Calendar of Events January 2016 Notes: 1. Published by Tourist Information Center of Japan National Tourism Organization and all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 2. Dates, times and functions are subject to change without notice. Especially schedule of outdoor events and flower festival may change due to the weather. Be sure to check the latest information in advance. 3. The access shows only major route. Please refer to following URL for alternative transportation from the station where you want to start. http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ 4. Japanese words appearing in the column provide the name of the event, the place and access for you to point out to Japanese passerby when you need help. 5. Please refer to URL (basically in Japanese) for each event. If you have further questions, please call TIC, JNTO at following number. TIC, JNTO Tel : (03)-3201-3331 from overseas +81 3 3201 3331 Shogatsu 正月 正月 Shogatsu is the biggest annual event in Japan. The streets Special Remarks: areShogatsu adorned is the with biggest New Year'sannual decorations event in Japan. of pine The and streets plum Glossary： Dates and Times are shown as follows which is common in Japan. branches,are adorned bamboo with New stalks Year's and decorationsropes with paper of pine festoons. and plum branches, bamboo stalks and ropes with paper Geisha Professional female entertainers Dates : M/D April 3 ⇒ 4/3 People pay homage to shrines and temples, and visit Matsuri Festival, Event friendsfestoons. and People relatives pay tohomage exchange to shrines greetings. and There temples, are andalso Time : 24 hours system 8:00am ⇒ 8:00 customsvisit friends such and as relativeseating Osechi to exchange-ryori - New greetings. Year's There special are 8:00pm ⇒ 20:00 dishes,also customs and giving such childrenas eating Otoshidama Osechi-ryori - -New New Year's Year's moneyspecial dishes,gift. On andNew giving Year's children Day, Nengajo Otoshidama - New -Year New greetingYear's money cards, gift. arrive On inNew the Year's mail. Day, Nengajo - New Year Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Ice Festival. Many ice sculptures exhibited on the shore are lit up. Some more events are scheduled during the festival period. From Shin-Chitose http://www. Chitose-Shikotsuko Hokkaido Hokkaido Chitose Lake Shikotsu Airport, take bus to 新千歳空港よりバスで55分 1000sai- 1/29 ～ 2/21 Hyoto Matsuri Schedule & Key events: 北海道 北海道 千歳市 支笏湖 Shikotsuko Bus Stop (55 支笏湖下車 chitose.or.jp/ 千歳・支笏湖氷濤まつり ●daily min.) icefes.html 16:30-22:00 Ice sculptures light up ●Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 18:30-18:50 Fireworks display ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 1/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL along Zao Ropeway Summary: JR Yamagata Sancho Line, Festival features the lighting up of Juhyo , known as "Ice Monster", Shinkansen Line to around Jizo Sancho Yamagata Sta., and trees covered with frost. JR山形新幹線山形駅より http://zaorop Sta. then take bus to Zao Tohoku Yamagata Yamagata Zao Juhyo Light-up バスで45分蔵王温泉下 eway.co.jp/z 12/26 ～ 2/28 蔵王ロープウェイ山頂線 Onsen Bus Stop (45 東北 山形県 山形市 蔵王樹氷ライトアップ Schedule & Key events: 車、徒歩15分の蔵王山麓 ao/winter/lig 沿線および地蔵山頂駅 min.) From there, walk 駅よりロープウェイで17分地 htup.html 周辺 ●12/26-1/3, 1/9, 1/10, 1/16, 1/17, 1/23-2/28 to Zao Sanroku Sta. (15 蔵山頂駅下車 17:00-21:00 Juhyo light up min.), and then take ropeway to Jizo Sancho Sta. (17 min.) Summary: Ancient court dance with music, dedicated to the shrine. This JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line to Morioka Sta. Bugaku with a 1,300-year history is handed down through JR東北新幹線盛岡駅より http://www.c Ohirume muchi- From there, take IGR Tohoku Akita Kazuno Dainichido Bugaku generations in the village and is designated as one of the National IGRいわて銀河鉄道線で ity.kazuno.ak 1/2 jinja Shrine Iwate Ginga Tetsudo 東北 秋田県 鹿角市 大日堂舞楽 Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. JR花輪線経由八幡平駅下 ita.jp/kankoe 大日霊貴神社 Line to Hachimantai Sta. 車、徒歩1分 vent/38.html via JR Hanawa Line, and Schedule & Key events: then walk 1 min. 8:00-12:00 Summary: Bonfire Festival with a 300-year history, to conclude New Year's season. New Year's decorations are burnt in holy fire in prayer for JR Tohoku Shinkansen http://www. Matsutaki Matsuri Osaki Hachiman-gu prosperity and good health, following the ritual. The similar festivals Line to Sendai Sta. JR東北新幹線仙台駅より oosaki- Tohoku Miyagi Sendai (Dondo-yaki) 1/14 Shrine of this kind are usually held around 1/14 at many other shrines From there, take bus to バスで20分大崎八幡宮前 hachiman.or. 東北 宮城県 仙台市 松焚祭 大崎八幡宮 throughout Japan. Osaki Hachimangu-mae 下車 jp/festival/m (どんど焼き) Bus Stop (20 min.) atsutaki/ Schedule & Key events: 16:30- ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 2/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line to Morioka Sta. From there, (1) Kyojo-ji Temple： take bus to Morioka JR東北新幹線盛岡駅より Kyojo-ji Temple, Summary: Shikaku-shien Gakko- (1) 教浄寺： Morioka Hachiman- Hadaka-mairi , shrine homage paid by partly attired youths. mae Bus Stop, and then バスで盛岡視覚支援学校 gu Shrine, walk 5 min. 前下車、徒歩５分 http://www. Tohoku 1/14, Iwate Morioka Sakurayama-jinja Hadaka-mairi (2) Morioka Hachiman- (2) 盛岡八幡宮： & 1/26 Schedule & Key events: odette.or.jp/? 東北 1/15 岩手県 盛岡市 Shrine 裸参り gu Shrine：take bus (for バス茶畑行で15分八幡宮 ●1/14 17:30- Hadaka-mairi at Kyojo-ji Temple p=1166 教浄寺、 Chabatake) to 前下車 盛岡八幡宮、 ●1/15 16:30- Hadaka-mairi at Morioka Hachiman-gu Shrine Hachimangu-mae Bus (3) 桜山神社： 桜山神社 ●1/26 16:30- Hadaka-mairi at Sakurayama-jinja Shrine Stop (15 min.) バスで盛岡城跡公園下車、 (3) Sakurayama-jinja 徒歩３分 Shrine：take bus to Moriokajo-ato Koen Bus Stop, and then walk 3 min. Summary: Shrine homage paid by half-naked youths. After being purified by Shinzan-jinja Shrine： cold water, about 300 local young men who carry the offerings on JR Uetsu Honsen Line to 新山神社： http://www. Shinzan-jinja Tohoku Akita Yurihonjo Hadaka-mairi their shoulders, dash up the 2-km approach with 103 steps to the Ugo-Honjo Sta. From JR羽越本線羽後本荘駅よ akitafan.com/ 1/17 Shrine and others 東北 秋田県 由利本荘市 裸まいり shrine on Mt. Higashiyama. there, take bus to りバスで三軒町下車、徒歩 archive/touris 新山神社ほか Sangencho Bus Stop, 25分 m/2220 Schedule & Key events: and then walk 25 min. 9:00-11:00 Summary: Festival features Bonden , votive offering for good harvest and prosperity made of bamboo baskets covered with brightly colored JR Akita Shinkansen Line to Akita Sta. From cloth and streamers, being carried by villagers to the shrine. http://www. Miyoshi-jinja there, take bus (for JR秋田新幹線秋田駅より Tohoku Akita Akita Miyoshi Bonden-sai Highlight comes when about 80 groups of local young men carrying miyoshi.or.jp 1/17 Shrine and others Taihei) to Miyoshi Jinja- バス太平行で10分三吉神 東北 秋田県 秋田市 三吉梵天祭 their own Bonden , compete with one another to be the first in /festival/bon 三吉神社ほか Iriguchi Bus Stop (10 社入口下車、徒歩2分 densai.html dedicating Bonden to the shrine. min.), and then walk 2 min. Schedule & Key events: 10:30-12:00 ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 3/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Night Festival features a parade of worshippers holding torchlights in JR Tohoku Shinkansen Motsu-ji Temple, their hands and Ennen-no-mai (an ancient dance with music for Line to Ichinoseki Sta. http://www. Hiraizumi- Hiraizumi Sta. and longevity), designated as one of the National Important Intangible JR東北新幹線一ノ関駅より Tohoku Iwate Hatsuka-ya-sai From there, take JR motsuji.or.jp/ 1/20 cho others Folk Cultural Properties. JR東北本線で平泉駅下 東北 岩手県 二十日夜祭 Tohoku Honsen Line to matsuri/data 平泉町 毛越寺、 車、徒歩7分 Hiraizumi Sta., and then 01.html 平泉駅ほか Schedule & Key events: walk 7 min. 19:30- Parade from Hiraizumi Sta. to the temple 21:00-24:00 Ennen-no-mai performance Summary: Snow Festival. The highlight of this festival is illumination of ice sculptures, snow carvings and many Kamakura (huts made of snow). Many more events such as games and demonstrations of JR Tohoku Shinkansen Shizukuishi- snow boarders are scheduled during the festival period. Line to Morioka Sta. JR東北新幹線盛岡駅より http://www.i Tohoku Iwate Koiwai Farm Iwate Yuki Matsuri 1/30 ～ 2/7 cho From there, take bus to バスで30分小岩井農場まき wateyukimat 東北 岩手県 小岩井農場 岩手雪まつり 雫石町 Schedule & Key events: Koiwai Nojo Makibaen ば園下車 suri.com/ ●daily Bus Stop (30 min.) 17:00-21:00 Illumination of ice sculptures, snow carvings and Kamakura 19:30- Fireworks display Summary: Festival features Ennen-no-mai (ancient dance with music, which is designated as one of the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural JR Takayama Honsen Line to Mino-Ota Sta. Muika Matsuri Properties) performance and Hana-bai in which youths scramble to http://www.k Shirotori- Nagataki Hakusan- From there, take JR高山本線美濃太田駅よ Chubu Gifu (Hana-bai Matsuri) grab five big artificial flowers hung from the ceiling (6 meters in ankou- 1/6 cho, Gujo jinja Shrine Nagaragawa Tetsudo り長良川鉄道線で白山長 中部 岐阜県 六日祭り height) of the main hall of the shrine. gifu.jp/event/ 郡上市白鳥町 長滝白山神社 Line to Hakusan- 滝駅下車、徒歩5分 (花奪いまつり) 3146/ Nagataki Sta., and then Schedule & Key events: walk 5 min. 13:00- Shinto ritual pray 13:20-15:00 Ennen-no-mai performance and Hana-bai ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 4/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL (1) JR Ito Line to Summary: Kinomiya Sta., and then Japanese Apricot Festival. There are about 470 Japanese apricot walk 10 min. (1) JR伊東線来宮駅より trees of 60 species in the garden and they begin to bloom usually (2) JR Tokaido http://www.