Here are some attractive festivals in Japan (all over Japan)!

The Sapporo Snow Festival is a festival of snow and ice held every year in early February at Odori Park and several other venues in Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido. At the main venue "Odori venue ", citizens' snow sculptures of about 2 meters square are displayed in addition to large and medium snow sculptures of about 40 meters wide in each area. "At the Susukino venue ", fantastic ice sculptures under the theme of "Enjoy the Ice "will stand side by side. At "Tsudome venue ", not only will there be snow slides and mazes, but you can also experience snowman building and snow rafting.

"Basic Information "
Location: Odori Park in Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, etc.
Phone number: 011-281-6400
Next scheduled dates: February 4-11, 2024
Official website: https://www.snowfes.com/

The Aomori Nebuta Festival is one of "the three major festivals "in Tohoku, held annually from August 2 to 7 in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture. On the day of the festival, about 20 floats called "doll nebuta ( ") with huge lanterns on them cruise along Shinmachi Street, Hakko Street, National Route 4, and Peace Park Street in central Aomori City. Behind the floats are dancers called "jumpers (haneto) "who dance and jump around to the music while shouting "rassera, rassera "to the accompaniment of the music. On the final day of the festival, the 7th, the floats are carried on a barge off the coast of Aomori Port. The biggest attraction of the Aomori Nebuta Festival is that anyone can become a dancer and participate in the festival as long as they wear "Jumpers "costumes.

"Basic Information "
Location：Aomori city, Aomori pref.
Phone number: 017-723-7211
Dates:August 2-7 each year
Official website: https://www.nebuta.jp/

Akita Kanto Festival is one of the three major festivals "" in the Tohoku region, held annually from August 3 to 6 in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, in the area around Kanto Main Street. A Kanto is a bamboo pole assembled in a vertical and horizontal grid pattern, from which 46 or 48 high-hanging lanterns are suspended. The largest lanterns are 10 meters high and weigh more than 50 kilograms. "The lanterns are handled by skilled craftsmen called "handlers "," who use four parts strength and six parts technique. Visitors cannot help but cheer as they see the skill with which the lanterns are held in place by the flat hands, forehead, shoulders, and hips of the craftsmen. The lanterns are used as rice bales, and the whole body of the lanterns as ears of rice, to pray for a bountiful harvest.

"Basic Information "
Location：Akita City, Akita Prefecture
Phone number: 018-888-5602
Dates:August 3-6 every year
Official website: https://www.kantou.gr.jp/

The Kanda Matsuri is a shrine festival held every other year in mid-May at Kanda Myojin in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The festival has a tradition that dates back to the Edo period (1603-1867), and floats were paraded through the area until the Meiji period (1868-1912). The largest of the current events is the "Shinkosai "held on a Saturday near May 15. At 8:00 a.m., a procession of the ages, centered around three gorgeous portable shrines called "horenen (imperial carriages) ", departs from the shrine. Ujiko (shrine parishioners), dressed in glamorous costumes and white robes, parade through the streets of Kanda in spectacular fashion throughout the day. In the evening, additional festivities such as portable shrines, floats, and warrior processions add greatly to the atmosphere. ""On ", the day after the Shinkosai ", mikoshi miyairi (portable shrines) are paraded into the shrine one after another from the surrounding neighborhoods.

"Basic Information "
Location: Kanda Myojin (2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Access: JR "5 min walk from Ochanomizu station "
Phone number: 03-3254-0753
Previous call date: May 11-17, 2023
Official website: https://www.kandamyoujin.or.jp/kandamatsuri/

The Chichibu Night Festival is an annual shrine festival held at Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, on December 2 and 3. "Yoimiya "on the 2nd serves as a kind of eve of the main festival, with four floats being pulled through the city. "On the 3rd, "the big festival, six floats are pulled around the city from the morning and from 7 p.m., a Shinko procession, and floats of each town council parade to Otabisho. Kasaboko and yatai floats are assembled without the use of a single nail. They are decorated with gold-colored ornamental fixtures, highly colored carvings, and gold thread embroidery on the back curtains, so much so that they are described as "a moving Yomeimon (gate) ". When the floats change direction, they use a special method called "girimawashi ", which captures the attention of visitors.

"Basic Information "
Place: Chichibu Shrine and surrounding urban area
Phone number: 0494-21-2277 (Chichibu Tourist Association)
Date: December 2 and 3
Official website: http://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/event/yomatsuri/

Takayama Matsuri is the collective name for the annual Hie Shrine festival "Spring Sanno Matsuri "held on April 14 and 15, and the Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine festival "Autumn Hachiman Matsuri "held on October 9 and 10, both in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. The origin of the festival is estimated to date back to the late 16th or 17th century. Twice a year, in spring and fall, about 10 "festival floats "are pulled around the city of Takayama. The city is filled with a festive mood as hundreds of people parade through the streets in traditional costumes such as tokeiraku (cockfighting music) and kamishimo (ceremonial dress), led by musical accompaniment, gagaku (ancient Japanese court music), and lion dances. The delicate and daring performances of the puppets "and the Karakuri Dedication "attract the attention of visitors with the skills of the masters being passed down from generation to generation.

"Basic Information "
Location：Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture
Phone number: 0577-36-1011 (Hida-Takayama Tourism Convention Association)
Dates:Sanno Festival in spring: April 14 and 15 / Hachiman Festival in fall: October 9 and 10

Owara Kaze no Bon Festival is a traditional annual event held in the Yatsuo district of Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, from September 1 to 3 each year. The origin of the festival is said to date back to the Genroku period of the Edo period. It seems to have started when the townspeople danced for three days and three nights, rejoicing in the fact that the "Machiken Gosoku document "that had leaked out of the town of Yatsuo had been recovered by the townspeople. The dancers perform a sophisticated dance in silence to the melody of "the Echu Owara-bushi ", which is full of pathos through the streets of the town with its many hills. While kokyu (Japanese violin) plays mournful tones, lustrous and graceful women's dance and heroic men's dance are performed. In a specially set up venue, ring dances and stage dances are also performed, with each group competing in their traditional dances.

"Basic Information "
Location：Yatsuo District, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture
Phone number: 076-454-5138 (Ecchu Yatsuo Tourist Association)
Opening day: September 1-3
Official website: https://www.yatsuo.net/kazenobon

The Gion Festival is a month-long festival held at Yasaka Shrine in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, from July 1 ( "Kichibu-iri ") to July 31 ( "Natsukoshi-matsuri "). The festival began in the Joukan period of the Heian period (9th century) and has become a well-established summer tradition in Kyoto. The biggest climax of the festival is the Yamaboko Junko, a procession of floats that starts from Shijo-Karasuma on the 17th ( "Mae-sai ") and continues on the 24th ( "Gosai ") from Karasuma-Oike through Shijo Dori, Kawaramachi Dori and Oike Dori, accompanied by the Gion music of "Konchi-kichin". On the day of the festival, the city is filled with people from all over the country and abroad, creating a festive atmosphere. Dozens of floats are decorated with beautiful embroidery and imported textiles, and are also known as "motion museums ".

"Basic Information "
Location：Kyoto City
Phone number: 075-741-7211
Date:July every year
Official website: http://www.gionmatsuri.or.jp/

Aoi Matsuri is an annual festival held on May 15 at Kamo Goso-jinja Shrine (Shimogamo-jinja Shrine) and Kamo Betsurai-jinja Shrine (Kamigamo-jinja Shrine) in Kyoto City. It is said that in the mid-Heian period, among the nobles living in the capital, "festival "referred to the Aoi Matsuri. It was originally called "Kamo Matsuri ", but in 1694 during the Edo period (1603-1868), it became known as Aoi Matsuri (hollyhock festival) when everything from the noren (bamboo blind) in the Imperial Palace at Uchiura to the oxcarts, imperial envoys, robes of attendants, and oxen and horses began to be decorated with hollyhock leaves. The climax of the festival is a procession of people dressed in Heian-period costumes parading from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Kamigamo Shrine via Shimogamo Shrine, a distance of about 8 km. "The procession is followed by a roadside ceremony ". The procession includes Konoe-mushi (envoys of Konoe), Kenkai-mushi, Gutai-mushi, Yamashiro-mushi, oxcarts, furyu-umbrellas, Saio-dai, and others, creating a picture scroll of the Heian period in the city.

"Basic Information "
Location：Kyoto City
Phone number: 075-213-1717 (Kyoto Tourist Association)
Opening Date: May 15, 2012
Official website: https://ja.kyoto.travel/event/major/aoi/

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is a traditional event usually held in September in Kishiwada Castle in the northwestern part of Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture. The festival began in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1867) and boasts a history and tradition of over 300 years. The Danjiri "that is pulled through the castle town is a Danjiri "made entirely of zelkova and has a single rope attached to the front that is about 100 meters long. About 500 people join forces to drive this "danjiri "at full speed. The "Danjiri being pulled at high speed "is pulled at a high speed when it changes direction ". The "Yarimawashi is a very powerful event and attracts many spectators at the turns along the course of the Danjiri. At night, the festival is illuminated by beautiful lanterns, creating a fantastic atmosphere.

"Basic Information "
Location：Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture
Phone number: 072-423-2121 (Kishiwada City Tourism Division)
Opening day (2023): September 16th and 17th
Official website: https://www.city.kishiwada.osaka.jp/site/danjiri/

The Kangensai is a shrine ritual held on the 17th day of the 6th lunar month at Itsukushima Shrine, which is located on Miyajima in Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It is said to have been initiated by Taira no Kiyomori, who built Itsukushima Shrine in the Heian period (794-1185). ""Three Japanese boats are pulled side by side in a boat formation off the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, where the shrine is located. Bonfires are lit on both sides of the bow, and four high lanterns and about 20 decorative lanterns are set up on the stern, illuminating the sea from dusk to midnight with soft light.

"Basic Information "
Location: Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Tel: 0829-44-2011 (Miyajima Tourist Association)
Opening day (2023): August 3
Official website: http://www.miyajima.or.jp/event/event_kangen.html

Awa Odori is a traditional event held every year in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, during the Bon Festival in August. "The dance is performed by groups of dancers called "ren" ( ") or "ren" ( ") with calls such as "Odoru-o-dori ni miru-o-dori," "Odoru-o-dori ni miru-o-dori," "Odoru-o-dori ni miru-o-dori," and "Odori-nara-na-saimasu ". The sight of dozens of dancers dancing in unison to the two-beat rhythm of the shamisen, taiko drums, gongs, bamboo flutes, and other Japanese musical instruments is overwhelming. The creativity of each company competes with each other in "Men's dance ", which expresses bravery and comedy, and "Women's dance ", which is elegant and glamorous.

"Basic Information "
Location：Tokushima city, Tokushima pref.
Phone number: 088-678-5181 (Awa Odori Mirai Ezuna Executive Committee Secretariat)
Opening day (2023): August 12-15
Official website: https://www.awaodorimirai.com/

The Yosakoi Festival is a traditional event held annually from August 9 to 12 in Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture. During the festival, there are 9 competition sites and 7 performance sites in the city, and about 20,000 dancers form about 200 teams to perform. The dancers dance with Naruko in their hands to a lively rhythm. The local vehicles that lead the dancers are decorated with gorgeous ornaments and dance wildly through the city. Initially, Yosakoi Odori was a Bon Odori style based on the traditional Japanese dance choreography called "Sho-shiki ", but now it incorporates elements of samba, rock, hip-hop, enka, flamenco, hula dance, etc., and a wide variety of dances are performed.

"Basic Information "
Location：Kochi City, Kochi Prefecture
Phone number: 088-875-1178 (Yosakoi Promotion Association)
Dates:August 9-12 each year
Official website: http://www.cciweb.or.jp/kochi/yosakoiweb/

Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a Shinto ritual held every year from July 1 to 15, mainly at Kushida Shrine, which has its main shrine in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. Kushida Shrine is considered to be the chief Shinto shrine of Hakata, and the Yamakasa, a traditional festival float, has been dedicated to the shrine for about 700 years. During the festival, "decorated Yamakasa (about 10 meters high) "are lined up in various places in the city, and in the latter half of the festival, you can see the men heroically carrying Yamakasa "and carrying Yamakasa ". The highlight of the festival is the finale "Oiyama ", where seven "carrying floats "and running "decorated floats "run at full speed through the city.

"Basic Information "
Location：Kushida Shrine (Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)
Phone number: 092-291-2951
Dates:July 1-15 every year
Official website: https://www.hakatayamakasa.com/

The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is a seasonal event held in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year's Spring Festival. The scale of the "Chinese New Year Festival ", which was held to promote the Shinchi Chinatown people's district in the city, grew over the years and developed into the Nagasaki Lantern Festival in 1994, which has become a major tradition in Nagasaki's winter season. In China, "the custom of decorating lanterns with Chinese lanterns was adopted for the Lantern Festival ". During this period, the center of the city, including Shinchi Chinatown, Hamacho, and Kanko Dori arcade, are decorated with extremely colorful lanterns. In addition to Chinese lanterns, international events are also planned, creating a global atmosphere in the city.

"Basic Information "
Location：Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Tel: 095-829-1426 (Nagasaki City Culture and Tourism Department)
Opening day (2024): February 9-25
Official website: https://www.at-nagasaki.jp/lantern-festival

The Okinawa Zenshima Eisa Festival is a seasonal event held annually in Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture, on the weekend following the Lunar Bon Festival. 1956 marked the birth of the former city of Koza, which led to the holding of the Zenshima Eisa Competition sponsored by the city. The event grew in scale and was renamed the Okinawa Zenjima Eisa Festival in 1977. During the festival, guests gather from selected youth groups from all over the main island, as well as from sister cities and sponsoring organizations from all over the country. The festival grounds are filled with the rhythms of sanshin (Okinawan guitar), songs, and drums, allowing the audience to fully experience the true flavor of the authentic eisa performance.

"Basic Information "
Location：Okinawa City, Okinawa
Phone number: 098-989-5566 (Okinawa City Tourism and Product Promotion Association)
Opening day (2023): September 8-10
Official website: https://www.zentoeisa.com/

In this article, we have introduced 16 festivals held in various parts of Japan. Each festival is full of originality, and you will be able to experience the history and culture of each region.