Gaido Japan

Hiroshima Toro Nagashi
2022-08-06
Each year, on August 6th, candle-lit lanterns are set afloat on the Motoyasu River next to Hiroshima’s A-Bomb Dome in remembrance of deceased ancestors and as a wish for world peace.
The lanterns are on sale from 6 am with the lanterns released by hand in the evening in the vicinity of the A-Bomb Dome and Motoyasu Bridge. Organizers warn that due to big crowds, you may have to wait a little while to set your lantern afloat.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
2022-08-06 08:00 - 09:00 (Asia/Tokyo)
August 6th is a significant day for anyone in Hiroshima. Although most businesses run, as usual, school children are called into school for “peace education” and many locals and tourists gather in the central Peace Park to reflect on lives lost and hope for a peaceful future. At the Peace Park, the main memorial is held in the morning and the lantern floating ceremony starts once it gets dark. The Peace Memorial Ceremony starts at 8:15 am each year in memory of the victims of the atomic bomb, which was dropped above Hiroshima at that time on August 6, 1945. At the start of the ceremony, the park’s Peace Bell is rung and sirens sound across the city. Despite the park being completely packed with people, everyone stands perfectly still to observe a minute’s silence, allowing you to really feel the power of this moment. On this occasion, there are usually a few political speeches and testimony by those who lived through the event as well as those who lost loved ones. There are also short speeches by children growing up in Hiroshima about their hopes for a peaceful future. The ceremony also includes a release of 1,000 doves (after the Mayor’s Speech) and the end of the ceremony is marked by a 450-member chorus and wind ensemble performing the “Hiroshima Peace Song”. The Mayor of Hiroshima usually makes an appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the achievement of everlasting world peace. The Japanese Prime Minister will also attend, as well as the Secretary General of the United Nations. The ceremony is usually broadcast on television stations throughout Japan and appears on news programs worldwide. A great number of residents of all ages gather for the ceremony from around 7 am. The stage for the speeches is set up in front of the main memorial monument steps with the eternal flame as a backdrop. This area is easily accessed from the main Heiwa-Odori (Peace Boulevard), many people stand under the Peace Memorial Park Museum, or in the shady areas around the park as there are many satellite televisions set up in different areas for people to watch the proceedings. Most attendees stand or sit and listen in silence during the speeches, many dressed in handmade anti-war or pro-peace t-shirts. There are also many people holding origami cranes as they are Hiroshima’s symbol of peace, you will find them hung near many of the memorial statues in the park. Event Report, 2012 JJ Walsh You might expect to feel out of place during this somber ceremony, but actually, we have been many times and have only felt completely welcomed. There is an area at the back of the crowd, under the memorial museum where volunteers hand out free chilled towels and water to people at the ceremony. There are many people taking pictures of the event, but it’s polite to ask if you can take a picture of attendees, especially children. Even without Japanese, you could point to the camera and ask “Okay?” and that will get the message across. When we have been to the ceremony with our children, it is really touching how kind attendees will walk up to you and offer cranes, fans or other things they have that your kids may like. It is not traumatic for kids to be a part of, the whole event is quite positive. After the ceremony, there is usually a stir in the crowd as groups form to do peaceful protests through the streets. In 2011, there was a large protest parade down the main covered malls and along the streets to the Hiroshima city hall against nuclear power as well as nuclear weapons. There was also a right-wing protest parade. A good position to watch the parades from the St.Marc cafe (with outdoor seating) a few blocks from the park in the covered mall. In the evening, there is a lantern festival where over 10,000 lanterns are put into the water next to the A-bomb memorial and across the river from the steps in front of the information center. The evening activities are less formal, there are no long speeches, but it is a very powerful experience. As the light from the dome shines down on the water lit by the many colorful lanterns floating downstream. There are also candles decorated by children lit and displayed all the way around the Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome. You can decorate a candle if you would like for a small donation near the A-bomb Dome. Videos about Hiroshima day: August 6, 2011, Hiroshima Day: music video compilation Anti-war, Anti-nuclear power, Anti-nuclear weapons protest parade (8/6/2011) August 6, 2008, Hiroshima Day: sights and sounds

Summer Festival in Honmoku, Yokohama
2022-08-06 10:00 - 2022-08-07 12:00 | 19 Honmoku Wada, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan, 19 Honmoku Wada, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan, Naka, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan
Every year, in Honmoku, Yokohama, the Ouma Nagashi event is held during summer. Ouma is a figure with the head of a horse and a turtle-like body made of straw. Every year six pieces of Ouma are made for the event, which is dedicated to the Honmoku Shinto shrine. They are brought to the shrine by men in formal kimonos in the early morning of the day before the event. After they stay in the shrine overnight, they are carried throughout the town of Honmoku in the morning. Then they are sent about 5km offshore by boats from the Honmoku fishing port and thrown into the sea. The event is believed to take evil out of the town by throwing the figures into the sea. It is a kind of purification ritual. It has been practiced for nearly 450 years since the medieval era when feudal warlords fought each other to survive. Originally the figures were sent offshore by six wooden boats before the 1950s. Until last year, fishing motorboats had been used to bring the Ouma figures offshore. Last year the wooden boats came back for the first time in 50 years after being repaired thanks to donations by local residents and businesses. Beautiful beaches existed on the shores of Honmoku only 50 years ago.
Honmoku was a fishing village, where villagers produced seaweed and farmed fish. Among them werre anago sea eels and shako shrimp. They are essential ingredients of “Edo style sushi”. The beaches were reclaimed to expand the port facilities in the 1960s. Still, some fishermen continue to fish off Honmoku from this fishing port. Now we seldom have an occasion to enjoy the smell of the sea close by even though we are living in Honmoku, which used to be famous for its beautiful beaches. On the day of Ouma Nagashi ritual, six portable shrines, carried by men and women of all ages get together from six areas of Honmoku near MYCAL Honmoku to show off their high spirits in their own local matsuri festival costumes. That is the moment when Honmoku streets come alive with their cheerful calls, and everyone forgets the scorching heat of high summer. And it is an occasion for us to feel and smell the history of the town. Ouma figures are brought into the Shrine: at 10:00. Ouma figures leave the Shrine: at 08:00. This event is held yearly at the beginning of August, so if you miss it this year, be sure to visit the next chance you get. Check the website (Japanese) for details.

Takabocchi Kogen Horse Race
2022-08-07
This is a horse race that takes place in Shiojiri City on the grassy Takabocchi Plateau. With around 80 competitors from throughout Japan, organizers claim that it is the highest altitude horse race to take place in Japan.
Apart from the main race, there are pony rides for the kids and lots of other horsey activities.
There are free shuttle buses leaving every 15 to 30 minutes from the east exit of Shiojiri Station that run to the event venue. The ride from the station takes about one hour.

SEE LV Exhibition
2022-08-08 11:00 - 2022-08-21 20:00
When it comes to big names in the fashion world, Louis Vuitton is right up there at the top. An exhibition running in Tokyo celebrates LV’s 160-year history, and it has already delighted visitors in Wuhan (2020), Hangzhou (2021), and Dubai (2022). SEE LV showcases ready-to-wear items from the luxury fashion house throughout the decades, examples of their most iconic bags including the Steamer, Speedy, Noé, and Twist designs, and even an interactive exhibition room where you can explore the famous LV monograms in a digital art format.
Photo: Louis Vuitton Japan Co., Ltd.
Admission to the event itself is free, but advance reservations do need to be made via the LINE app.

Yosakoi Festival
2022-08-10 10:00 - 2022-08-11 22:00
Summer is prime time for big festivals in Japan, and Kochi City is no exception. The highlight of the local year is a three-day dance/parade extravaganza in August, called ‘Yosakoi’. What the word means exactly is open to interpretation, but the general sense is ‘let the good times roll, and there’s a strong hint of, um, nocturnal naughtiness to it. During the Japanese holiday, obon, over 10,000 dancers in many dozens of teams throng the main streets and thoroughfares, beating time with small wooden clappers called naruko. The costumes are colorful and fantastic, and a highlight is the decorated trucks that head up each team, staffed by hard-core carnival party animals and blasting out music from their huge speakers. Every team is free to arrange its own style of music from Japanese ballad to big-Afro funk, but it must include at least part of the festival’s official song, the “Yosakoi Naruko Dance”. Things wind up with a grand parade down Otesuji-Dori Avenue and a huge fireworks display, lasting 90 minutes. Especially good dancers proudly wear ribands awarded by the judges, and there’s an overall winning team each year. Teams are organized by companies, businesses, and localities, and a lot of them are put together by izakaya – informal pub/restaurants, that Kochi City center is packed with. A festival is really a way for a town to bare its soul and show the world what it’s made of. I’m always impressed by the way Yosakoi displays the quintessential character of Kochi City – it’s loud, gaudy, cheerful, ever-changing, and irreverent, with the women of the town definitely front and center. Dancers come in all skill levels and ages, and they’re free to change teams every year if they choose. In addition, dancing styles are not predetermined, and the serious teams spend most of the year choreographing and practicing the next year’s dance routine. This kind of free-and-easy style might be frowned upon in other Japanese cities, but Kochi (as always) gives a broad grin and goes its own way. You’ll never see the same Yosakoi twice, and you’ll definitely never see a dull one. Let the good times roll!

Kameoka Hozugawa River Firework Display
2022-08-11 | Kameoka, Kameoka, Kameoka, Kameoka, Japan
Part of the annual peace festival, this display is as famous for its fireworks as it is for the beautiful food stalls that are illuminated at night. The event takes place on the Hozu river banks and has paid seats as well as plenty of free viewing spots like in Oigawa Ryokuchi East Park. The show draws crowds of around 75,000 so if you want a good spot head over a little early. If you like, you can take a boat from nearby Arashiyama. If postponed, it will take place on the 13th of August.

Tokushima Awa Odori Festival
2022-08-12 - 2022-08-15
Tokushima Awa Odori is rated by many as Japan’s top summer festival. It takes place in Tokushima – a prefecture on the island of Shikoku.
The dance festival (Odori means dance) has its origins as a summer Obon festival. ‘Awa’ was the pre-Meiji name for the area in which Tokushima city is located. The festival was renowned as a raucous and drunken event and over the years a distinctive dance style emerged. There are a variety of styles of dress for men and women and they typically dance separately or together in large choreographed groups. Many of the female dancers wear distinctive hats resembling folded tacos which are made from the tatami. The main dances are performed from the 12th – 15th, but the Evening Selection is held on the night of the 11th.
The streets of central Tokushima City are closed to traffic each evening of the festival. Dancing takes place in the street (which can be viewed for free) and at seven stages with reserved seating. Tickets for the reserved seats range from about ¥800 to ¥2,000 in price and can be purchased in advance at the Information Center in front of Tokushima Station and at local convenience stores.
The festival is said to attract 1.3 million visitors, so if you intend to stay nearby, you should book well in advance. Another option is to do a day trip from Kobe on the mainland. The quickest way from Kobe to Tokushima is the Awa Express (link in Japanese) run by JR Shikoku Bus. From Shin-Kobe Station, the journey takes approximately 2 hours and 8 minutes. Tickets are 5,940yen return for adults and half that for kids. The Salad Express (link in Japanese) from the Hanshin bus covers the same route and charges the same price.
At present organizers are planning to go ahead with COVID-19 countermeasures in place.

Minato Mirai Bon Odori Dance Festival
2022-08-12 16:30 - 2022-08-13 20:30
The Minato Mirai Bon Odori Festival will once again be held in mid-August in Rinko Park, Yokohama. Looking out over the evening waters of Yokohama Bay, Rinko Park provides one of the most pleasant locations for one of Japan’s most-loved summer traditions. As with previous years, the festival will feature beer gardens and a Yokohama gourmet yatai street food stall corner delivering festival staples like kakigori shaved ice and yakitori skewers of grilled chicken. Traditional taiko drummers will be beating out their summer rhythms while yukata-clad dancers dance the bon odori around the central yagura stage. A community tradition, the bon odori’s circle of dancers is open to anyone wishing to join in and participate. Free to enjoy and with its views of Yokohama Bay Bridge lit up over the bay, the Minato Mirai Bon Odori Festival is the perfect Japanese summer experience.

Summer Gagaku Performance in Sendai
2022-08-12 18:00 - 2022-08-13 18:30
On August 12th, the Gochinza-kinensai Ceremony is held at Osaki Hachiman Shrine in Sendai. This mid-summer ceremony is truly a traditional ritual, on the next day, the shrine performs a Gagaku music concert as part of a memorial dedicated to the Great Kanto Earthquake. Gagaku is a form of traditional classical music that has been played in the imperial court and in shrines throughout Japan. Gagaku music is mostly played on very formal occasions, however, the shrine presented a unique Gagaku concert with a casual style. The concert is held in a relaxing atmosphere, but that’s not all. You’ll even have the chance to experience singing songs along with the Gagaku performers! The highlight of the program is an authentic Kagura dance performed by Miko, shrine maidens, in elegant attire. On August 12, the event is held from 6:30 pm. On August 13 the memorial starts from 4 pm until 6 pm.

Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival
2022-08-13
This is a joint fireworks festival across the Kanmon Straits between Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kita-Kyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture.
More than 1 million people on both sides of the strait are expected to watch the almost 1-hour long show in which 15,000 projectiles will be hurled into the night sky.

Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival
2022-08-13 15:30 - 20:00
The small city of Yanai in Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for its lanterns, but they’re a little different from many lanterns you’ve likely seen in the past. The lanterns here are shaped like goldfish, and you’ll see them displayed outside shops, restaurants, and even personal residences in the area. The unique lanterns are said to have first been created by a Yanai merchant in the Edo period who was said to have been inspired by lanterns at Aomori’s Hirosaki Neputa Festival, and the rest is history.

Asakusa Toro Nagashi
2022-08-13 18:30 - 20:00
Summer sees the staging of the annual Toro Nagashi festival in Asakusa. Originally held to pray for the souls of the deceased, the practice was rekindled in the mid-20th century. Now a strong community event, the festival sees participants releasing of hundreds of paper lanterns from Shinsui Terrace near Azaumabashi Bridge in Sumida Park. The lit lanterns that glide gently along the currents of the Sumida River create a memorably beautiful occasion. With a much more congenial feeling than the high-energy celebrations of the more common fireworks shows held during summer, the Toro Nagashi festival is a more personal experience, particularly if you send off your own lantern. The Toro Nagashi festival is still held in the event of light rain. While the event itself is free, to send off your own lantern for 1500 JPY. Please check the official website for more information.

Shoro Nagashi Lantern Floating Ceremony
2022-08-15
For 2022 (as with 2020 and 2021), the ceremony will take place, but sightseers are discouraged. The ceremony is intended for those who have lost relatives since the last O-Bon.
The annual holiday of Obon runs until the night of Shoro Nagashi. During this time, the spirits of the dead come back to see their living friends and family; Shoro Nagashi wishes them well and sends them back to heaven. This religious festival is loud with firecrackers and gongs, a solemn and joyous seeing-off.
Families and friends who have lost loved ones since the last O-Bon build shoreline boats, while neighborhood associations and groups build moyaibune boats, of bamboo, grass, and wood. Each boat is decked with flowers and lanterns, sometimes with a picture of the deceased and often with a small memorial object. Some boats are designed in the shape of something the deceased particularly loved. These boats are paraded through the Nagasaki streets, past Nagasaki Station, Nagasaki Prefectural Office, and down Kenchozakadori, before being destroyed at the end of the parade in Nagashiba.
Festivities begin at dusk and carry on late into the night. Many streets are closed for the procession, so it is best to take the train or tram to Ohato, Gotomachi, or Nishihamanomachi Stations, and walk to the prime viewing spot at Kenchozakadori outside the Nagasaki Prefectural Office. The Shoro Nagashi attracts up to 190,000 visitors a year, so get there early—and, as this is a religious festival, be respectful!

Daimonji Okuribi
2022-08-15
This is a memorial service for the spirits of fallen soldiers and to pray for peace which takes place on August 15th every year. A large 大 (the kanji symbol for great) is set alight on Mount Wakakusa using 108 flames to represent the traditional number of worldly desires possessed by humans. The event is the culmination of the O-Bon festival and fires are meant to guide the spirits back to the afterlife. You can see the fire from various spots in Nara Park which lasts around 30 minutes.
For 2021 (as with 2020 due to COVID-19), the fireworks display which usually follows Daimonji ceremony has been canceled. Also, anyone not directly involved in the ceremony will be barred from attending and Nara Park will be closed to visitors.

Hitoyoshi Fireworks Festival
2022-08-15
Taking place at the riverside in Nakagawahara Park in Hitoyoshi City, this fireworks festival would usually attract roughly 55,000 people to attend to ooh and ah at 5,000 pyrotechnics.
Unlike a lot of other festivals which sell tickets for seats in an exclusive seating area, this festival is completely free.

Sayama Sunflower Maze
2022-08-15 - 2022-08-31
There is a community sunflower field maze in the Horigane area of Sayama City every August. The sunflowers typically bloom during the last two weeks of August. It doesn’t feel like a huge sunflower field as you walk among the blooms, but supposedly there are about 10,000 sunflowers. Thanks to the height of the sunflowers and the density per square meter, the Horigane sunflower field makes the perfect sunflower maze. The sunflowers grow to about 1.7 meters. To be honest, for an adult it is pretty easy to get from start to finish. But children will delight in getting lost among the towering blooms. A dais is in the middle of the field to help people get their bearing. It also doubles up as a convenient place to take a photo. The sunflower maze is free, but if you want to take some home, it costs ￥100 for five sunflowers.

Gozan no Okuribi
2022-08-16
The locals call it Daimonji, the celebration during the height of the O-bon festival where the city’s surrounding mountains are lit up with five bonfires.
Three of the bonfires are lit in the form of Kanji, while the other two are the shapes of a boat and a Shinto gate. It is said that the deceased family’s relatives rise from the spirit world for visits during August 16th, therefore Okuribi literally means, “send-off-fire”. To get the best view of all the bonfires, head to the center of the city: Nakagyo Ward. Or, you can also head one of the five mountains – Daimonji, Daikokuten, Funa Nishigamo, Daihoku-San, Okita, and Mandara. The bonfire is lit between intervals of five minutes, starting at 8:00 PM on Daimonji mountain.
2022 will mark the first time that the event has not been scaled down or canceled since 2019.

Miyazu Toro Nagashi Fireworks
2022-08-16
Held on in the beautiful Amanohashidate area, this event features lantern floating and fireworks for a magical evening in Shimasaki Park. The floating of 10,000 Toro Nagashi lanterns takes place from 6 pm until 7.30 pm and the display of over 3,000 fireworks begins after that, continuing until 8.30 pm. The festival has a 400-year history and was originally held to see off the spirits of the deceased, with fireworks being added in 1924. The traditional Miyazu dance is performed among the ceremonies and stalls so we highly recommend you arrive in time for the festival as well as the fireworks!
For 2022, the fireworks are canceled, but the lantern floating is going ahead.

Earth Celebration on Sado Island
2022-08-19 09:00 - 2022-08-21 22:30
Earth Celebration is a superb three-day taiko and music festival on Sado Island where Kodo (legendary taiko drums troupe) holds open-air concerts, holds taiko workshops, and invites other musicians to collaborate on stage. Sado Island, located off the coast of Niigata, is renowned for its thriving arts and culture scene from kabuki to local artisanship and taiko drums. Taiko Japanese drums have been part of Japan’s summer festivals for centuries and their deep and cacophonous sound echoes the heartbeats of the local people. Take the matsuri (festival) atmosphere but change amateur drummers for professionals, put them on stage, and what you get is Kodo, one of Japan’s most respected professional taiko ensembles. In Japanese, kodo means “heartbeat”, which is considered to be the primal source of rhythm. Read in a different way, the word also means “children of the drum”. This reflects Kodo’s passion to play the drums with a kind of spiritual naivety. In previous years Kodo performers usually travel around the globe to play large concert halls showcasing its wild drumming but they make sure to be back at its Sado base in August when audiences usually come to them. People from all over Japan, and from around the world, venture to Ogi on Sado Island to share their passion for taiko and for music at Earth Celebration. Thousands of people usually come together on Sado Island, every year, to discuss music, create music and enjoy themselves. As this is an outdoor festival in a small seaside town, there is a close exchange with nature and with the local community. Earth Celebration is deeply rooted on Sado Island and in this particular area around Ogi, so much so that the festival has become part of the identity of Ogi and of Sado.

Summer Sonic Tokyo
2022-08-20 - 2022-08-21
Summer Sonic, one of Japan’s premier music events, is a two-day rock festival that’s held simultaneously in both Tokyo and Osaka. All-you-need-to-know As with the previous years, the rock festival is held in both Tokyo and Osaka. For the Tokyo locations, the festival will be held at the Zozo Marine Stadium & Makuhari Seaside Park. Tickets are sold as 1-day or 3-day passes, with prices ranging from ¥13,800 to ¥39,000 (based on 2019 prices). The tickets will be exchanged for wristbands when you enter the venue and will serve as your access pass to the event — so don’t lose them! Other than performances, there will also be food and drink stalls around the venue for party-goers to fuel up before continuing the night’s festivities. More details on the artist lineup will be announced on the official website. History of Summer Sonic Founded in 2000, the Summer Sonic rock festival has been held annually ever since. The festival was independently owned by Creativeman Productions Ltd but was bought over by Live Nation Entertainment in 2014. Star performers from previous years’ events include Coldplay, Zedd, BABYMETAL, The Chainsmokers, Radwimps, BLACKPINK, Perfume, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
Summer Sonic Main Stage 2015: Zedd Performing from Afar (Photo: Nesnad / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The festival has, historically, attracted diverse lineups, from local rock musicians and indie bands to internationally-acclaimed pop/rock singers. With a star-studded lineup each year, it is no wonder how Summer Sonic attracted over 350,000 attendees in 2019 alone. Aside from Summer Sonic, the Fuji Rock Festival is another one of Japan’s biggest annual music events.

Summer Sonic Osaka
2022-08-20 - 2022-08-21
Summer Sonic, one of Japan’s premier music events, is a two-day rock festival that’s held simultaneously in both Tokyo and Osaka. All-you-need-to-know for SUPERSONIC As with the previous years, the rock festival is held in both Tokyo and Osaka. For Osaka, the performances will be at Maishima Sonic Park (Maishima Sports Island). The Osaka venue is usually accessed via an event shuttle bus that leaves from Cosmosquare Station. Tickets are sold as 1-day or 3-day passes, with prices ranging from ¥13,800 to ¥39,000 (based on 2019 prices). The tickets will be exchanged with wristbands when you enter the venue and will serve as your access pass to the event — so don’t lose them! Other than performances, there will also be food and drink stalls around the venue for party-goers to fuel up before continuing the night’s festivities. More details will be announced on the official website. History of Summer Sonic Founded in 2000, the Summer Sonic rock festival has been held annually ever since. The festival was independently owned by Creativeman Productions Ltd but was bought over by Live Nation Entertainment in 2014. Star performers from previous years’ events include Coldplay, Zedd, BABYMETAL, The Chainsmokers, Radwimps, BLACKPINK, Perfume, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
The festival has historically attracted diverse lineups, from local rock musicians and indie bands to internationally-acclaimed pop/rock singers. With a star-studded lineup each year, it is no wonder how Summer Sonic attracted over 350,000 attendees in 2019 alone. Aside from Summer Sonic, the Fuji Rock Festival is another one of Japan’s biggest annual music events.

Echizen Asakura Mantoya Lightup
2022-08-20 18:00 - 2022-08-21 21:00
In late August, there was an illumination event called, ‘Echizen Asakura Mantoya’ at Ichijodani Asakusa Ruins in Fukui City. This event has been held for ten years now, and in it thousands of candles are lit up to illuminate the ancient historical ruins in Ichijodani valley. The ruins are surrounded by serene mountains, and the illuminated mountain scenery looks so mysterious at night. In 2004, when the first ‘Mantoya’ was scheduled to be held, a severe rainstorm hit Fukui city. Some areas of the city were flooded badly and they almost gave up holding the event. However, more than 10,000 volunteers came from all over Japan to help locals recover from the damage, and thanks to them the first ‘Mantoya’ was successfully held with 3,000 candlelights illuminating the ruins. Since then, the event has been held annually, and the candle cups have been recycled carefully. Along with the ‘Mantoya’ light-up, a ‘Sengoku Festival’ was also held. ‘Sengoku’, as you may know, signifies the Warring States Period of Japan (1467–1573). The ruins, (i.e. the festival venue) were once the castle town of the Asakura Clan, which reigned in Fukui for 103 years (the town was burnt down by Oda Nobunaga in 1573 and the Asakura Clan ran away in defeat), and the festival was named after the period in which this place prospered. In the ‘Sengoku Festival’, as you might imagine, various ‘Sengoku Period’-related events were held, such as a ‘Samurai Procession’ in which people in full samurai armor march along the street, or performances of Japanese martial arts, to remind you of what life was like during the samurai era. The most impressive event was the Harquebuse Firing performance. Harquebuse is a firearm imported to Japan in the 16th century, and samurai at the time fought with this ‘new’ firearm in hand (Unfortunately I have no photos of the Sengoku Festival to show you what it was like.)

KAGAYA Starry Sky World Exhibition
2022-08-23 10:00 - 2022-08-31 20:00
Kagaya is a Japanese photographer with a large social media following, and he has become famous for his starry night sky shots. From capturing the twinkling stars of a Hokkaido winter evening, or snapping the incredible reflection of stars on the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, Kagaya travels the world in search of these amazing after-dark skyscapes. A special exhibition taking place at the Sogo Museum of Art will explore several Kagaya’s starry night sky photography works, along with video footage captured on his travels.
Stars and the Northern Lights in Iceland (Photo: Sogo & Seibu Co., Ltd.)
Adult admission to the exhibition is priced at ¥1200, and no reservations are required. To see more of Kagaya’s works on social media, check out his Instagram or Twitter.

Anamori Inari Shrine Lantern Festival
2022-08-23 18:00 - 2022-08-25 22:00
Every year in late August, the parishioners of Anamori Inari Shrine In Ota City join the priests and their attendants to light handmade lanterns, asking Inari-sama, the god of rice, for the granting of wishes. The lanterns which bear images made by children and adults alike are set up on the day of the festival. Illustrations of kabuki actors and interpretations of ukiyo-e prints hang next to popular characters and naive landscape paintings. Parishioners and visitors gather around sunset for a Shinto ceremony in the sanctuary before the lantern lighting. The female shrine attendants in red hakama trousers and local elders distribute candles to each person and direct them to make their wishes at the opened sanctuary. One by one, each person takes a turn to light the 300 or so lanterns. Despite being part of vast urban Tokyo, the festival has a hometown feel, and the parishioners welcome everybody to join the festivities. Just like any small neighborhood festival, the evening is whiled away with children’s dance performances to pop music followed by more traditional drumming and dancing. And eating. Stay around a while and have yakisoba and drinks at the food stalls.

Shinjo Matsuri
2022-08-24 08:30 - 2022-08-26 20:00
Shinjo City in Yamagata is proudly home to Shinjo Matsuri, which is arguably the best festival in Tohoku. This festival, with its history of 250 years, is celebrated from August 24th to 26th every year and consists of city-wide parades of giant floats, each depicting a story, over three days. It is also remarkable for hosting over 400 stalls selling food, drink, toys, and even turtles.

Okutsuhime Shrine Festival in Wajima
2022-08-25 - 2022-08-28
Young men dressed in women’s clothes and with make-up on their faces carry a portable shrine into the ocean at Sodegahama Beach. Then small children on shore pull long ropes attached to the shrine back and forth. This is the Okutsuhime Shrine Festival, the first in a series of four shrine festivals in Wajima. What a spectacle to watch; full of excitement and great fun. Late summer is a perfect time to visit the Wajima area of the Noto Peninsula to enjoy some great spectacles at the Wajima Grand Festivals. Yes, it is not one but four festivals related to local shrines that take place from August 22 to 25 each year. The festive activities start with the Okutsuhime Shrine Festival. Here is the legend that gave reason to this festival: A Shinto God-Princess (hime means princess in Japanese) lived on Hegura Island about 50 km off the coast of the Noto Peninsula, Her Shinto God-Prince lived on the land in Wajima. They were very much in love but sadly, they were allowed to meet only once a year. The fisherman of Wajima wanted to help the lovers find each other by carrying giant lanterns to brighten the night. Giant candles became giant lanterns (kikiro) in the shape of votive candles. Well, it has been said that they get intimate, and the meeting of the two results in the birth of a new god. Where there is love, there is jealousy. The God-Prince got jealous of the young, healthy local men who carried the portable shrine (mikoshi) with the God-Princess. To attract the wrath of a Shinto God is a terrible thing. Hence, the local men started to dress as women and wore make-up like women. They still do this to this day making for a fun atmosphere. After the Shinto ritual, a group of local children and teenagers perform a vigorous taiko drumming show. The mikoshi is carried from Okutsuhime Shrine to Sodegahama Beach, where a Shinto priest conducts a purification ritual before the shrine enters the water of the ocean. Then the action starts for good: the young men carry the shrine down the beach lined to both sides by local noblemen, then through a Shinto gate and into the water of the ocean. A rope is attached to the mikoshi which is held by young children who aim to prevent the men from entering the water. Like this, the mikoshi is carried in and out of the ocean many times, until finally it is taken back ashore and brought to a temporary shrine for one night. The locals must enjoy this fun event a lot because they repeat it a second time the following day. Let legend by legend, the locals celebrate this shrine festival at the end of the fishing season to say thank you to the Shinto-Gods (kami-sama) for helping them to catch a lot of fish, stay accident-free, and bring good fortune to their homes. If you want to search for the princess, then make a trip to Hegura Island! It is just 2 km by 1 km in size and less than 100 people live there. A ferry takes locals and guests from Wajima Port to Hegura Port in 1h30min. Beware! There is only one ferry in the morning going to the island and one ferry in the evening coming back to Wajima. What to do if you get bored of princess hunt? Locals say that Hegura Island is a good spot for angling and bird-watching!

Niwaka Lantern Festival
2022-08-27
You might have heard of Kiriko in Wajima but do you know Niwaka? A procession of colorfully painted floats marks the end of summer in Ukawa, a fishermen’s village on the Noto Peninsula. This is the time when the locals give thanks to the gods for a good fishing season. Like many summer festivals in Japan, this festival is related to the local shrine, Sugahara Shrine, and the whole local community is involved. Niwaka is a type of Kiriko lantern. Whereas Kiriko is long and slim in Wajima, Niwaka in Ukawa Village, now part of Noto Town in Oku Noto, are more roundish (7m x 5m) and they feature colorful paintings. In particular, Benzaiten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, is prayed to for a good catch and an accident-free season. Locals say that Benzaiten selects one of the warriors painted on the Niwaka during the climax of the festival in front of the Benzaiten Shrine which is a taiko competition that lasts from midnight until 3 am. The story goes that Niwaka, which literally means “unexpected”, was built and decorated by locals in Ukawa Village when they expected Lord Maeda, the daimyo (over-lord) for this area. The Maeda Clan was one of the most powerful samurai clans in Japan during the Edo Period (feudal period). They were the Daimyo of Kaga Domain, nowadays part of Ishikawa Prefecture, and they had their castle in Kanazawa. In the middle of the 19th century Lord Maeda, the 13th was on his round of inspections and passed through the area when the locals held their annual “harvest celebrations”, a festival that is reaching back about 400 years. They wanted to surprise their Lord and created these large, colorful lanterns. The lanterns are decorated with paintings of warriors. The criteria for choosing the motif are to depict powerful and handsome warriors. The Niwaka have painted anew every year. It takes two months to complete the painting. Each is a piece of folk art. Currently, there are nine Niwaka. Initially, it was just two wards in this community, but now there are nine wards engaged, hence, nine Niwaka. The ward leader decides what the painting should on the lantern be each year. Next local boys and girls in typical festival outfits gather near the Niwaka. They take turns beating taiko drums for a while for spectators to enjoy. Around 8 pm the locals enjoy fireworks that brighten up the night sky just behind the shrine. The fireworks add even more light and atmosphere to the place where the colorful, illuminated Niwaka wait to be taken around. After the fireworks, the procession of Niwaka starts at around 9 pm, and it continues until the early morning around 3 am. The large cards and lanterns are moved one by one past the shrine and then in the opposite direction along the small roads of the village. While the starting point was Sugahara Shrine, the finishing point is Kawase Shrine. Niwaka Matsuri takes place every year on the fourth Saturday in August. Preparations are going on throughout the day, but celebrations begin after dark. The nine Niwaka are lined up in front of Sugahara Shrine. Each Niwaka consists of a movable wooden base with wheels and a large lantern on it. The doors and windows of many traditional townhouses are open and visitors can observe the locals enjoying dinner with family members and friends. Walking through the village one can feel a jolly and exciting atmosphere building up. During the procession, the inhabitants of the houses come out and join in or sit in front of the houses to watch the spectacle. There are about 4,500 inhabitants in Ukawa and about 2,000 guests join the festival each year. Compared to many other summer festivals in Japan, the Niwaka Festival is very local and most of the attendants are members of the community and friends rather than guests. With no big crowds like elsewhere, and the Niwaka fireworks close up, this festival is truly a unique experience for foreigners to witness.

Takasaki Kannon Lantern Festival
2022-08-27 17:00 - 21:00
Follow the giant footsteps carved into the ground to the top of the mountain, where the landmark Kannonyama stands majestic, watching over the city of Takasaki. From here you can look out on the entire city, the mountains a constant backdrop in the distance. Be careful not to visit the statue with a partner or someone who might have future potential, for legend has it that to view the statue together ensures the relationship will end in a jealous doom. On the evening of this festival, thousands of candles are lovingly arranged all the way along the walkway to the top, guiding you through the dark to where musicians, dancers, and food stalls await to entertain you. Lanterns shaped into hearts, archways of candles, and lights illuminating the statue around the base make this an excellent place to come for a relaxing evening with friends. I’d advise you not to eat before you to turn up as the festival’s food stalls are above and beyond the kinds of fare found at your average street festival. Mouthwatering Turkish kebabs, Gunma’s famous yaki-Manju (bread fried with a sweet miso paste), and a strange range of gelato flavors are all available, with benches overlooking the city to sit and chow down on. The festival is held every 4th day of August. A shuttle bus runs from outside of Takasaki station’s west exit directly to the top of the mountain where the festival is held and takes under ten minutes. You’ll have to wait until the sun begins to go down for the candles to be lit, but if you arrive early then I recommend climbing the inside of the statue and peeking out from one of her viewpoints for a glorious birds-ey view of the city.

Omagari Hanabi
2022-08-27 19:00 - 20:30
Described by Lonely Planet as Japan’s Olympics of fireworks, the Omagari Hanabi has a history spanning more than a century. The best pyrotechnicians from around the country gather in the city of Daisen, Akita Prefecture, to show off their skills with an array of incredible firework displays set to music. The overall winner of the event receives the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award, which is only given at one other fireworks event – the Tsuchiura Fireworks Festival in Ibaraki. The event draws in hundreds of thousands of spectators each year, so anticipate crowds if you plan to attend.
