Japanese Summer festivals are rooted in tradition with celebrations (Matsuri) revolving around honouring a shrine's deity, commemorating an important event, or acknowledging a specific season.
If you're attending one of the traditional Matsuri festivals, you can expect processions featuring floats. Usually, the shrine being honoured has a portable version that represents the deity (Kami) which is carried along with the procession.
Additionally, you'll encounter plenty of live music throughout these festivals. Drum and flute musicians tend to accompany the processions, but you'll find other musicians joining in too. The characteristics and personalities of each festival vary from region to region.
For example, some festivals are calm, peaceful and relaxed, while others are loud, colourful and energetic. Regardless of the vibe, most incorporate singing and dancing along with the procession.
However, during the Summer months, you're most likely to find vibrant festivals full of bright decorations, tasty food, games and fireworks.
Here are six festivals to put on your Japanese travel itinerary:
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Gion Matsuri:
Gion Matsuri is probably Japan's most well-known festival. The celebration lights up the lovely city of Kyoto each July. The festival literally takes over Kyoto's entire downtown throughout the month. There are parades with elaborate floats, lively street parties and plenty of festival-worthy food to sample as well.
The legendary event dates all the way back to the year 869 when Emperor Seiwa planned a special celebration honouring the Gods in hope that it would protect Kyoto from the plague.
The main parade (Yamaboko Junko) is so grand and holds so much significance it has actually been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Nebuta Matsuri:
Another famous Japanese Summer festival is the Nebuta Matsuri which takes place in Aomori City each year at the start of August.
Although there is plenty going on during this festive week, the highlight is the procession of giant lantern floats each day, plus large taiko drums, musicians and dancers accompany the procession.
The two dozen lantern floats are truly impressive and many of them are up to 9 metres tall and 5 metres wide. These floats can depict anything from Gods, heroes from history, mythological creatures, or even popular characters from local shows.
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Tenjin Matsuri:
Tenjin Matsuri takes place annually in Osaka in late July. Although not as long as the previously mentioned festivals, it makes up for it by being truly impressive. The first day acts as a warm-up to the main event, which takes place on the second day with both a land and river procession combined with a grand fireworks show.
On the afternoon of the second day, the festivities ramp up with a land procession led by drummers wearing red hats. There are also traditional characters in costume, lion dancers, umbrella dancers and festive music.
Once they reach Okawa River, participants board the festival boats and the procession continues along the river well into the night ending with a fireworks display.
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Awa Odori:
The Obon period (mid-August) is when most dance festivals happen around Japan, and Awa Odori in Tokushima is the most popular one. Awa was the original name for Tokushima prefecture, and Odori means 'dance'. From August 12 to 15 each year, spectators flock to Tokushima to view or participate in the event.
There are some dances that happen during the afternoons, but most occur at night. This is when the city centre becomes one large stage. The main attraction is the ‘Fool's Dance’, which dates back to the 10th Century.
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Tanabata Matsuri:
The city of Sendai hosts the largest and most famous Tanabata festival in Japan. Tanabata festivals which are also called ‘star festivals’, take place all across the country on the 7th day of the 7th month.
These festivals commemorate the crossing paths of two stars (Altair and Vega), according to a Chinese legend. Because of calendar differences, these events can occur either in July or August.
Photo credit: Japanese Airlines.
Sanno Matsuri:
Sanno Matsuri is one of the three biggest and most popular Summer festivals that take place in Tokyo with a full and partial version of the festival. The full version only occurs on even-numbered years and the partial version happens on odd-numbered years.
The Sanno Matsuri festival takes place over 11 days in mid-June and there are various small events that happen across Tokyo. During even-numbered years, the main attraction is a huge parade that meanders through central Tokyo for about 9 hours on one day.
