【 Summer 】Interesting Japanese Festival ☆

 

It’s not known exactly how many Japanese festivals (matsuri) are held each year. I think, there are more than 300,000 traditional “matsuri”, which means festival in Japanese, and they are very different from area to area.
 
By the way,

 

What is the significance of festivals for the Japanese?

 

“Matsu”, the original meaning of the word matsuri (festivals) in Japanese, means “to welcome the invisible to a place where they became visible.”

In other words, gods, who are usually invisible, visit during festivals, and are welcomed by the people. Japanese festivals handed down  from ancient times are basically celebrated to bring about communication between gods and people.

 

Among the myriads of gods, however, there are some that bring about diseases and natural disasters, so festivals are also set up to ward off evil gods.

There are approximately 190,000 temples and shrines in Japan. Most of them hold at least one festival every year. Some shrines hold up to 70 festivals a year. There are also national and local festivals.

 

Japanese festivals provide an opportunity to interact with the locals and to participate in the lighthearted side of Japanese culture.

Japan has religious festivals, fire festivals, dance festivals, snow festivals, music festivals and performance festivals. The following list represents many of the biggest and best festivals Japan has to offer.
 

If you can attend, you will be amazed by the participants’ power and passion!

 

 

 

Sapporo Yosakoi Soran Festival ☆
🔴   Sapporo, Hokkaido    (Mid June)

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Gion Matsuri ☆
🔴   Kyoto    (July)

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Hakata Gion Yamakasa ☆
🔴   Fukuoka prefecture    (Mid July)

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Tenjin Matsuri ☆
🔴   Osaka    (late in July)

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Fuji Rock Festival  ☆
🔴   Niigata  prefecture      (late in July)

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The Soma Nomaoi  ☆
🔴   Fukushima  prefecture      (late in July)

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World Cosplay Summit  ☆
🔴   Aichi  prefecture      (late July 〜 early August)

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Peace Memorial Ceremony Hiroshima ☆
🔴  Hiroshima  Prefecture    (August 6)

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Sendai Tanabata ☆
🔴  Sendai, Miyagi  Prefecture    (August 6〜 8)

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Kanto Matsuri  ☆
🔴  Akita Prefecture    (early in August)

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Nagaoka Matsuri Fireworks Festival  ☆
🔴  Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture    (early in August)

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Nebuta  Matsuri ☆
🔴  Aomori Prefecture    (early in  August)

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Awa Odori ☆
🔴  Tokushima Prefecture    (Mid August)

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Daimonji ☆
🔴  Kyoto    (Mid August)

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Summer Sonic ☆
🔴  Chiba Prefecture    (Mid August)

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Asakusa Samba Matsuri ☆
🔴  Tokyo    (late in August)

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Omagari National Fireworks Competition ☆
🔴   Akita Prefecture    (late August)

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