The Hirosaki Neputa Festival is a lower-key (but still spectacular) sibling of the much rowdier Nebuta Festival in Aomori City. While the Aomori floats are a lot more free-form, Neputa floats in Hirosaki are mainly of a distinctive fan-like shape […]
The Nagaoka Festival is held from August 1st to August 3rd around the Shinano River in Nagaoka City. Its main attractions are the portable shrine float parades and folk dance processions during the day with large-scale fireworks displays in the […]
The One Love Jamaica Festival is an annual summer event that will be held in Komazawa Olympic Park and is a good time for those looking to soak up some great food, drinks, dancing, and music. Music seems to flow […]
Every year in early August, Miura City hosts the Miura Summer Fireworks Festival. For me, that meant a beautiful beach in glorious, sunny weather followed by 3000 fireworks launched off the ocean lighting up the night sky. It had everything […]
Does the idea of taking the stage give you cold feet? Can you imagine if your stage was a wobbly Indiana-Jones-movie suspension bridge? That suspension bridge is the stage for the taiko drummers performing in Totsukawa-Mura's Yuredaiko. The suspension bridge […]
The Kojiya Awa Odori is held along the town’s shotengai (shopping street) where roughly 600 spectators join – lined up 10 rows deep – to watch the dancers and cheer as they pass by. There are about 150 kids who […]
Do you like the beach? Do you like or want to experience Japanese summer festivals? Then the Morito no hama, bon dance competition/Festival is the best place to be this summer. The Experience You can enjoy great grilled and barbecue […]
During the annual Zama Mikoshi Festival (July 31-August 1st), residents and Mikoshi regulars from neighboring communities carry a portable shrine through the streets of Zama chanting "Say ya, Soi ya, Sah, Sorya" and "Dokkoi, Dokkoi, Dokkoi Sorya". They are asking […]
The festival is one of the top five festivals of the Tohoku (northeastern Japan) region--and it is easy to see why. The main event is the massive parade of over three thousand drummers, representing taiko groups created by schools, companies, […]
Hirakawa city in Aomori Prefecture hosts a Nebuta Festival at the beginning of August each year. While the Aomori City has the crowds, Hirosaki has the refined tradition and Goshogawara has towering floats, Hirakawa’s claim to fame is having Aomori’s […]
Kanto (not related to the region of the same name) are poles that are approximately 15 meters long from which hang 46 lanterns – intended to resemble bags of rice. Weighing up to 50kg, the festival performers balance these poles […]
There is an island, a shrine, and a station that is only open for a short festival each year. For two days this shrine, and the tiny Tsu island on which it sits, see around 10,000 people come and go. […]