Travel to Japan in the summer and go to a festival! Top 10 famous Japanese summer festivals
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There are lots of events in the Japanese summer! "Summer festivals" are a seasonal feature of the Japanese summer, and various festivals are held all over the country. Here are 10 of the most representative summer festivals. Photo by Touko Sakuraba
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Table of Contents
- Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori Prefecture)
- Akita Kanto Festival (Akita Prefecture)
- Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (Yamagata Prefecture)
- Sendai Tanabata Festival (Miyagi Prefecture)
- Gion Festival (Kyoto Prefecture)
- Kishiwada Danjiri Festival (Osaka Prefecture)
- Yosakoi Festival (Kochi Prefecture)
- Awa Dance (Tokushima Prefecture)
- Hakata Gion Yamakasa (Fukuoka Prefecture)
- Okinawa Island-wide Eisa Festival (Okinawa Prefecture)
- Why not experience being photographed by a professional photographer while attending a summer festival?
Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori Prefecture)
The Aomori Nebuta Festival , held every year from August 2nd to 7th , is a festival representing the Tohoku region and designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. Huge, colorful, three-dimensional lanterns emerge from the summer darkness, and dancers jump around them yelling out loud.
Apparently, over one million spectators from Japan and abroad visit to see this exciting festival.
The Aomori Nebuta Festival is held over six days, but the content of the events varies depending on the day, so it's a good idea to check the details on the official website in advance and decide on the date you want to visit.
Akita Kanto Festival (Akita Prefecture)
The Akita Kanto Festival has a long history of about 270 years. This festival has also been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and is held as an event to ward off evil spirits and pray for a good harvest.
Many lanterns are hung from long bamboo poles and people called "Sashite" manipulate them skillfully, holding them on their palms, foreheads, shoulders, or waists while maintaining exquisite balance.
The 2024 event is scheduled to take place from August 3rd to 6th . It will be held both during the day and at night, but the venues and content will be different for each event, so be sure to check the official website before visiting.
Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (Yamagata Prefecture)
The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival , held in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, is a representative summer festival of Yamagata Prefecture, marked by the striking bright red flower hats. It is held for three days every year from August 5th to 7th .
Every year for three days from August 5th to 7th, many dancers parade along the city's main streets, accompanied by shouts and the brave sound of Hanagasa Taiko drums. The highlight is undoubtedly the parade of dancers holding Hanagasa hats decorated with safflowers, marching down the main streets of Yamagata City. This is Yamagata Prefecture's representative summer festival, attracting approximately 14,000 dancers and 1 million spectators.
Sendai Tanabata Festival (Miyagi Prefecture)
"Tanabata" is an ancient Japanese festival that takes place every year on July 7th. The Sendai Tanabata Festival takes place one month later, from August 6th to 8th .
During the festival, the city center of Sendai and the surrounding shopping streets are filled with colorful decorations. The Tanabata decorations from Sendai Station to Chuo-dori and Ichiban-dori Arcade Street are particularly gorgeous. Wherever you walk, there are photogenic views, so it's a festival that's fun to stroll around with your camera.
Gion Festival (Kyoto Prefecture)
The Gion Festival is a festival held at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto and is one of the three major festivals in Japan. It is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and is a representative festival of Japan, attracting many people from all over the world, not just from within Japan.
The festival takes place over the course of a month , from July 1st to July 31st , but the highlights are the portable shrine procession of Yasaka Shrine and the procession of 34 floats on July 17th and 24th.
The Gion Festival is said to have begun around 1,100 years ago, and has been held over 1,000 times! It is a traditional festival that has been passed down from generation to generation by the people of Kyoto.
Kishiwada Danjiri Festival (Osaka Prefecture)
The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival , which has a history of about 300 years, is a popular festival known for its power and excitement, with giant danjiri floats weighing up to 4 tons racing through the city at full speed. The highlight of the festival is the "Yarimawashi," where the floats make 90-degree turns at intersections.
At night, the danjiri are decorated with lanterns, creating a beautiful sight that is different from that during the day and is a must-see.
The 2024 Kishiwada Danjiri Festival will be held on September 14th and 15th and October 12th and 13th .
Yosakoi Festival (Kochi Prefecture)
The Yosakoi Festival began in 1954 as an attempt to blow away the recession that followed the Second World War. It is a festival showcasing the "Yosakoi Naruko Dance," with around 20,000 dancers from around 200 teams taking part and putting on an energetic show.
It is held over four days every year, with the eve of the festival on August 9th , the main event on the 10th and 11th , and the post-festival (National Yosakoi Convention) on the 12th .
Why not experience Yosakoi, which is now spreading not only throughout Japan but also around the world, in Kochi Prefecture, its birthplace?
Awa Dance (Tokushima Prefecture)
Awa Odori, one of Japan's traditional performing arts, originated in Tokushima Prefecture and has a history of about 400 years. Awa Odori events are held all over the country in August, but among them, the Tokushima City Awa Odori, which takes place every year from August 11th to 15th , is the largest and most well-known festival. It is so popular that in some years more than one million people from all over the country gather in Tokushima City, which has a population of about 250,000.
During the Awa Odori festival, the area south of Tokushima Station becomes a pedestrian precinct, with both paid and free performance venues set up there, and dancers performing in the streets and in squares.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a festival held every year from July 1st to 15th in Hakata City, Fukuoka Prefecture, with religious ceremonies held almost every day during the festival. It is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and is a festival that has attracted attention from all over the world.
The charm of this festival is that men carry giant decorations called "Yamakasa" through the streets. During the festival, various events continue and the content varies depending on the day, so be sure to check the official website in advance.
Okinawa Island-wide Eisa Festival (Okinawa Prefecture)
The Okinawa All Island Eisa Festival is a festival of Okinawa's traditional performing art, "Eisa." Many people from all over Okinawa gather in Okinawa City, the mecca of Eisa.
The 2024 event is scheduled to take place from August 23rd to 25th . This popular event in tropical Okinawa will leave you in awe with the powerful sounds of drums and the stunning dancing that will have you captivated.
Why not experience being photographed by a professional photographer while attending a summer festival?
Why not experience having your photo taken by a professional photographer at the locations you visit to take part in summer festivals?
With " Capture My Japan ," you can experience having your photo taken by a professional photographer at your favorite location throughout Japan. Photographers who can speak English, Chinese, and other languages will communicate closely with you while you take your photos, so even those who are not confident in their Japanese will have no problem.
It is expected that taking photos at the summer festival venue will be difficult due to the crowds, but it is often possible to take photos a little further away from the venue. There may be hidden photo spots that only photographers living in Japan know about...!!
Currently, if you enter the coupon code " MCM-20187 " when applying, you can receive a 5% discount on your photography experience. If you are considering using Capture My Japan, be sure to take advantage of this offer!
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Tokyo
"Capture My Japan " is a photography service for tourists visiting Japan from overseas by Lovegraph Co., Ltd, which operates one of Japan's largest on- location photography session businesses. Would you like to capture yourself along with the beautiful scenery of Japan with a professional photographer? You can experience shooting at your favorite travel destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Capture My Japan's photographers have bases all over the country and can handle shooting in a wide range of areas. We have photographers who have passed a strict screening process, so you can leave your shooting to us with confidence! Japanese photographers who have a good understanding of each region will take care of your needs. Why not leave your memories of your trip to Japan together in a wonderful way?
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