Festival season hits Japan

WORDS MANAMI OKAZAKI

In Japan, matsuri – festivals – showcase the best of what the country has to offer: picturesque surroundings, ancient culture, welcoming locals who forget their usual shyness, and cities that buzz with excitement.

Often coinciding with the changing seasons, matsuri were originally sacred Shinto festivals at which people prayed to the gods for a good harvest and protection. Today, the centuries-old rituals are still performed, but there’s also plenty of dancing, drinking, eating and general fun. During matsuri, normally sleepy towns become party central, much to the delight of local kids!

The Kansai area of Kyoto, Nara and Osaka has some of the best summer matsuri in the country: colourful spectacles that the locals look forward to for months. You’ll have too many great photos – and great memories – to fill an album!

Nara: Saikusa No Matsuri
June 17
Isagawa-jinja, Honkomori-cho
Tel: +81 (742) 22 0832

Photo: Nara City Tourist Association

This one-day performance of Japanese myth and enchantment is a must for fantasy buffs. Held at the Isagawa-jinja (Isagawa Shrine), women dress as maidens and communicate with the gods in the form of dance, and to really tempt the gods, make a ritual offering of sake. This is one of the least commercialised matsuri and has a genuine, traditional atmosphere.

Osaka: Aizen Matsuri
June 30 – July 2
Shoman-in (Aizen-do), 5–63 Yuhigaoka-cho, Tennoji-ku
Tel: +81 (6) 6779 5800

Held at Shoman-in (Shoman Temple), this is the biggest festival to pay homage to Aizen Myo-oh, the greatest of the eight Buddhist gods. Wonder why so many entertainers are flocking to pay their respects? Aizen Myo-oh is the god of charm and personality!

The celebrations include a parade of geisha wearing yukata (light summer kimono), and sitting in decorated palanquins – covered seats carried on poles on the shoulders of four bearers. The Aizen matsuri is the first of the three major summer festivals in Osaka, so there’s a real sense of celebration in the air. Many locals come to enjoy the traditional music, which includes drumming and shakuhachi (Japanese flute) performances, but most are here to munch their way through the specialty matsuri food stalls that line the streets!

Kyoto: Gion Matsuri
July 1–31
Yasaka-jinja, 625 Kitagawa, Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku
Tel: +81 (75) 561 6155

Photo: Photolibrary/JTB Photo Communications, Inc

Photo: John Lander

This month-long festival is the biggest in Kyoto and dates back to the 9th century. During the celebration, Yasaka-jinja (Yasaka Shrine) in downtown Kyoto is decorated with offerings made by the locals to stave off the summer plague, and the streets are full of food stalls and entertainment. The best time to visit is between July 15 and 17, when the procession of the Yamaboko-junko two-storey floats passes through the streets.

Nagoya: Minato Matsuri
July 21
Nagoya-ko
Tel: +81 (52) 654 7894

This matsuri takes place in Nagoya-ko (Nagoya port). During the day, there are parades and a water-rafting competition, but the festival really takes off at night, when 3,600 fireworks are let off by the sea – it’s a breathtaking spectacle. Locals come in kimono and enjoy the various food and game stalls that are set up in the port.

Osaka: Tenjin Matsuri
July 24–25
Temman-gu, 2–1–8 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku
Tel: +81 (6) 6353 0025

Photo: Photolibrary/JTB Photo Communications, Inc

The whole city takes part in this matsuri held at Temman-gu (Temman Shrine), and it’s been celebrated since AD 951. Locals dress in traditional costumes, carry shrines and form a procession to the Dojima River to place the shrines on decorated boats. The end of the festival is marked with a spectacular fireworks display!

Osaka: Sumiyoshi Matsuri
July 30 – August 1
Sumiyoshi-taisha, 2–9–89 Sumiyoshi-ku, Sumiyoshi
Tel: +81 (6) 6672 0753

Photo: Osaka Convention & Tourism BureauJNTO

The Shinto purification ceremonies which take place at the Sumiyoshi-taisha (Sumiyoshi Shrine) are the highlight of the festival. The beautiful Sumiyoshi-taisha is famed for, among other things, featuring in the 11th-century Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji.

Nara: Nara Toka-e
August 6–15 Nara-koen
Tel: +81 (742) 21 7515

Photo: Photolibrary/JTB Photo Communications, Inc

Nara-koen (Nara Park) literally glows for these two weeks in August, with over 7,500 lanterns creating a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere.

Nagoya: Nagoya-jo Natsumatsuri
August 10–19 Nagoya-jo, 1–15 Naka-ku, Honmaru
Tel: +81 (52) 231 1700

Photo: Yasushi Kunimune

Built in 1612, Nagoya-jo (Nagoya Castle) sits majestically in the centre of the city, and during August hosts one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan. The highlight is the noh performance – an ancient form of theatre set to traditional music, often featuring masked actors. Another must-see is the bon festival dance – onlookers are welcome to join in!

Nara: Mantoro
August 14–15 Kasuga-taisha, 160 Kasugano-cho
Tel: +81 (742) 22 7788

Photo: Nara Tourist Association

Based around the Kasuga-taisha (the Kasuga shrine), this is an evening celebration that features the lighting of 2,000 stone lanterns and 1,000 bronze hanging lanterns. These are no ordinary lanterns either – one of the oldest dates back to 1241.

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