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AOI MATSURI HAKATA GION YAMAKASA FESTIVAL JAPAN EVENT Some five hundred people wearing Men carrying yamakasa—large floats, each CALENDAR splendid ancient costumes and weighting about a ton, elaborately decorated Now that you are in Japan, be sure to go traditional makeup parade through for this festival—race through the streets of beyond the usual tourist destinations and the main streets of Kyoto during this Hakata at full speed. The sight of the men take part in some of the fascinating festivals festival, which got its name because aoi focusing all their strength and energy on the and events held locally all over the country. (hollyhock) leaves are used as ornaments floats captivates the hearts of spectators, who There are many unique events going on not only on the people’s costumes, but number as many as a million people. throughout the year, so you’ll have no even on cows and horses. Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City July 1 to 15 shortage of chances and options. Shimogamo-jinja Shrine and Kamigamo-jinja Shrine, Kyoto City May 15 August April MIYAJIMA KANGENSAI FESTIVAL YAYOI FESTIVAL Kangen is Japanese court music played on The Yayoi Festival signals the arrival of various flutes, drums and Japanese stringed spring in Nikko, which has temples and instruments. In the ancient capital, nobles shrines registered as World Heritage sites. used to enjoy the graceful orchestra festival by The main attraction takes place on April playing kangen instruments on boats floating 17: a parade of a dozen beautifully adorned on ponds and rivers. Approximately eight floats called hana-yatai from each town. This centuries ago, Taira-no-Kiyomori (1118-1181)— festival dates back to the eighth century. the warlord of the latter years of the Heian Futarasan Jinja Shrine, Nikko City / Tochigi PHOTO: ©Q.SAWAMI ©JNTO Period—remodeled Itsukishima Shrine and Prefecture April 13 and 17 brought the customs then prevalent to this June land to hold a ceremony dedicated to the gods. FUJI SHIBAZAKURA FESTIVAL CHAGU CHAGU UMAKO HORSE Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima Prefecture The largest festival of its kind, this spectacle FESTIVAL August 1 features 800,000 pink moss phlox petals Around a hundred horses, fitted with carpeting the grounds that sweep toward brightly colored harnesses and lots of NEBUTA MATSURI Mount Fuji. The contrast of lively colors bells, parade from Takizawa City to This event is held in the Tohoku region on against the mountain scenery is stunning, Morioka City, a distance of approximately July 7 of the lunar calendar. Massive frames and people flock here to see the foot of 15 kilometers. Chagu chagu is an made of bamboo and wood are covered Japan’s iconic peak decorated in floral finery. onomatopoeic expression for the bells with paper illustrated with historic figures, Kawaguchikocho, Yamanashi Prefecture sounding as the horses trot along. samurai warriors and birds and beasts. These April 18 to May 31 Takizawa City, Iwate Prefecture are illuminated from within and set up on June 13 yatai floats and vehicles, which proceed in the Aomori Nebuta (Neputa in ) parade. The festivals in Aomori City and Hirosaki are especially well known, attracting tourists from all areas of Japan and overseas. Throughout Aomori City, August 2 to 7

PHOTO: ©AKIRA OKADA ©JNTO PHOTO: ©IWATE PREFECTURE ©JNTO May HAMAMATSU FESTIVAL July More than a hundred huge fighting kites are SUMIDAGAWA HANABI TAIKAI launched into the skies over the Nakatajima This is one of Tokyo’s major fireworks Dunes—one of Japan’s three largest sand displays. On the last Saturday of July, the dunes—that overlook the Enshunada Sea. evening sky in the old part of town turns PHOTO: ©YASUFUMI NISHI ©JNTO These kites measure 3.5 meters by 3.5 meters, into a spectacle of dazzling colors from and when a trumpet sounds the battle begins. several tens of thousands of fireworks. SENDAI MATSURI Making the five-millimeter-thick hemp This annual event is said to have This is a Tanabata event (the Star Festival) held strings intertwine, the kite-fliers try to cut originated in the custom of the common in Sendai, the central city of the Tohoku region, their opponents’ strings by friction, making people of Edo viewing fireworks while celebrating an ancient legend. Gorgeous the battle exciting and worth watching. enjoying the relative coolness of the decorations made of bamboo and Japanese Nakatajima Dunes, Hamamatsu City, summer evening. paper called sasatake are put up in the arcades Shizuoka Prefecture May 3 to 5 Taito-ku and Sumida-ku, Tokyo July 25 in front of Sendai Station and throughout the

22 | highlighting japan city in what appears to be a contest to come up 9 and 10, prompts local inhabitants to January with the most striking colors and displays. start their winter preparations. The DEZOME-SHIKI Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture August 6 to 8 greatest attractions are the eleven yatai Organized by the Tokyo Fire Department, floats, which are designated as significant this event is held to pray for a safe year. intangible folk cultural assets. Although similar events are held throughout Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture Japan, this spectacular New Year’s Parade of October 9 and 10 Firemen features over a hundred fire engines and helicopters, and large-scale firefighting NAGASAKI KUNCHI FESTIVAL and emergency drills. This autumn festival held at Suwa Shrine Tokyo Big Sight PHOTO: ©YASUFUMI NISHI ©JNTO has a history of 370 years, and is now January 6 held every year for three days starting AWA-ODORI FOLK DANCE FESTIVAL IN on October 7 in accordance with the TOKUSHIMA solar calendar, drawing large numbers February This Tokushima festival features folkdances of tourists from both inside and outside SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL performed to welcome the souls of ancestors Nagasaki Prefecture. Rows of small and large snow sculptures during the O-bon season (mid-August). It Kaminishiyama-machi, Nagasaki City are created and displayed at three sites in is well known throughout Japan for the October 7 to 9 Sapporo City during this snow festival, which words “It’s a fool who dances and a fool who draws two million people, including many watches!” that are voiced to set the rhythm, TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL overseas tourists. Odori Park, located in the regardless of their meaning. The Tokyo International Film Festival city center, serves as the main venue, and a Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture celebrates its twenty-seventh year in 2015. space extending 1.5 kilometers is transformed August 12 to 15 It is Japan’s one and only international film into a snow museum. International Square festival recognized by the International becomes the stage for the International Snow Federation of Film Producers Associations, Sculpture Contest, at which over ten teams also Asia’s largest, and is always a lively from the world over compete every year. showcase for cinematic entertainment. Sapporo City, Hokkaido TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Seven days, starting in the second week of October 22 to 31 February

TOKYO MOTOR SHOW PHOTO: ©JNTO This trade fair offers a chance to see the latest automotive designs and technologies, September and is considered one of the top five motor OWARA KAZE-NO-BON FESTIVAL shows in the world. This year marks the This traditional folk event is designed to forty-fourth show, and will have the theme appease the wind and appeal for a bountiful “With more freedom . . . change for cars, crop, and takes place every year for three days change for lifestyles, change for society.” from September 1. It corresponds to the 210th Tokyo Big Sight day from the first day of spring according October 29 to November 8 to the traditional Japanese calendar, and is considered the time of the year that is often PHOTO: ©YASUFUMI NISHI ©JNTO beset by calamities such as typhoons. Although December there are many explanations about its origins, OGA NAMAHAGE FESTIVAL it is generally believed that the O-bon ritual of This festival features a tradition passed March paying homage to ancestors was merged with a down from ancient times around Oga City OMIZUTORI festival praying for a rich harvest. in Akita Prefecture. On New Year’s Eve, Priests at Todai-ji Temple, famous for its Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture a group consisting of two to three young enormous statue of Buddha, confess their September 1 to 3 village men disguise themselves as a sins before the Eleven-Faced Kannon (the rather grotesque deity called Namahage, goddess of mercy) enshrined in Nigatsu-do resembling an oni (demon). Wearing large Hall, and also pray for world peace and a rich October masks, straw raincoats and loincloths, harvest for fourteen consecutive days. This TAKAYAMA MATSURI AUTUMN FESTIVAL holding wooden knives and pails, they go ritual, called Shuni-e, has been practiced The Takayama Festival, cited as one of Japan’s dancing along and visiting houses at night, since 752. three most beautiful festivals, actually is roaring and frightening misbehaving Todai-ji Temple, Nara City a combination of two festivals: the Sanno children and others. March 1 to 14 Matsuri at Hie Shrine and the Hachiman Oga City, Akita Prefecture Matsuri at Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine. The December 31 Hachiman Matsuri, held annually on October Information by Japan National Tourist Office

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