Setsubun at Narita-san 2023
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple 成田山新勝寺, 1 Narita, Narita, TokyoWhile setsubun festivals are held at many temples across the country, the rituals at Asakusa’s Sensoji, Takao-san Yakuo-in…
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Setsubun (Bean Tossing) at Sensoji 2023
Sensoji Temple Senso-ji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoTraditionally setsubun (節分) marks the day before the beginning of a new season, but in post-Edo times the…
Nara Setsubun Mantoro 2023
Kasuga Taisha Shrine 春日大社, 160 Kasuganocho, Nara, NaraMore than 3,000 lanterns are lit at Kasuga Taisha Shrine in Nara twice a year—in early February for…
Sapporo Snow Festival 2023
Odori Park, Sapporo 大通公園, 7-chrome Odorinishi, Chuo, Sapporo, HokkaidoWhat started off in 1950 as community event to display six snow statues made by local high school…
Kite Market at Oji Inari Shrine I
Oji Inari Shrine 王子稲荷神社, 1-12-26 Kishimachi, Kita, TokyoKite market (凧市) held on the Day of the Horse every February. The dates depending on the twelve…
Otaru Snow Light Path Festival 2023
Otaru, Hokkaido Otaru Station, 2 Chome-22 Inaho, Otaru, HokkaidoThe Otaru Snow Light Path Festival (小樽雪あかりの路, Otaru Yuki Akari no Michi) began in 1999 with the hope…
Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival 2023
Yokote, Akita 横手市民会館, 13-1 Minamimachi, Yokote, AkitaThe ritual of hollowing out a mound of snow and building a small hut like an igloo is…
Kite Market at Oji Inari Shrine II
Oji Inari Shrine 王子稲荷神社, 1-12-26 Kishimachi, Kita, TokyoKite market (凧市) held on the Day of the Horse every February. The dates depending on the twelve…
Saidaiji Eyo (“Naked Festival”) 2023
Saidaiji Kannon-in 別格本山 金陵山西大寺観音院, 3 Chome-8-8 Saidaijinaka, Higashi Ward, Okayama, OkayamaThe Saidaiji Eyō (西大寺会陽), more commonly known as the Hadaka Matsuri (“Naked Festival”), gets more international media attention…
Some no Komichi 2023
Nakai 西武新宿線 中井駅, 1-19-1 Nakaochiai, Shinjuku, TokyoUntil the 1950s, many dying factories could be found along the river near Nakai Station in Shinjuku Ward…
Jindaiji Temple Daruma Doll Market 2023
Jindaiji Temple Jindai-ji Temple, 5-15-1 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu, TokyoOne of the biggest Daruma Doll Markets in Japan, over 300 stalls selling the round dolls gather around…
Kyoto Higashiyama Hanatoro 2023
Higashiyama, Kyoto Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, KyotoHanatoro (花灯路, Hanatōro) is a 10-day long illumination that takes place in Kyoto’s Higashiyama in March and Arashiyama…
Mount Takao Fire Walking Festival 2023
Takaosan Car Park 2390 Takaomachi, Hachioji-shi, TokyoThe Fire Walking Festival (火渡りまつり, hiwatari matsuri) is held near Takaosanguchi Station on the second Sunday of March…
Asakusa’s Honzon Jigen-e 2023
Sensoji Temple Senso-ji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoAccording to legend, a statue is said to have been discovered on the 18 March 628 on the…
Golden Dragon Dance in Asakusa
Sensoji Temple Senso-ji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoThe Golden Dragon Dance celebrates the re-construction of the main hall of Sensoji in 1958 after it was…
Nakameguro Sakura Matsuri 2023
Nakameguro 中目黒駅, 1-22 Kamimeguro, Meguro, TokyoNakameguro Cherry Blossom Festival (中目黒桜まつり) is held at the beginning of April and organized by the workers in…
Kanamara Matsuri (“Penis Festival”) 2023
Kanayama Shrine Kanayama Shrine, 2-13-16 Daishi Ekimae, Kawasaki, KanagawaKanamara Matsuri (otherwise known as the "Penis Festival" or “Festival of the Steel Phallus”) is an annual festival…
Hana Matsuri at Sensoji 2023
Sensoji Temple Senso-ji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoThis event at Sensoji Temple celebrates the Buddha’s birthday on 8 April and is more formally called Bussho-e…
Edo Yoshiwara Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri (Oiran Dochu) 2023
Ichiyo Sakura Komatsu Dori 一葉桜小松橋通り, 4-40-7 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoOiran (花魁) is a word used to refer to the high-class prostitutes that worked in the Yoshiwara red-light…
Kamakura Spring Festival 2023
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, 2 Chome-1-31 Yukinoshita, Kamakura, KanagawaThe Kamakura Matsuri is a week-long festival held from the 2nd Sunday of April to welcome in spring.…
White Heron Dance in Asakusa
Sensoji Temple Senso-ji, 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito, TokyoThe White Heron Dance (白鷺の舞) has roots in a scroll which depicted scenes of a parade praying for…
Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival 2023
Nagasaki Seaside Park Nagasaki Seaside Park, 22-17 Tokiwamachi, Nagasaki, NagasakiThe Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival (長崎帆船まつり, Nagasaki Hansen Matsuri) is one of a kind in Japan. It was…
Nikko Yayoi Festival 2023
Nikko Futarasan Shrine 2307 Sannai, Nikko, TochigiThe Yayoi Festival (弥生祭, Yayoi Matsuri) is held on the 13 to 17 of April each year at…
Asakusa Yabusame Archery 2023
Sumida Park Sumida Park, 1-2-5 Mukojima, Sumida, TokyoYabusame (horseback archery) has its roots in the Kamakura period when samurai used the competition to improve their skills…