Japanese Festivals
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This page was created on 5 June, 2007.
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¤ Sapporo Snow Festival |
The year is filled with festivals in Japan. Festivals contain a grand procession. Many feature decorated floats which are pulled through town and accompanied by music and/or energetic dancing. Some of the most famous festivals are described below.
The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of the largest winter events in Japan and attracts over 2 million people to Sapporo every year. Hundreds of snow statues and sculptures line the streets in Susukino and Odori Park. The festival began in 1950 and now attracts many tourists.
The Takayama Matsuri is held twice a year in the spring and autumn. The spring festival is held on April 14-15 and the autumn festival is held on October 9-10. These festivals feature floats which are on display in the afternoon. The festival floats are decorated with complex mechanical dolls that sing and dance.
Sanja Matsuri
The Sanja Matsuri dates back to the Edo Period and attracts almost 1.5 million people every year. The festival takes place over a period of three days. On May 16, there is a grand procession with musicians and dancers parading around downtown Asakusa. The next day, 100 portable shrines undergo the purification ceremony and then are returned to their neighborhoods.
Kyoto Gion Matsuri
This festival takes place in July and is a month long celebration that begins on July 1. Throughout the month there are street fairs abound with Japanese festival food such as Japanese egg battered octopus balls (takoyaki) and grilled corn (tomorokoshi). On the 17th, floats are paraded through downtown Kyoto. This parade is called Yamahoko Junko.
Nebuta Matsuri
This festival goes from August 2 to 7 in the city of Aomori. It features a parade of huge laterns that are shaped like samurai. These lanterns are covered in brightly colored paper-mache and are illuminated in the darkness. They are placed on floats which are paraded around the city in the evening. The lanterns are supposed to wake up sleepy souls in time for the fall harvest season.
Awaodori
Awaodori festivals feature a traditional dance called the awaodori. These festivals take place in August. Colorfully costumed men, women, and children dance in the streets to traditional Japanese drums and bamboo flutes. The dance is very energetic and uplifting.
Tokoro created and updated by Eunice Lee
