Below is a chart of the festivals of the year in Japan.
Japanese Festival Calendar
Japanese Festival Calendar
Month
Prefecture
Location
Festival
Description
January
Aomori
Hachinohe City
Hachinohe Enburi
Held from Feb 17 to 20, a traditional festival praying for a good harvest.
February
Akita
Oga City
Namahage Sedo Festival
Held on the second Fri, Sat, and Sun in Feb, featuring Namahage traditional ceremony.
March
Fukuoka
Fukuoka City
Hakata Dontaku Port Festival
Held on May 3 and 4, one of the largest citizen festivals with parades and events.
April
Kyoto
Kyoto City
Gion Festival
Held from Jul 1 to 31, one of Japan’s three major festivals famous for the Yamaboko parade.
May
Aomori
Hirosaki City
Hirosaki Sakura Festival
Held from late Apr to early May, celebrating the cherry blossoms in Hirosaki Park.
June
Hokkaido
Sapporo City
YOSAKOI Soran Festival
Held in early June, a large-scale dance festival drawing dancers nationwide.
July
Osaka
Osaka City
Tenjin Festival
Held on Jul 24 and 25, featuring boat processions and fireworks.
August
Aomori
Aomori City
Aomori Nebuta Festival
Held from Aug 2 to 7, featuring massive Nebuta floats parading through the city.
September
Nagasaki
Nagasaki City
Nagasaki Kunchi
Held from Oct 7 to 9, featuring dedicated dances in Nagasaki.
October
Aichi
Nagoya City
Nagoya Festival
Held in mid-Oct, famous for its historical parades and floats.
November
Fukuoka
Fukuoka City
Hakata Okunchi
Held from Nov 2 to 4, the autumn grand festival of Kushida Shrine.
December
Akita
Odate City
Odate Amekko Market
Held on the second Sat and Sun in Feb, a tradition of eating candy to ward off colds.
I will explain in detail one at a time.
1. January: Hachinohe Enburi (Aomori)
Festival Overview: Hachinohe Enburi is a traditional festival held from February 17th to 20th in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture. It is celebrated to pray for a good harvest and features colorful performances and parades of dancers wearing traditional costumes, accompanied by the sounds of flutes and drums.
Significance: The festival is an important agricultural ritual that welcomes the spring and honors the spirit of agriculture, especially rice cultivation, which is central to the region.
2. February: Namahage Sedo Festival (Akita)
Festival Overview: Held on the second Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of February in Oga City, Akita Prefecture, the Namahage Sedo Festival celebrates the traditional Namahage mask-wearing ritual. The Namahage are scary, demon-like figures who visit homes during the New Year to admonish children to be good. In the festival, these figures perform various ceremonies, such as chasing and scaring festival-goers.
Significance: The festival is part of the Namahage tradition, which has been passed down through generations to drive away evil spirits and ensure a good year.
3. March: Hakata Dontaku Port Festival (Fukuoka)
Festival Overview: This festival takes place in Fukuoka City on May 3rd and 4th, attracting more than 2 million visitors. It is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan, featuring vibrant parades with performers in colorful costumes, traditional dances, and lively music.
Significance: The festival has been celebrated for over 800 years and marks the arrival of spring with grand processions and a joyful spirit that promotes community and cultural pride.
4. April: Gion Festival (Kyoto)
Festival Overview: The Gion Festival, held in Kyoto City throughout July, is one of Japan’s three major festivals. Its highlight is the Yamaboko Junko (float procession), where massive, beautifully decorated floats are paraded through the streets of Kyoto. The festival celebrates the Yasaka Shrine and honors the deities with elaborate rituals.
Significance: The festival is a cultural and spiritual celebration with roots in ancient times. It is a time for both Kyoto citizens and visitors to come together and appreciate traditional craftsmanship, music, and dance.
5. May: Hirosaki Sakura Festival (Aomori)
Festival Overview: The Hirosaki Sakura Festival, held from late April to early May, celebrates the cherry blossoms at Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture. The park is famous for its over 2,600 cherry trees that bloom in vibrant colors, creating a stunning display.
Significance: This festival is a symbol of the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms (sakura), which is deeply intertwined with Japanese culture. It offers a chance to reflect on the beauty of nature and the passing of time.
6. June: YOSAKOI Soran Festival (Hokkaido)
Festival Overview: Held in early June in Sapporo City, the YOSAKOI Soran Festival is a lively dance festival that attracts teams from across Japan. The festival features energetic performances where participants dance to fast-paced music while incorporating elements of traditional Japanese dance.
Significance: The festival began in 1992 and has since grown into a major cultural event in Hokkaido. It symbolizes youth, energy, and the vibrant spirit of the region, with a fusion of modern and traditional dance.
7. July: Tenjin Festival (Osaka)
Festival Overview: Held on July 24th and 25th in Osaka City, the Tenjin Festival is one of Japan’s three major festivals. The festival includes boat processions on the river, where ornate boats carry sacred objects, as well as impressive fireworks displays.
Significance: The festival is dedicated to the Tenmangu Shrine and honors the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning. It has been celebrated for over 1,000 years, making it a deeply rooted cultural event.
8. August: Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori)
Festival Overview: Held from August 2nd to 7th in Aomori City, the Aomori Nebuta Festival is famous for its grand floats (nebuta) featuring beautiful and colorful paper lanterns shaped like mythical creatures, warriors, and historical figures. The floats are paraded through the city with dancers and music.
Significance: The Nebuta Festival is one of the largest summer festivals in Japan, and it is believed to have originated as a way to drive away evil spirits with the light and movement of the floats.
9. September: Nagasaki Kunchi (Nagasaki)
Festival Overview: Held from October 7th to 9th in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Kunchi is a traditional festival that showcases a wide variety of performances, including lion dances, dragon dances, and beautiful floats. It is held to celebrate the harvest and to honor the city’s guardian deity.
Significance: The festival has strong ties to the multicultural history of Nagasaki, and features elements influenced by Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese cultures, reflecting the city’s international history.
10. October: Nagoya Festival (Aichi)
Festival Overview: The Nagoya Festival, held in mid-October in Nagoya City, is one of the largest festivals in Aichi Prefecture. It features parades with historical floats, and famous figures from Japanese history are portrayed in the processions. There are also live performances and entertainment.
Significance: The festival commemorates the legacy of Nagoya’s samurai heritage and the historical significance of the Tokugawa family in the development of the city.
11. November: Hakata Okunchi (Fukuoka)
Festival Overview: Held from November 2nd to 4th in Fukuoka City, Hakata Okunchi is an autumn festival that celebrates the fall harvest. It includes traditional performances, such as the famous Hakata Gion Yamakasa (a float race) and other rituals at Kushida Shrine.
Significance: The festival is one of the oldest in Fukuoka, dating back to the 12th century. It is a time for the community to come together in gratitude for the harvest and to celebrate local traditions.
12. December: Odate Amekko Market (Akita)
Festival Overview: Held on the second Saturday and Sunday of February in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, the Odate Amekko Market is a traditional event where participants eat candy to ward off colds. The festival features vibrant parades and activities, with locals selling various types of candy.
Significance: This winter festival has been a long-standing tradition in the region, believed to have originated from a custom of offering sweet treats to protect against illness during the cold season.
These are the 12 festivals in Japan.
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