The traditional festivals are very important events for the Japanese, and they are a good opportunity to get together with family and friends. Traditional Japanese festivals are of all sizes, from big ones with huge crowds to smaller and modest ones only with the neighbours. Some games played at New Year's are karuta (a card game), hanetsuki (similar to badminton), tako age (kiteflying), and komamawashi (spinning tops). Fundoshi at Festivals. Some of these traditions were borrowed from other cultures, but Japanese people made these holidays distinctly Japanese. Location: Koza Sports Park, 2-1-1 Moromizato, Okinawa 904-0032, Japan. Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival held in Hirosaki Koen Hirosaki-city, Aomori prefecture. This is a celebration for everyone who turns 20 during that Calendar year, since turning 20 signifies becoming an adult in Japan. No Japanese cultural experience is complete without a visit to one of the following matsuri! According to the legend, they are allowed to cross the Milky Way and see each other once a year on Tanabata. This festival started because of the belief that children of certain ages were especially prone to bad luck and hence in need of divine protection. This right was founded on the fact that the governor of Owari Province (presently Aichi Prefecture) visited the Owari kunitama Shrine (Konomiya shrine) to drive away evil spirits and calamities, because Emperor Shotoku ordered all the kokubun-ji* to offer invocations to dispel plagues. Traditional Festivals of Japan -Tanabata - The Star Festival Every year on 7th July, Tanabata (Star Festival) is celebrated. During this event, you'll see women in traditional clothing and hairstyles parade through the Gion District in Japan after showing off their outfits from different eras in a ceremony at the Yasui Konpira Shrine in Kyoto. One must purchase tickets for this event (Bernard, 2007). An hanami party usually involves sitting (in a park) beneath the sakura eating bento (packed takeout meal for one) or dango (sweet dumpling) while enjoying sake with friends or family. Kyo no Tanabata Festival (Kyoto, August) 5. terns are hung for yozakura. To help move it along, a team of up to 200 pull ropes from the front while pushing the wheels from behind with a stick, carefully matching their power and showing off their strength and dexterity. 2 nd Monday of January- Coming of Age Day, Japan. Tobata Gion) that are mostly unknown outside a given prefecture. On festival days, shop owners set up food stalls known as "yatai," and outdoor stands on the road, at parks, or paths approaching shrines.Festivals have a great variety of treats and sweets, and are one great way to enjoy Japanese street food at a . However, many traditional events of the Japanese New Year are still celebrated on the first day of the year on the modern Tenpo calendar, the last official lunisolar calendar which was used until 1872 in Japan. Several concerts and other events are also held. When you learn Japanese history, you will learn about many other traditions and celebrations. Despite excellent hospitality and customer service, it is not common to tip in Japan. Venue: Yasukuni Shrine (3-1-1 Kudankita, Chiyoda . This festival is held early-mid April. If youre looking for an excuse to wear a kimono or yukata, you wont find a better occasion! Some are sponsored by local shrines to celebrate the shrine's deity or historical events, some may even have roots from China centuries ago. Awa Odori, Japans largest dance festival. The Bon Odori Japanese dance is performed at summer festivals in every city. It is also a custom to eat toshikoshi soba in the hope that one's family fortunes will extend like the long noodles. In some areas the peach blossom, the traditional flower of Japan (the Cherry being a symbol from the Edo period symbolizing the Samurai culture), is viewed as well though these flowers earlier than the Cherry. Within this tradition, the annual summertime Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka is the most famous, with the climax of over 5,000 fireworks and convoy of approximately 100 boats, many bearing bonfires, transforming Osaka into another world. On the island of Okinawa, decorative electric lanterns illuminate the streets and parks, with trees ascending Mt. Is considered for certain individuals as one of the greatest and most stunning celebrations in Tokyo, with north of 2 million guests . Japan is full of charm in each region and all four seasons. The Spring Festival also called the "Sanno Matsuri" centers on Hie Shrine and is to pray for a good harvest. At some temples, on the other hand, you may be invited inside to hear the priests recite a mantra that cleanses you of your sin and desires, giving you a fresh start for the year. You can start planning for your 2022/2023 trip today by deciding which of Japan's top 14 festivals and celebrations you are most interested in . February in Japan is the end of winter and typically one of the coldest months. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Being the oldest traditional music in Japan, Gagaku came from either Japanese pure music or neighboring nations of Japan. You can also enjoy browsing the stalls at Tori no Ichi in Yokohama or immerse yourself in the otherworldly atmosphere at the Nagasaki Lantern Festival. The three main forms of traditional theatre are kabuki, noh, and bunraku. Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival, is an important Japan-wide seasonal celebration taking place on July 7 and lasting until mid-August (depending on the area and region). traditional norwegian fabric. Japanese Gardens were first cultivated during the Asuka period. If you want to give feedback on any of our articles,you have an idea that you'd really like to see come to life, or you just have a question on Japan, hit us up on ourFacebook,Twitter, orInstagram! Japan celebrates the entire season of the cherry blossoms. The danjiri here weigh about 4 tons and are generally made from the wood of the Japanese keyaki tree and adorned with intricate carvings by the towns most skilled carpenters. The festival lights up the night with clashes between the villagers and men at ages considered unlucky in Japan, 25 and 42. . Occurring for several days during mid-August, the Awa Odori boasts over 400 years of profound history and is counted amongst Japans Three Great Bon Odori festivals, which are all large-scale traditional dances occurring during the summertime holiday of Obon. Youll see men wearinghappi(Japanese straight-sleeved coats) and performing impressive dances, accompanied with thekanebell,shinobueflute,shamisenlute, andtaikodrum. The highlights of this event are the vibrant warrior-shaped lantern floats (nebuta). Hotels.com compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs. Many are made to be huge and extravagant, with the thick meter-long streamers hung on huge sticks of bamboo being the most eye-catching. While most homes in Japan are now made with bathtubs, public bathhouses are still found in many Japanese neighborhoods. In our guide to Japan's festivals below, we provide an introduction to what we consider some of the best and most interesting Japanese festivals, including: Kyoto's Gion Matsuri Osaka's Tenjin Matsuri Aomori's Nebuta Matsuri The Awa Odori festival in Tokushima And many more! Much of the Japanese language originated in China, including the characters. . Hanami at night is called yozakura, night sakura. Gozan no Okuribi is a traditional Buddhist event that sends off the spirits of the deceased that had returned during Bon Festival. The reason they are rung 108 times is because of the Buddhist belief that human beings are plagued by 108 earthly desires or passions (bonn). Illumination Fire Festival Art Festival Snow Festival Sports Competitions Trade Show Top Recommendations Chichibu Night Festival Gion Matsuri Miyako Odori Dance Performances Morioka Autumn Festival Aomori Nebuta Festival Karatsu Kunchi Festival Kumano Fireworks Festival At this time of year, around 800.. Ibaraki 1,200. (n.d.). This is to announce the passing of the old year and the coming of the new. In many places such as Osaka, paper lan People of all ages get in on the action and dance in the streets along with the performers. Moonlight Rose Garden. Takayama festivals join Kyoto's Gion Festival, and Saitama's Chichibu Night Festival as three most deserved festivals for the status of government designated intangible folklore cultural asset in all of Japan. Japan Matsuri - One of the best things that you can do for yourself whilst traveling through Japan is organise to attend a Japanese festival - a matsuri. . Other Names: Flower Festival Just like pools, youre expected to shower before getting into the springs so that the water remains clean and clear. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bowing is a way to show respect. These are a few of the nationally-celebrated Japanese festivals. There are festivals in nearly every region of Japan, and some locations, food is available or a park may be decorated with lanterns. These floats are constructed of wooden bases and metal frames. They also decorate their entrances with kagami mochi (two mochi rice balls placed one on top of the other, with a tangerine on top), and kadomatsu (pine tree decorations). This Japanese festivalcelebrates the formation of the nation. Festivals are often based around one event, with food stalls, entertainment, and carnival games to keep people entertained. Japan Weeks: Bernard, S. (July 11, 2007). Jaga Bata A grilled potato with butter. Aomori Nebuta Festival is one of the most famous summer festivals in Tohoku. This is one of . People try to stay awake and eat toshikoshi soba, noodles to be eaten at midnight. After all, what brings a community together better than food? Since many homes did not have bathtubs, neighborhood public bath houses were built to accommodate the Japanese people. Public bathing allowspeople to relax and socializeat the end of the day or week. The origin of them are varied like to refresh after agriculture, to console the spirits of tbe dead, and to pray for a good crop. Highlights include the large lantern ornaments, which are shaped like dragons, serpent, giraffes and characters from theJourney to the WestorRecords of the Three Kingdom. The festival is also enhanced by stunning illuminations, projection mapping, ice skating, food stalls, snow slides, and more, providing entertainment well worth braving the cold for! You can enrich your Japanese-learning experience by also learning about Japanese history and culture. Retrieved August 6, 2009, from MisawaJapan.com: Mishima, S. (n.d.). Awa Odori features groups of choreographed dancers known as ren. There are lots of different ren of varying sizes, including amatuer ren made up of locals, highly trained professional ren, and renof schoolchildren or employees from a company. Ranked as one of Japans top three festivals, the Tenjin Festival in Osaka is celebrated for its dual land and river processions topped off by a breathtaking fireworks display. Coincidentally, the day Tokugawa officially unified the whole of Japan was also the shrines festival day, naturally leading Tokugawa to believe the shrine held immense power. Matsuri () is the Japanese word for festival or holiday. In Japanese, the festival is known as Dosojin Matsuri, in honor of the . Japan is a country thats rich inhistory and traditions. It's considered one of the biggest festivals in Japan. While much of Japan now celebrates Tanabata on July 7, the city of Sendai, the home of Japans leading Tanabata festival, hosts it a month laterin line with Japans old lunisolar calendar from August 6-8. Sapporo snow festival Credit: Japan Railpass The Sapporo snow festival is located in Hokkaido. The celebration takes place both inside the home and at the seashore. 11. Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. There are countless Japanese cultural festivals. In some places flower viewing parties are held on traditionally fixed dates. Fuku wa uchi! or Go away demon! The goal is to "fish" the balloon . Spending a whole day watching shows is a common way for Japanese people to relax. Awa Odori is also noted for its distinctive duple time music, which is produced by a band called a narimono with a number of instruments including bells, flutes, shamisen, and taiko drums. The tradition of bathing the Buddha originated in China and was introduced to Japan where it was first held in Nara in 606. The puppets used for bunraku are unique pieces of art. To be polite and have proper etiquette, remove your shoes before you enter someones house. One of northern Tohokus stand-out events, the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri is centered around huge, dramatic nebuta paper lantern floats designed in the shapes of deities, mythical creatures, kabuki actors, and more. Yatai floats illuminated by 100 lanterns move through Gifu's pitch-black streets, which are lined with buildings from the Edo period. Matsuri festivals can celebrate anything, from local deities to abundant harvests, good fortune, delicious sake, and self-fulfillment. These begin on December 13, when the house was given a thorough cleaning; the date is usually nearer the end of the month now. Details on site. Location: Area around JR Aomori Station, Yanakawa, Aomori, 038-0012, Japan. Tori no Ichi is an annual event held at Kotohira Otori Shrine, marking the beginning of winter in Yokohama. Themae-teko(front lever) on the left and right need to have a lot of skill, and theushiro-teko(rear lever) is in charge of steering. 1. In Japan, families have a big traditional breakfast on New Year's Day and usually wake up early anyway. The festival ends with a laser show and fireworks. While there is no definitive data detailing exactly how many matsuri occur in Japan every year, estimates suggest that it could be as many as 300,000! Matsuri are especially popular in summer (almost every . The ponds in Japanese gardens are usually filled by koi fish, streams, trees, and flowers. Kyoto Jidai Matsuri October 22 Japanese festivals are powerful, energetic, exciting and full of local traditions and customs making them one of the best ways to . Brazil hosts the largest nikkei population in the world and some Brazilian cities host matsuri such as So Paulo[2] and Curitiba. The Japanese bow when they greet each other. Yukata is a traditional summer dress worn by Japanese people when they participate in festivals in summer. 2008 Ministry of Land, I. T. (n.d.). 17. Retrieved August 9, 2009, from About.com: This page was last edited on 31 October 2022, at 12:22. In Japanese, " hana " means flower and " mi " means to watch or look at. Kids like it. During the festival, the streets are taken over by beautifully costumed dancers, many bearing the festivals iconic wooden "shamoji spoon, alongside gorgeously decorated hana jidosha floats. In Yokohama Chinatown, Japan's biggest Chinatown, tourists from all over Japan come to enjoy the festival, similar to Nagasaki's Lantern Festival[1] based in Nagasaki Chinatown. It is said that the form of the festival, a struggle to touch the Naoinin or Shin-otoko (man of god), is reminiscent of the struggle in old times between the assemblage of lower-ranking Shinto priests called shanin and contributors tried to catch and set up a man for naoinin (shin-otoko), an unlucky poor man, who was unwilling to take the role. Osechi foods are traditional foods which are chosen for their lucky colors, shapes, or lucky-sounding names in hopes of obtaining good luck in various areas of life during the new year. Japan hosts more than 200,000 local festivals throughout the year. After that, the Japan Day Festival brings to the metropolis several Japanese activities such as calligraphy, kabuki face painting and even a photo booth. This festival has a feature of illuminating the cherry blossom trees at night. Unlike pools, however, bathers are not allowed to bring anything into the water, including clothes. Filled with dancing, music, costumes, food, and more, each matsuri festival boasts its own fascinating history and unique charm. 10 of the Most Famous Festivals (Matsuri) in Japan. Some locations of cherry blossom festivals include: Following the Japanese diaspora, many places around the world celebrate similar festivals, often called matsuri. The main events of Koshgatsu are rites and practices praying for a bountiful harvest. The festival was originally based on the Chinese Qixi Festival and celebrates the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, star-crossed lovers represented by the stars Vega and Altair who are separated by the Milky Way. Hotels.com and the Hotels.com logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hotels.com, LP in the United States and/ or other countries. Another long-standing tradition, Nakizumo Festivals have taken place in Japan for around 400 years. During this time, over 200 mikoshi accompanied by roughly a thousand participants and thousands of spectators dominate the streets. The Takayama Spring Festival is one of the Three Most Beautiful Festivals of Japan and dates back to the 17th Century. You can also check outkarakuri(mechanized puppet) performances. Dating all the way back to the Heinen period (794-1185) - the Tsukimi moon festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month, and 13th day of the 9th month of the traditional Japanese calendar. Some main things people do during this event are games, folk songs, folk dance, flower displays, rides, parades, concerts, kimono shows, booths with food and other things, beauty pageant, and religious ceremonies. Danny Choo, (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), via flickr. Required fields are marked *. With over two million people mobilized for the event, it remains one of Japans largest celebrations and a part of Tohokus Three Great Festivals. This festival is held late April-early May (Mishima, Cherry Blossom Festivals 2010). The floats are also referred to as moving Yomeimon gates. Karumeyaki Grilled caramel it's basically pure sugar. Many Chinese residents in Japan, as well as more traditional shrines and temples, still celebrate the Lunar New Year in parallel with the Western New Year. If you want to see the yamakasa float races, check out Oiyamanarashi on the 12th, Shudan-yamamise on the 13th, and Oiyama on the 15th. If you want to see all 5, the rooftops or upper floors of hotels around Kyoto Station are your best bet. It takes a team of 300 people and around 3 months to build a float. 11. Being one of Japans cultural heartlands, Kyoto is also host to a number of other matsuri festivals throughout the year, including the iconic burning kanji characters of the Gozan no Okuribi festival. In Japan, Buddhist people celebrate Hana Matsuri or the Birth of Buddha every April. A cheerful chant of Sorya, sorya! echoes throughout the city. Most matsuri festivals run annually or semi-annually by a shrine and can last anywhere between a single day to an entire month. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We match you with expert teachers in over 300 subjects so that you can learn something new through 100% Karaage Japanese style fried chicken (often on a stick). The surrounding streetsas and Yokohamabashi Shopping District are lined with hundreds of stalls selling lucky bamboo rakes (engi kumade) that are colourfully decorated with the Seven Lucky Gods, straw rice bags, sea bream, and small gold coins. - Hina matsuri (Girl's day) 3 March - Kodomo no hi (Children's day) 5 May - Obon (Spirit festival) 13 to 16 August - Otsukimi (Moon viewing festival) September and October - Seijin no hi (Coming of Age day) 15 January - Setsubun (Bean throwing festival) 3 February - Shichi go san (Happiness and health day) 15th November The tradition began during the Tang dynasty (between 618 and 907 in China). Young girls put on their best kimono and visit their friends' homes. Location: JR Kenji Station: 4-chome Koenjiminami, Suginami Ward, Tokyo, Japan, photo by awaodori (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified. Nagasaki Lantern Festival The festival calendar start with biggest lantern festival in Japan, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival () that takes place every year in Nagasaki City. Many of Japans largest festivals are actually part of national holidays. Both parts are meant to ward off evil spirits from girls. While most of these festivals see small lanterns gently gliding down rivers, those in Aomori have evolved into massive sculpture-like nebuta lanterns reaching up to 5 meters tall and 9 meters wide. Their light is intended to guide the way for deceased family members' spirits. These games are played to bring more luck for the year. Locals will dress up in kimono or yukata to watch the parade while relishing festival treats, including chocolate bananas, karaage fried chicken, okonomiyaki pancakes, yakisoba noodles, and more. Exchanging New Year's greeting cards (similar to Christmas Cards) is another important Japanese custom. Apart from the costumes and music, one of the biggest icons of many matsuri is the mikoshi, a portable shrine said to hold a deity passionately carried around the neighborhood. Occurring during the Lunar New Year, the festival attracts over 1 million visitors to Nagasaki Citys Chinatown and nearby locations to witness the lanterns alongside fireworks, traditional dances, theatre performances, and more. Takato Joshi Koen Cherry Blossom Festival in Takato-machi Ina-city, Nagano prefecture. On New Years day, people greet each other by saying akemashite-omedetou-gozaimasu (happy new year). Matsuri Game: Water Balloon Yoyo () Small water balloons are filled with both air and water, giving them enough bouncy power. Information: Three- and seven-year-old girls and five-year-old boys are taken to the local shrine to pray for their safe and healthy future. Some are based around temples or shrines, others hanabi (fireworks), and still others around contests where the participants sport loin cloths (see: Hadaka Matsuri). The year in Japan is characterized by the passing of the four seasons, but every month features its own traditional festivals and other customssome ancient and some with more recent origins .
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