Calendar of Events February 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 Setsubun 節分 Special Remarks: Traditional ceremony to dispel demons. According to the Glossary： Dates and Times are shown as follows which is common in Japan. Matsuri Festival, Event lunar calendar, "Setsubun" marks the last day of winter. Dates : M/D April 3 ⇒ 4/3 People throng temples and shrines to vie with another for Time : 24 hours system 8:00am ⇒ 8:00 lucky beans which are thrown by priests, monks or famous figures who shout "Fuku-wa-uchi, Oni-wa-soto!" (Fortune 8:00pm ⇒ 20:00 in, Devils out!) to drive away imaginary devils. Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Ice Festival. Many ice sculptures exhibited on the shore are lit up. Chitose- Some more events are scheduled during the festival period. From Shin-Chitose Shikotsuko Hyoto http://hyouto Hokkaido Hokkaido Chitose Lake Shikotsu Airport, take bus to 新千歳空港よりバスで55分 1/29 ～ 2/21 Matsuri Schedule & Key events: u- 北海道 北海道 千歳市 支笏湖 Shikotsuko Bus Stop (55 支笏湖下車 千歳・支笏湖 ●daily special.asia/ min.) 氷濤まつり 16:30-22:00 Ice sculptures lighting up ●Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays 18:30-18:50 Fireworks display ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 1/13 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Snow Festival. The festival, the biggest in scale of this kind, started in 1950, and has become one of the most popular events in winter for now. Approximately 200 snow creations and ice sculptures are exhibited at three sites, mainly at Odori site with enormous snow JR Chitose Line to Odori Site, creations and many attractions, at Susukino site with fantastic ice Sapporo Sta. From JR千歳線札幌駅より地下 Susukino Site, 67th Sapporo there, take Namboku 鉄南北線で http://www.s sculptures, and at Tsu-dome site with the huge playground where Hokkaido Hokkaido Sapporo Tsu-dome Site Yuki Matsuri Subway Line to (1) 大通会場： nowfes.com/ 2/5 ～ 2/11 children and adults can play in snow. The festival at Tsu-dome site 北海道 北海道 札幌市 大通会場、 第67回 (1) Odori Site： 大通下車 english/index will be held until 2/18. すすきの会場、 さっぽろ雪まつり Odori Sta. (2) すすきの会場： .html つどーむ会場 (2) Susukino Site： すすきの下車 Schedule & Key events: Susukino Sta. ●daily 16:30-22:00 Ice sculptures lighting up at Odori site 16:30-23:00 (-22:00 on 2/11) Ice sculptures lighting up at Susukino site Summary: Winter Festival. Many snow creations and ice statues are exhibited at Asahibashi-kahan site (on the riversides of Ishikari River), and on http://www.c Asahibashi-Kahan, ity.asahikawa Heiwa-dori Street where about 50 ice sculptures are to be judged in JR Hakodate Honsen Heiwa-dori Street Asahikawa .hokkaido.jp/ Hokkaido Hokkaido Asahikawa competition. Many attractive events such as a long sliding way are Line to Asahikawa Sta., JR函館本線旭川駅よりシャ 2/6 ～ 2/11 and others Fuyu Matsuri files/kankou/ 北海道 北海道 旭川市 scheduled during the festival period. and then take shuttle トルバス 旭橋河畔、 旭川冬まつり awf/leaflet/p bus 平和通りほか df/leaflet_en. Schedule & Key events: pdf ●daily 19:00-19:15 Light and sound show ●2/6,7&11 19:00-19:15 Fireworks display Summary: Drift Ice Festival features thousands of ice floe covering over the sea, JR Sekihoku Honsen and about 40 snow sculptures and ice carvings on exhibition. Many Line to Abashiri Sta. http://abashi Abashiri-Okhotsk events such as a popular song-show, games and performances are From there, take bus to JR石北本線網走駅よりバス ri.jp/tabinavi/ Hokkaido Hokkaido Abashiri Abashiri Port Ryuhyo Matsuri 2/11 ～ 2/14 scheduled during the festival period. "Michi-no-eki Ryuhyo で10分”道の駅流氷街道 18ryuhyomat 北海道 北海道 網走市 網走商港埠頭 あばしりオホーツク Kaido Abashiri Saihyo- 網走砕氷船のりば”下車 suri/index.ht 流氷まつり Schedule & Key events: sen Noriba" Bus Stop ml ●2/11,12&13 17:00-19:00 Snow sculptures and ice carvings (10 min.) lighting up ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 2/13 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL JR Yamagata Shinkansen Line to along Zao Ropeway Summary: Yamagata Sta., and Sancho Line, Festival features the lighting up of Juhyo , known as "Ice Monster", JR山形新幹線山形駅より then take bus to Zao http://zaorop around Jizo Sancho Zao Juhyo trees covered with frost. バスで45分蔵王温泉下 Tohoku Yamagata Yamagata Onsen Bus Stop (45 eway.co.jp/z 12/26 ～ 2/28 Sta. Light-up 車、徒歩15分の蔵王山麓 東北 山形県 山形市 min.) From there, walk ao/winter/lig 蔵王ロープウェイ山頂線 蔵王樹氷ライトアップ Schedule & Key events: 駅よりロープウェイで17分地 to Zao Sanroku Sta. (15 htup.html 沿線および地蔵山頂駅 蔵山頂駅下車 17:00-21:00 Juhyo lighting up min.), and then take 周辺 ropeway to Jizo Sancho Sta. (17 min.) Summary: Snow Festival. Exhibition of ice sculptures is canceled this year, due to JR Tohoku Shinkansen Shizukuishi- Iwate lack of snow, but some stage events such as local performing arts are Line to Morioka Sta. JR東北新幹線盛岡駅より http://www.i Tohoku Iwate Koiwai Farm 1/30 ～ 2/7 cho Yuki Matsuri scheduled mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. 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 雫石町 岩手雪まつり Koiwai Nojo Makibaen ば園下車 suri.com/ Schedule & Key events: Bus Stop (30 min.) ●daily 18:30- Fireworks display Summary: Tug of war, featuring a giant straw-rope (80 centimeters in diameter and over 200 meters long). The festival with a 500-year history is http://www.c Kariwano-no held to pray for a rich harvest of this year, and is designated as one JR Ou Honsen Line to ity.daisen.aki Tohoku Akita Daisen Omachi-dori Street JR奥羽本線刈和野駅より 2/10 Otsuna-hiki of the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. Kariwano Sta., and then ta.jp/docs/20 東北 秋田県 大仙市 刈和野大町通り 徒歩5分 刈和野の大綱引き walk 5 min. 1311080031 Schedule & Key events: 4/ 19:00- Townspeople lay out a straw-rope for a fight 21:00- Tug of war is held on Omachi-dori Street ©2016 Japan National Tourism Organization 3/13 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Water Pouring Festival for a prevention of fire with a 350-year JR Tohoku Shinkansen history. Festival features a parade of floats, Taiko drumming, local Line to Ichinoseki Sta. performing arts and firefighters. From there, take JR Daito Ohara JR東北新幹線一ノ関駅より http://www.c Ohara Hachiman- Ofunato Line to Daito-cho, Mizu-kake JR大船渡線で摺沢駅下 ity.ichinoseki. Tohoku Iwate jinja Shrine and Schedule & Key events: Surisawa Sta., and then 2/11 Ichinoseki Matsuri 車、バス上大原又は大東バ iwate.jp/inde 東北 岩手県 others 10:10- Local people make a new giant Shimenawa (sacred straw take bus (for Kami- 一関市大東町 大東大原 スセンター行で20分下町又 x.cfm/7,7181 大原八幡神社ほか Ohara or Daito Bus 水かけまつり festoon) fixed to Ohara Hachiman-jinja Shrine は大東バスセンター下車 4,91,6,html 12:40- Floats parade through the town Center) to Shimomachi 14:35- Ritual play is held at the shrine or Daito Bus Center Bus 15:00-15:50 About 300 half-naked men rush on the streets in the Stop (20 min.) town, while townspeople dash cold water over them Summary: JR Ou Honsen Line to http://www. Snow Lantern Festival. About 150 snow lanterns and about 300 Mini- Hirosaki Sta. From JR奥羽本線弘前駅より徒 hirosaki- Hirosaki-jo Kamakura (miniature huts made of snow) are lit up, which creates there, walk 20-30 min. 歩20～30分又は弘前市 Tohoku Aomori Hirosaki Hirosaki Park kanko.or.jp/ 2/11 ～ 2/14 Yukidoro Matsuri fantastic atmosphere in Hirosaki Park during the festival period. or take Konan 100 yen 内循環100円バス【弘南バ 東北 青森県 弘前市 弘前公園 web/edit.htm 弘前城雪燈籠まつり bus to Shiyakushomae ス】で15分市役所前下車、 l?id=cat02_w Bus Stop (15 min.), and 徒歩4分 Schedule & Key events: inter_yuki ●daily 16:30-21:00 Mini-Kamakura lighting up then walk 4 min. Summary: Dozens of Bonden (sacred bamboo baskets decorated with colorful cloth and streamers, 30kg in weight and 5 meters in length each) are Hanadate, http://www.i (1) Omono River in Omono River, carried by villagers who vie with each other to be the first in zu.or.jp/bond Hanadate： Izusan-jinja Shrine, dedicating Bonden to the shrines. en.html JR Akita Shinkansen (1) 雄物川会場 (花館)： Yokote City Hall, http://www. Daisen Line to Omagari Sta., JR秋田新幹線大曲駅よりタ Asahiokayama-jinja Schedule & Key events: yokotekamak Tohoku 2/11, Akita 大仙市、 Bonden and then take taxi (5 クシーで5分 & 2/17 Shrine and others ●2/11 9:30-11:30 Boats transfer Bonden from Hanadate Pier to ura.com/01_ 東北 2/16 秋田県 Yokote ぼんでん min.) (2) 横手市役所： 花館地区、 the other side of Omono River, and then people carry all these event/04_wi 横手市 (2) Yokote City Hall： JR奥羽本線横手駅より徒 雄物川、 nter/kamakur Bonden up to Izusan-jinja Shrine on the mountain JR Ou Honsen Line to 歩10分 伊豆山神社、 a_kaisai_h28 ●2/16 9:30-13:00 Bonden Workmanship Contest is held at the Yokote Sta., and then 横手市役所、 .html#kamak festival site near Yokote City Hall walk 10 min.