[2024 Edition] About 90 minutes from Tokyo. 3 Summer Festivals to Enjoy During the Obon Period in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture

• Table of Contents
• Chichibu has over 300 festivals a year
• ①Chichibu Ondo Festival (August 14th)
• ②Nagatoro Boat Festival (August 15th)
• ③Chichibu Sacred Land Park Lantern Festival (August 16th)
• summary

Chichibu has over 300 festivals a year

Here we will focus on the Obon period.

①Chichibu Ondo Festival (August 14th)

From Minano Station to Minano Town Hall Festival Square

Chichibu Ondo is said to have a history of 200 years and is considered one of the three great folk songs of the Kanto region.
Chichibu Ondo was perfected in its present-day form in the early Showa period by Ise Kobe, the father of Kaneko Tota, a leading figure in the modern haiku world, and has been passed down ever since.
The dance movements and lyrics contain the lifestyles and temperament of the people living in the harsh climate of Chichibu, making it a true Chichibu folk song. On the day of the festival, about 70 teams, more than 1,000 dancers, will compete for beauty by dancing through the venue.
Fireworks are scheduled to begin at 8:45 p.m.

Find out more about the Chichibu Ondo Festival on the official website of the Minano Town Tourism Association.

②Nagatoro Boat Festival (August 15th)

Around Nagatoro Rock Beds

The Nagatoro Funatama Festival is a seasonal summer event in the Chichibu area, attracting around 70,000 people every year. It is said to have started when boatmen prayed for safety on the water and worshipped the water god.
Approximately 1,000 lanterns are floated down the Arakawa River, and boats decorated with lanterns travel back and forth on the water. At night, more than 3,000 fireworks are launched from the opposite bank, drawing applause from the spectators at their beauty and power.
Be sure to check out the lights of the floating lanterns reflected on the river's surface, the majestic Mantobune boats, and the fireworks on the opposite bank that light up the night sky.

For more information about the Nagatoro Funatama Festival, please see the official website of the Nagatoro Town Tourism Association.

©Chichibu Region Hospitality Tourism Organization

©Chichibu Region Hospitality Tourism Organization

③Chichibu Sacred Land Park Lantern Festival (August 16th)

At Chichibu City Sacred Land Park

Located on top of a hill, Seichi Park is a municipal cemetery where the Andon Festival is held every year during the Obon period.
In addition to lanterns being lit at the graves, memorial services for stupas are also held.
The Andon Festival is an event to pray for the repose of the souls of ancestors, but on the day of the event, there are also outdoor stalls, a Chichibu Yatai Bayashi performance competition, and fireworks, making it a bustling event with many people.

For more information about the Chichibu Sacred Land Park Lantern Festival, please see the official Chichibu City website.

summary

There is a festival every day during Obon.
In addition to these, there are many other local festivals, making the area very fascinating.
I will post a link to the festival calendar so if you are interested please check it out.

See the Chichibu Festival Calendar PROJECT for more details.