An autumn festival in Karatsu City, Karatsu Kunchi is a UNESCO event featuring large, ornate hikiyama floats paraded through streets and across a sand beach.
A dance festival in Tokyo, the Dream Yosacoy Festival features 6,000 dancers in 80 teams. Performances include choreographed routines with wooden rattles, costumes, and varied musical styles.
Tori no Ichi (Cock Fair) is a vibrant traditional festival held annually in November at Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku. This event is dedicated to the deity Yamato...
Tori no Ichi (Cock Fair) is a vibrant traditional festival held annually in November at Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku. This event is dedicated to the deity Yamato...
An autumn illumination event in Tokyo, Rikugien’s Light Up displays the garden’s foliage at night from late November to mid-December. Advance online ticket reservation is required for entry.
A float festival in Chichibu, the Yomatsuri occurs December 2-3. The event includes parades of large floats, Kabuki performances, a nighttime procession, and a fireworks display.
A memorial festival at Sengakuji Temple on December 14th commemorates the 47 ronin. The event features a parade of participants dressed in traditional warrior attire.
A firefighter festival in Tokyo, the dezome-shiki includes acrobatic displays, emergency drills, and parades by the fire department, some in historical costumes.
A purification festival in Tokyo, the Dondo-yaki involves burning New Year decorations. Participants roast rice cakes over the bonfire for protection from illness in the coming year.
The Daruma market in Ome is an annual event held on January 12. The market sells traditional dolls and commemorates the city’s former silk farming industry.
A fire festival in Nozawa Onsen involves men defending a wooden shrine from villagers with torches. The shrine is then burned to bring good fortune for the year.
