Calendar of Japanese festivals (matsuri) Held annually on the second Sunday in October A 700 year old tradition in which participants help each other to drink from an oversized tea cup.
Kokkeisetsu This festival celebrates Chinese National Foundation Day with traditional dancing, fireworks and a giant cake that is served to approximately 300 people. 4-6 October Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival Seven large boats with hundreds of paper lanterns parade through the town accompanied by traditional music. 7-9 October Suwa Shrine, A lively festival featuring parades of colorful floats and dancing. This festival attracts over 350,000 visitors annually and has a strong Chinese influence. 8 October Warai Festival Niu Shrine, Features a laughing festival whereby participants laugh in sync with the jangle of small bells and the leader’s command. There are also displays of various traditional dances and music.
Sawara Festival Sawara, Huge 4m dolls are paraded through the city. The dolls are said to represent prominent figures from 10 October The highlight of this festival is the giant tug-of-war, with a rope that weighs approximately 27tons and measures 1.5m in diameter. There are also other entertainments such as traditional dance and music.
Ana-hachimangu Yabusame Ana-hachimangu Shrine, This festival features demonstrations of Japanese horseback archery.
Dai This festival features parades and various street vendors. 13 October Midosuji Parade This parade features music, dance and costumes, all with an international influence. 14-15 October Nada Fighting Festival Many believe that rough fighting festivals please the gods, and this festival likes to please! This festival Features various battles and hand-to-hand combat with young men wearing loincloths and carrying portable shrines scurrying to reach the bell in the courtyard of Matsubara Shrine. The first to ring the bell is blessed with good fortune by the priests. 14-19 October Doburoku Festival Shirakawago, A harvest festival where visitors are treated to the local doboroku, a sweet white home-brewed sake. Mid-October This is 16-17 October Sennin Musha Gyoretsu (Procession of a thousand warriors) This festival is a reenactment in full period dress of the 1617 procession that carried the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu to 16-18 October Niihama Drum Festival Niihama, Ehime 30 teams consisting of 150 members compete in this drumming competition. Decorated portable stages carrying taiko drumming teams are carried by remaining team members. Mid-October Shimabara Hot-Springs Festival Shimabara, This festival honors the health-giving hot-springs of 17-18 October Doburoku Festival Shiharige Shrine, Ota, This is a festival of sake drinking. Very few shrines in 19 October Yabusame Festival Koyama, Horse-back archery is performed by young boys during this festival. Other highlights include a procession of men in full samurai armor, people with dragon costumes and an archery competition. Third weekend in October This festival is held in honor of the Edo Period (1603-1867), with traditionally decorated floats that parade around the city before joining the hikkawase ceremony where they forcefully crash into each other. 22 October Jidai Festival Heian Jingu Shrine, This festival features a parade of over 1,700 participants that represent significant figures from Japanese history. The parade lasts five hours and is one of the most spectacular parades of 22-24 October Ton-Ten-Ton Festival The highlight of this fighting festival is watching the teams of bearers ram their mikoshi into each other as fast as they can until one if forced to the ground. The event finishes with the last two standing bearers racing across the river. 23-25 October Ueno Tenjin Festival Sugawara Shrine, This festival features a parade of dancers and floats led by 100 people dressed as demons. Late October Nine mikoshi and 12 floats accompany a large happi-wearing procession from |
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