Calendar of Events May 2015 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. ©2015 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 Tango-no-sekku 端午の節句 Glossary： Tango-no-sekku, Boy's Festival held on May 5. Families with Buddhist saint who is seeking a Bosatsu boys display dolls that depict warriors or heroes, and fly carp state of spiritual enlightenment Special Remarks: streamers to express their hopes that the boys will advance in Bugaku Ancient court dance with music Dates and Times are shown as follows which is common in Japan. life, like strong carps that swim upstream. May 5 has been Kyogen Traditional comic drama Dates : M/D April 3 ⇒ 4/3 changed to become a national holiday called Children's Day to Matsuri Festival, Event celebrate the growth of children regardless of boys or girls. Mikoshi Portable shrine Time : 24 hours system 8:00am ⇒ 8:00 Noh Traditional masked drama 8:00pm ⇒ 20:00 Yamahoko/Yama Float Ukai 鵜飼 Cormorant fishing, an ancient method of catching Ayu (sweetfish or trout-like fish), handling trained cormorants. (This takes place at night under the blazing torches fastened to the prows of fishing boats from May until October. ) Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Cherry Blossom Festival with about 2,600 cherry trees on the JR Ou Honsen Line to Hirosaki Sta. From there, Hirosaki Park, ground of Hirosaki Castle and along the castle's moat in Hirosaki JR奥羽本線弘前駅より徒歩 walk 20-30 min. or take http://www.hi Tohoku Aomori Hirosaki Hirosaki Castle Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri Park. The festival period is subject to change depending on 20～30分又は弘前市内循環 4/23 ～ 5/6 Konan 100 yen bus to rosakipark.jp/ 東北 青森県 弘前市 ground 弘前さくらまつり blossoming. 100円バス【弘南バス】で15分 Shiyakushomae Bus Stop 78.html 弘前公園、弘前城跡 市役所前下車、徒歩4分 (15 min.), and then walk Schedule & Key events: 4 min. ●daily 18:30-22:00 Cherry blossoms light up Summary: Festival in commemoration of the famous warlord "Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578)". Uesugi-jinja Shrine, Schedule & Key events: Yamaga Yoneza Yonezawa Uesugi JR Yamagata Shinkansen http://uesugi. Tohoku Matsukawa River ●5/3 JR山形新幹線米沢駅より徒 4/29 ～ 5/3 ta wa Matsuri Line to Yonezawa Sta., yonezawa- 東北 and others 9:30- Parade of Mikoshi of Uesugi-jinja Shrine and floats, 歩10分 山形県 米沢市 米沢上杉まつり and then walk 10 min. matsuri.jp/ 上杉神社、 through the city's main street 松川河畔ほか 10:20- Uesugi Gundan Gyoretsu (about 1,000 Samurai warriors), through the city's main street 14:00- Kawanaka-jima Gassen (sham battle) at Matsukawa riverside 1/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Festival features procession of people playing the roles of historical figures and warriors and En'nen-no-mai (Shinto dance with music to pray for longevity and a good harvest of the year), designated as one of the National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties. JR Tohoku Honsen Line to Chuson-ji Templ, Hiraizumi Sta., and then http://hiraizu Hiraizu Schedule & Key events: JR東北本線平泉駅より Tohoku Iwate Motsu-ji Temple Fujiwara Matsuri (1) Chuson-ji Temple: mi.or.jp/event 5/1 ～ 5/5 mi-cho ●5/3 (1) 中尊寺:徒歩25分 東北 岩手県 中尊寺、 藤原まつり walk 25 min. /haru_fujiwara 平泉町 10:00- Procession from Chuson-ji Temple to Motsu-ji Temple (2) 毛越寺:徒歩7分 毛越寺 (2) Motsu-ji Temple: /index.html 13:30- Procession from Motsu-ji Temple to Konjikido in the walk 7 min. precincts of Chuson-ji Temple ●5/4 12:00- Noh performance at Hakusan-jinja Shrine in the precincts of Chuson-ji Temple ●5/5 11:00- En'nen-no-mai at Motsu-ji Temple Summary: Festival features a parade of Mikoshi , children in fancy attire and warriors followed by 11 Yamahoko and townspeople dancing Suzume Odori (local Japanese dance). Simin Hiroba, Schedule & Key events: Aoba-jinja Shrine JR Tohoku Shinkansen http://aoba- Tohoku Miyagi Sendai Sendai Aoba Matsuri ●5/16 JR東北新幹線仙台駅より徒 5/16 ～ 5/17 and others Line to Sendai Sta., and matsuri.com/i 東北 宮城県 仙台市 仙台青葉祭り 10:00-20:15 Suzume Odori in Simin Hiroba (civic open space), 歩10分 市民広場、 then walk 10 min. ndex.html 青葉神社ほか Motokajicho Park and other sites in the city ●5/17 9:20- Parade of Mikoshi leaves from Aoba-jinja Shrine to join Jidai-emaki Junko procession 11:20-16:30 Parade of Mikoshi, Yamahoko and Suzume Odori on Ichibancho Street, Higashi-Nibancho Street and Jozenji Street Summary: Festival with over a 400-year history. The highlight of this festival is a parade of Mikoshi and gorgeous 50 floats which include the eight floats of four pairs of big Shishi-gashira (shaped like a huge Sakata City Hall: Yamaga Sakata City Hall lions' head) along the city's main streets. Many more events are 酒田市役所: http://sakata- Tohoku Sakata Sakata Matsuri JR Uetsu Honsen Line to 5/19 ～ 5/21 ta and others scheduled during the period. JR羽越本線酒田駅より徒歩 kankou.com/e 東北 酒田市 酒田祭り Sakata Sta., and then 山形県 酒田市役所ほか 10～15分 vent/80 walk 10-15 min. Schedule & Key events: ●5/20 12:00- Ritual pray near Sakata City Hall 13:00- Parade of Mikoshi and 50 floats 2/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Special event, held with the intention of encouraging Tohoku District's people to cheer up, because the Tohoku District suffered extensive damage from the earthquake and tsunami on the March 11, 2011. Six major festivals from each of six prefectures in Tohoku District will participate in the parade, and related events are held in many sites in the city. Sanno-odori Six major festivals are Aomori Pref : Nebuta Matsuri, Akita Pref : Tohoku Akita Akita Tohoku Rokkon Matsuri JR Akita Shinkansen Line http://www.ro 5/30 ～ 5/31 Street and others Kanto Matsuri, Iwate Pref : Morioka Sansa Odori, Yamagata Pref : JR秋田新幹線秋田駅下車 東北 秋田県 秋田市 東北六魂祭 to Akita Sta. kkon.jp/ 山王大通りほか Hanagasa Matsuri, Miyagi Pref : Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, Fukushima Pref : Waraji Matsuri Schedule & Key events: ●5/30 10:00-20:00 Parade and related events ●5/31 10:00-17:00 Parade and related events Summary: Oribe Hills (Toki One of the biggest Ceramic Fair in Japan. Mino-yaki ceramic has JR Chuo Honsen Line to Mino-yaki Oroshi a 400-year history and more than 300,000 people come and visit Chubu Gifu Toki Toki Mino-yaki Matsuri Toki-shi Sta. From there, JR中央本線土岐市駅より無 http://www.or 5/3 ～ 5/5 Center) this festival every year. 中部 岐阜県 土岐市 土岐美濃焼まつり take free shuttle bus 料シャトルバス (15分おき) ibe-hills.com/ 織部ヒルズ (土岐美 (every 15 min.) 濃焼卸商業団地） Schedule & Key events: ●daily 9:00-17:00 Summary: Kite Battle Festival. Huge kites are flown by groups of citizens, who compete each other by trying to cut the lines of their rivals' Nakatajima Tako- JR Tokaido Shinkansen kites by skillful maneuvering. JR東海道新幹線浜松駅下 http://hamam Shizuok Hamam age Kaijo and Line to Hamamatsu Sta. Chubu Hamamatsu Matsuri 車、アクトシティイベントホール atsu- 5/3 ～ 5/5 a atsu others From in front of Act-City 中部 浜松まつり Schedule & Key events: 前よりシャトルバス (9:00- daisuki.net/ma 静岡県 浜松市 中田島凧揚げ会場ほ Event-Hall, take shuttle 14:00) tsuri か ●5/3&4 10:00-15:00 Kite Battle bus (9:00-14:00) ●5/5 12:00-15:00 Kite Battle ●daily 18:30-21:00 Parade of about 80 floats, through the city's main streets 3/11 Region Dates Pref. City Venue Event Summary Access URL Summary: Cormorant fishing. It will be held every day during the period except on the night of the full moon (9/28 this year) or when the water is excessively muddy. Fee is 3,100 JPY (weekdays) or JR Tokaido Honsen Line to http://www.gi 3,400 JPY (Sat., Sun. and national holidays), without meal. For Chubu Gifu Gifu Nagara River Nagaragawa Ukai Gifu Sta. From there, take JR東海道本線岐阜駅よりバス fucvb.or.jp/sig 5/11 ～ 10/15 reservation, please call 058-262-0104 (Gifu City Ukai Kanransen 中部 岐阜県 岐阜市 長良川 長良川鵜飼 bus to Nagara-bashi Bus で15分長良橋下車 htseeing/ukai. Jimusho), or reserve through major travel agencies, like JTB. Stop (15 min.) php Schedule & Key events: ●daily (except 9/28) 19:15-20:30 (Boarding time: 18:15) Summary: Kurofune Matsuri (Black Ship Festival) started in 1934 is an international event that brings together Japanese and Americans and promotes friendly relations between the two nations. This festival was originally named after the historical event in 1854 when the U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry came to Shimoda by seven Black Ships (Kurofune in Japanese) in order to demand the opening of Japanese ports to the foreign countries. If it rains, From JR Tokyo Sta, take http://www.sh Shizuok Shimod Shimoda Port and fireworks display will be held on the following day.