Spring Festivals in 2019 !

Japan has many festivals (Matsuri) and they are the symbols of the local culture. Please find the exhaustive list of spring festivals including not famous ones for the year 2019:

Festivals in March

12th of March
Nara, Nara prefecture
Omizutori festival

It is one of the oldest Buddhist festival in Japan, and it takes place in the famous temple Todai-ji. The Omizu-tori, it is the ceremony of water which washes away the sins of believers. It is held at the end of the feast days of 2 seeks where you find the immense torches lighting every night.

16th and 17th of March 
Omihachiman, Shiga prefecture
Sagicho festival

It is one of the famous fire festivals in Japan since 15th century. 13 teams (13 districts of the city) make each festival float - in vivid red in most of cases - one month before targeting to be the best float of the festival. At the end of the festival, all those floats are burnt and they dance near the fire.

From 25th of March to 7th of April
Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture
Kita no Odori festival

The festival was founded in 1952 for celebrating the 1050th anniversary of Kitano Tenmangu shrine, which is located close to the geisha destrict. It is the chance to see the traditonal dance performance given by Geisha and Maiko, in many times per day. The festival takes place in 3 principal parts: the stages with many acts, the dancing with themes and the popular serenade Kamishichiken as grand final.

Festivals in April

 

April 4th
Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture
Ose Festival

This festival pays tribute to the deities of the sea. Decolated boats parade to the Ose temple. Men dance at the edges of those boats and play taiko, and many stalls sell local specialties.

April 5th and 6th
Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture
Shingenko Festival

Festival commemorating the death of the famous warlord Takeda Shingen. We can attend a great military parade in period costumes, a kendo competition, demonstrations of taiko drams ...

April 6
Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture
Inuyama Festival

Festival which dates from 1635. It is renowned for its parade of 13 floats of three floors illuminated by lanterns to the sound of traditional music of flutes and drums.

13th and 14th of April
Narita, Chiba prefecture
Naritasan Taiko Festival

This festival is one one the biggest festival of taiko drum festival. The drum players and dancers of traditional music groups gather for this event.
The main event is the most powerful taiko concert in front of Naritasan Shinshoji temple in the end of the day.

14th and 15th of April
Takayama, Gifu prefecture
Takayama Festival

Around 10 floats parade in the old city of Takayama. We can see the Karakuri (mechanical dolls) shows on some floats and also the mikoshi (literally "portable shrine") procession.
 

From 14th to 21st of April
Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture
Kamakura Festival

It is the festival which celebrates the local history. We can see the archery on horseback (called "Yabusame"), local dances, tea celemony in the open air, etc.

19th and 20th of April
Hida, Gifu prefecture
Furukawa Festival

One of the 3 biggest Hadaka Matsuri in Japan (literally said "festival of naked men"). The festival is devided into two major oarts: the men wearing only a loincloth give an amazing demonstration of taiko (drums) and the massive floats (yatai) parades.


Click here to see our excursion of Furukawa Festival!

19th and 20th of April
Ogano, Saitama prefecture
Ogano Spring Festival

A procession of Yatai floats parades on the streets. On the two of those floats, we can see the Kabuki acts played by the inhabitants of Ogano city. This is called as Ogano Kabuki.

Festivals in May


 

3rd of May
Odawara, Kanagawa prefecture
Hojogodai Festival

This festival is in honour of Hojo clan, the family of warriors who had governed the politic during the Kamakura period. We can see a parade of the people wearing the military costume in that period with traditional music and mikoshi (portable shrine) procession.

4th and 5th of May
Johana, Toyama prefecture
Johana Hikiyama Festival

The tradition of this festival started since 300 years ago. Six big flats (called Dashi) with the statues of two gods fully decorated makes a splended procession on the streets in the city.

15th of May
Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture
Aoi Festival

It is one of the most important 3 festivals in Kyoto. It is a spectaclar historical event since 6th century. The festival had been organized in order to pacify the gods after the consecutive natural desasters and for receiving the blessing for the good harvest.

17th and 18th of May
Nara, Nara prefecture
Takigi Ono Festival

The traditional theatre Noh festival exists since the year 860.  The Noh plays sometimes take places during the night with the faint light of the fantasic fire.

18th and 19th of May
Asakusa, Tokyo
Sanja Festival

It is one of the most popular festivals of Tokyo visited by around 2 millions of people. We can see a hundred of mikoshi (portable shrine), with sounds of taiko drums and you can try the local specialities sold in the food-stands.

19th of May
Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture
Mifune Festival

Or "The festival of three boats". It is known for their boats procession takes place on the water with historical costume. The number three is also the reference of 3 art performances during the festival: the Japanese and the Chinese poem, the music and the dance.

25th of May
Yugawara, Kanagawa prefecture
Yukake Festival

The Mikoshi (portable shrine) parade in the city of hot spring, procession and sprinkling hot water when for the ceremony of purification.

Festivals of June


 

1st of June
Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture
Ishikawa Hyakuman Goku Festival

The festival commemorate the feudal lord Maeda Toshiie (14th century). We can see a magnificent parade (the biggest parade of the year in the Ishikawa prefecture), the tea ceremonies, the Noh theatre, the ceremony of fantasic anterns....
 

From 5th to 9th of June
Sapporo, Hokkaido
Yosakoi Soran Festival

Over 200 groups of dancers wearing colourful costume parading on the streets singing the traditional music of Hokkaido. This is one of the biggest festivals of the island.

8th of June
Takizawa, Iwate prefecture
Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival

This prefecture used to be known for the horse breeding. Once a year, for giving thanks to their rides and for honouring them, the inhabitants had organized a festival and this tradition lasted. We can assist at the horse parade with fantasic decoration and listen to the thousands of bells. 

14th of June
Osaka, Osaka prefecture
Otaue Festival

This is the festival of the rice planting. We proceed firstly with purification, then ritual seeds plantation with the songs and traditonal dancing. They light the torches for inseft infestation. 

20th of June
Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture
Takekiri Eshiki Festival

Or "the bumboo cutting festival". It is said that the priest of Kurama temple had beaten a giant snake thanks to the power of Shinto. In his honour, the priests cut a long and thick bamboo substituted for the snake. They proceed also the perrformance of Bugaku dance.