometer (12.8 mile) journey. This magnificent display of pomp and splendor is one of the 3 major Kyoto festivals and deservedly famous across the country as well. The grace and elegance on view is most appropriate to this ancient capital city; the visitor can't help but feel as a timetraveler taken centuries back to the noble imperial era when Japanese culture and customs evolved in a truly unique and refined manner.
8. Mikuni Festival [Map 8]
Date : May 19 - 21 Place : Sakai City, Fukui
Photo By Fukui Prefectural Tourism Federation
One of the three biggest festivals in
Hokuriku region, 'Mikuni Matsuri' attracts
many visitors especially May 20th, when
floats bearing impressively tall 'Samurai'
warrior dolls, some as high as 6m (20 ft)
parade through Mikuni Town. During this
festive event, streets around Mikuni Shrine
feature old-fashioned attraction booths and
open-air stalls called 'Yatai' and 'Roten',
inducing the tourists to feel the prosperity
and atmosphere of harbour town Mikuni.
9. The Dosojin Fire Festival [Map 9]
Date : Jan.15 Place : Nozawaonsen village, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano
One of the three most celebrated 'fire' festivals in Japan, it is held to pray for a plentiful harvest, health and good fortune in the coming year. In Japan, men aged 25 or 42, are believed to be particularly susceptible to bad luck. During the festival five 18 metre (60 ft) tall 'Goshinboku' (scared tree) inside 'Shaden' (shrine) area are constructed by a chosen 100 of these unlucky males. The highlight of the festivities comes during a mock battle between the 'unlucky' guards and torch-bearing villagers. After one hour of spirited defense and attack, the festival reaches a crescendo when the 'Shaden' is successfully set aflame.
10. Hamamatsu Festival [Map 10]
Date : May 3 - 5 Place : central Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka
Beautifully designed, 1.5 to 3.6 meters per side large,
Japanese kites are unique in the world. Hamamatsu City in
Shizuoka Prefecture hosts the ancient 'Hamamatsu Festival',
May 3rd to 5th, when more than 170 teams compete with
giant kites skillfully flown in exciting battle. The fighting starts
with a trumpet fanfare and spectators cheer the strength and
skill required as the kite-fliers maneuver to cut their
opponents' strings by friction. The smell of burning hemp in
the air forecasts victory and defeat. Evenings are cheerful
too, with a parade of about
80 superb floats decorated
with gorgeous sculptural
works and carrying threestringed
lute and flute
bands. Many celebrations
are organized throughout
the city.
11. Shunsetsu-sai Festival [Map 11]
Date : Chinese New Year’s Day Place : Yokohama City, Kanagawa
The Shunsetsu-sai Festival is also known as Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year. It is the most important traditional holiday for the Chinese. Yokohama Chinatown holds a variety of events for the Shunsetsu-sai. It is celebrated with candles, dragon dances, Chinese lion dances and fireworks.
12. Sanja Festival [Map 12]
Date : 3rd Fri. to Sun. of May Place : Asakusa Jinja Shrine, Asakusa, Tokyo
Sanja Festival is one of the three biggest festivals in Tokyo,
along with Kanda Festival and Sanno Festival. It became very
popular during the
historically significant
Edo Era (1603-1868),
and still today it features
the parading of more
than a hundred 'mikoshi'
(portable shrines) carried
aloft by local residents in
and around the crowded
streets near Sensou-ji
temple.
Date : Late Feb. - Mar. Place : Kairakuen/Koudoukan, Mito city, Ibaraki
Admired by poets since ancient times,
blossoms of the plum tree are beloved in
Japanese tradition in the same manner as are
the celebrated cherry blossoms. Renowned for
one of the three most beautiful Japanese
gardens, Kairakuen Park is planted with an
amazing 3,000 plum trees in an astounding
100 varieties; visitors can enjoy a multitude of
pink and white blossoms in this Japanese
version of the Garden of Eden.
Date : 3rd Sat. & Sun of May Place : Toshogu Shrine, Nikko, Tochigi
The grandest festival in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture held May
17-18th is a fabulous re-enactment of the historic move of the
'divine spirit' of Ieyasu Tokugawa, Japan's unifier and first
Shogun (1603), from Mt. Kuno to Toshogu Shrine. Not far
north of Tokyo, with a magnificent cultural tradition and
gorgeous scenery, this area is extremely popular with
Japanese and international tourists. With just cause, spectators
will be impressed with an awesome display of pageantry
and beauty as a 1,000 people decked out in period clothing
and samurai accoutrements majestically parade from one
venerated shrine to another. Intricately designed portable
shrines, horse-back archery and traditional dancing add to the
colourful festivities attended by descendants of the great
military leader.
'Aoba-matsuri' was originally held to commemorate Date Tadamune at
the Toshogu Shrine in 1655 as the Sendai Festival, and is now one of
the biggest festivals in Miyagi Prefecture. The highlight of the festival is
the 'Suzume odori' (a dance imitating sparrows), derived from the
dance improvised by the stonemasons at the feast for the construction
of Sendai Castle of famed Daimyo Masamune Date (circa 1600), and
recreated by the Sendai Sparrow Dance Company. Main events are
'Geinou-sai' (The Performing Art Festival), 'Suzume Odori' contest,
'Mikoshi' Parade and 'Musha Gyoretsu'.
Date : Feb. 5-11 Place : Odori Koen/Susukino area/Sapporo Sato-land, Sapporo, Hokkaido
One of the largest winter events
in Japan, the Sapporo Snow
Festival attracts no fewer than 2 million
visitors coming from far and wide to admire
hundreds of spectacular snow statues and
intricate ice sculptures. Many foreign teams
from outside Japan participate giving the event
a definitely international flavour.