The Top 12 Matsuri of Summer

Japan is the Land of Gods and they are the reason cities and towns pulse with festival excitement. The intense spectacle and traditions of these 12 renowned matsuri draw millions of people each summer.

text by Editorial Staff / map by Yoshifumi Furuhashi

map of Japanese summer festivals

1. Nebuta Matsuri
More than 3.5 million people attend this energetic festival. Legend suggests that nebuta comes from nemuri (sleepy). Blaming the devilish sandman for the drowsiness that plagued them on hot summer days, Aomori citizens originated this event to banish their tormentor. Spectacular Japanese-paper floats, more than 5 meters high, are stunningly illuminated from inside.
Dates: August 2 through 7
Place: Aomori-shi, Aomori
Tel. 017-723-7211 (Aomori Tourist and Convention Center)
www.nebuta.jp/english/index_e.htm (English)

2. Chagu-Chagu Umakko
Once essential for farming, horses were treated as family members and lived under their owners' roofs. To mark the end of the planting season, 100 costumed umakko (young horses) parade 15 kilometers from Takizawa's Soozen Jinja shrine to Morioka's Hachimangu shrine. Prayers solicit a bountiful harvest and the well-being of horses and owners. "Chagu-chagu" is the sound of horses' bells.
Date: Second Saturday of June
Place: Starting from Onikoshi Soozen Jinja, Takizawa Mura, Iwate-gun, Iwate
Tel. 019-684-2111 (Commerce, Industry and Sightseeing Section of Takizawa Village)
www.vill.takizawa.iwate.jp (Japanese)

3. Akita Kanto Matsuri
One of northern Japan's three largest festivals, this one also seeks to expel the sandman. Kanto refers to a dramatic bamboo framework supporting 46 lanterns. Akita locals show off their balancing skills by carrying kanto (more than 12 meters tall) on their palms, forehead, shoulders, or waist. Each town has its own kanto motifs symbolizing longevity and good harvest.
Dates: August 3 through 6 (from 7 PM)
Place: Akita-shi, Akita
Tel. 018-866-2112 (Executive Committee of Akita Kanto Matsuri)
www.kantou.gr.jp (English and Japanese)

4. Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri
Though only 42 years old, this "flower hat" festival is one of summer's four largest in northern Japan. Cheering "Yassho, Makasho" to the rhythm of drums, 10,000 costumed men and women dance in procession behind richly decorated floats as they wave bamboo hats decked with red paper safflowers (the flower of Yamagata).
Dates: August 5 through 7 (from 6 PM to 9:30 PM)
Place: From Tokamachi to Nanokamachi in Yamagata-shi, Yamagata
Tel. 023-642-8753 (Yamagata Hanagasa Festival Committee)
www.mountain-j.com/hanagasa (Japanese)

5. Narita Gion Matsuri
For 300 years elaborate floats, carts, and portable shrines have paraded through Narita for this event. Participants perform folk music and dance on each float. Festival highlight is the sobiki parade on the third day when floats are pulled up the steep slope to the temple's main hall. Visitors who want to help pull may borrow a hanten kimono (free) at Narita Kanko-kan.
Dates: July 9 through 11
Place: Naritasan Shinshoji and throughout Narita-shi, Chiba
Tel. 0476-24-3232 (Narita Tourist Pavilion)
www.nrtk.jp (English, Japanese, French, Chinese, Korean)

6. Sanno Matsuri
This is one of Tokyo's three biggest festivals. In the Edo period (1603-1867) the shogun made an annual appearance because Hie Jinja shrine was built to insure divine protection for his castle. Today a long procession of palanquins, floats, dancers, singers, and musicians parades from Hie Jinja shrine through the central districts; parishioners dress as characters of the Heian period (794-1185).
Dates: June 7 and 10 through 16
Place: Hie Shrine, 2-10-5 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, and other central areas in Tokyo
Tel. 03-3581-2471 (Hie Jinja Office)
www.hiejinja.net (English and Japanese)

7. Gujo Odori
Said to have started 400 years ago when the feudal lord encouraged high and low classes to mingle by dancing together, this festival has grown ever since. The all-night dance during the O-Bon Festival in mid-August is a renowned spectacle with tens of thousands of men and women, young and old, in a huge circle joining in traditional steps.
Dates: July 10 through September 4
Place: Many locales in Hachiman-cho, Gujo-shi, Gifu
Tel. 0575-67-0002 (Gujo Hachiman Travel Agent Association)
www.gujohachiman.com/kanko (Japanese)

8. Mantoro
The climax is the lighting of 3,000 stone lanterns along the entrance path to Kasuga Taisha shrine. For 1,000 years these lanterns have been dedicated by people who prayed to the gods of Kasuga for the well-being of their households, commercial prosperity, and the peace of their ancestors' spirits. Fujiwara Yorimichi dedicated one of the oldest lanterns in 1038.
Dates: August 14 and 15
Place: Kasuga Taisha, 160 Kasugano-cho, Nara-shi, Nara
Tel. 0742-22-7788 (Kasuga Taisha)

9. Tenjin Matsuri
One of Japan's largest and most famous festivals, it began in 951. A parade of thousands in traditional costumes carries exquisite portable shrines from Osaka Temmangu shrine to Tenjin Bridge, then to the water where they board more than 100 ornamented boats and barges to proceed from the Dojima River to the Okawa River. Nightfall brings a fireworks spectacular.
Dates: July 24 and 25
Place: Osaka Temmangu, 2-1-8 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Tel. 06-6353-0025 (Osaka Temmangu shrine)
www.tenjinsan.com (Japanese)

10. Awa Odori
Part of O-Bon rites to welcome ancestral spirits, Awa Odori started more than 400 years ago. This year, more than 100,000 locals and visitors are expected to dance all over the city of Tokushima into the early morning hours accompanied by shamisen, drums, flutes, and bells. One dance group (Niwaka-ren) for walk-in participants will feature simple steps and movements.
Dates: August 12 through 15 (from 6 PM)
Place: Tokushima-shi, Tokushima
Tel. 088-22-4010 (Tourist Association of Tokushima-city)
www.awaodori-kaikan.jp (Japanese)

11. Kangen Sai
This music festival showcases an ancient type of orchestra at Itsukushima Jinja shrine, a World Heritage Site. The instruments, including hand drums and flutes, have been played for 1,500 years. In the festival's climax, embodiments of the Itsukushima deity are taken by boat to two other shrines, where the most treasured pieces of music associated with each shrine are performed.
Date: August 2
Place: Itsukushima Jinja, Miyajima-cho, Saeki-gun, Hiroshima
Tel. 0829-44-2020 (Office of Itsukushima Shrine)

12. Hakata Gion Yamakasa
This event started in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) to drive away the plague. Unique to this festival is the high-speed float race by the men of Hakata, known for their pluck. Teams, called nagare, carry the portable shrines. Many of the floats, called kazari-yamagasa, are decorated with magnificent dolls that illustrate various historical or legendary tales.
Dates: July 1 through 15
Place: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka
Tel. 092-291-2951 (Kushida shrine, Hakata Gion Yamakasa Foundation)
www.city.fukuoka.jp/kankou_e/fes.html

Articles from the 2004 SUMMER issue:

Kateigaho International Edition Issues:

2005 SUMMER - 2005 SPRING - 2005 WINTER

2004 AUTUMN - 2004 SUMMER - 2004 SPRING - 2004 WINTER

2003 AUTUMN - INAUGURAL ISSUE