Hassaku Oshi-tsuki
September 1
Tsuma, Oki Island, Shimane Prefecture
Traditional bull fighting (bull sumo) in which two bulls lock horns and
fight to push each other out of the ring. The bulls do not 'fight' in
the Latin sense and no blood is shed.
Kaze no Bon
September 1-3
Yatsuo-cho, Toyama
Houses throughout the town are decorated with paper lanterns and hundreds
dance the graceful Owara-odori (a form of bon odori) well into the night
to the strains of Chinese fiddles.
Hassaku-sai
Early September
Matsuo-taisha Shrine, Kyoto
A day of rituals, sumo wrestling and Buddhist dance to petition the gods
for mild weather, good harvests and safety in the home at Matsuo-taisha Shrine in Kyoto.
Karasu-zumo
September 9
Kamigamo-jinja Shrine, Kyoto
A very distinctive festival at Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto in which Shinto priests perform rituals in
which they hop from side to side, 'cawing' like crows (karasu). These
observances are followed by a sumo competition for local boys.
Choyo no Sechi-e Festival
September 9
Kokuzo Horinji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto
Traditional song and dance in celebration of the chrysanthemum. Bus #28 to Arashiyama Koen.
Manto Festival
September 14
Hirano Shrine, Kyoto
Lantern festival with over 800 illuminated lanterns plus traditional Noh, poetry reading and dance at Hirano Shrine in north west Kyoto. City bus #50 to Kinugasko-mae.
Ukai Comorant Fishing
Until September 15
Arashiyama, Kyoto
Traditional ukai cormorant fishing on the Oi River in Arashiyama, western Kyoto. Boats leave at 6.30pm & 7.30pm. City bus #28.
O Sannomiya Autumn Festival
September 14-15
Hie Shrine, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Mikoshi, large and small, parade both days to and from Hie Shrine in Yokohama and
the Matsuzakaya department store and many entertainments are held at the
shrine itself.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Festival
September 14-16
Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine's Reitaisai festival in Kamakura features displays of
yabusame - Japanese archery on horseback - and draws large crowds.
Tono Matsuri
September 14-15
Tonogo-hachimangu Shrine, Tono-shi, Iwate
Held every year to pray for a good harvest, this is the largest annual
festival held in the garden city of Tono. Shishi-odori (lion dances),
Taue-odori (rice-planting dances) and kagura are performed along with
yabusame and festival music. Always draws large crowds.
Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri
September 14-15
Kishiwada, Osaka
Over thirty 4m-tall floats (mikoshi), carried by their bearers at top speed, rampage around the streets
of Kishiwada followed by a stampede of festival-goers, hundreds strong.
Not for the faint-hearted but compulsive viewing. One of the most spectacular (and often dangerous) festivals in Japan with hundreds of thousands of people turning up to watch in Kishiwada in Osaka.
Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Reitasai
September 14-16
Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Shrine, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa
Tsurugaoka-hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura is the spiritual home of yabusame, the ancient
art of horseback archery. On the 16th, you can see horsemen dressed in
the hunting costumes of feudal times compete in a yabusame competition.
Arrive early for a good view.
Yachi Donga Festival
September 14-17
Hachiman-gu Shrine, Yachi, Yamagata Prefecture
Festival showcasing the Hayashi-ke Bugaku, the style of court dance that
remains truest to the oldest forms of Japanese dance, showing many influences
from as far West as Ancient Greece.
Yoshitsune Festival
September 15
Kurama Temple, Kurama, Kyoto
Memorial ceremony to honor the spirit of the legendary warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune with a martial arts display. Eizan Railway to Kurama.
Seiryu-e Festival
September 15-17
Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto
Blue dragon dance in the grounds of the popular Kiyomizudera in eastern Kyoto.
Hagi Festival
September 17-19
Nashinoki Shrine, Kyoto Participants write poems and attach them to the shrine's flowering bush clover. Also kyogen, dance and koto performances at Nashinoki Shrine on the eastern side of the Imperial Palace (Gosho).
Toyokuni Shrine Festival
September 18-19
Toyokuni Shrine, Kyoto Festival honoring the spirit of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) with traditional music and dance and a tea ceremony on the 19th.
Furusato Hyappei Festival
mid-September
Iwamizawa, Hokkaido
Recent festival dating from 1983 to pray for harvest fertility in the locality. A 200kg pestle, hoisted 13m in the air, is used to pound 60kg of glutinuous rice in a 4-ton, 2.4m wide mortar.
Okuma-kabuto Festival
September 20
Nakajima, Ishikawa Prefecture
The Noto Peninsula's top autumn festival. Mikoshi from 19 shrines in the
surrounding area converge on Nakajima and form a day long parade of flag-bearers,
musicians and dancers led by a dancing goblin.
Seimei Festival
September 22-23
Seimei Shrine, Kyoto
Festival dedicated to Abe no Seimei a Heian Period astrologer and cosmologist. There is a procession, kagura dancing and traditional music. Take city bus #9 to Ichijo Modoribashi stop near the Nishijin Textile Center.
Aizu Byakko Matsuri
September 22-24
Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
Festival recreating the march to war of troops who fought in the battle
of Boshin no Eki in 1868, a major battle between Imperial and bakufu (shogunate)
troops during the Meiji revolution. Features a parade of 700 warriors
in full period dress.
Sendai Great Tug-of-War
Eve of the autumnal equinox (usually September 23)
Sendai, Kagoshima Prefecture
Dates back 400 years to a time a feudal lord wanted to raise morale after
many local people had been sent to war. 3,000 men, young and old, form
teams at each end of a 365m rope and pull against each other with thousands
of spectators cheering them on in Sendai in Tohoku.
Fukuro Matsuri
September 25-26
Ikebukuro, Tokyo
Commercially sponsored festival to promote tourism but fun nonetheless.
Foreigners who apply in advance can carry mikoshi through the streets
of Ikebukuro. Other events include taiko drumming, folk dancing and a
karate demonstration.
Comb Festival
September 26
Yasui Konpira Shrine, Kyoto
Festival dedicated to women's hair and hair ornaments. From 1pm traditionally dressed women with hair styles representing the various periods of Japanese history parade near the shrine. Take city bus #206 to Hagashiyama Yasui stop.
Kokkeisetsu
September 30 - October 1
Chinatown, Yokohama
Celebrating Chinese National Foundation Day in the largest Chinatown in
Japan in Yokohama. Lion dances, parades and firecrackers add extra color to the already
vibrant streets and a giant 'moon cake' is divided up amongst 300 lucky
visitors.
DISCLAIMER Festivals may be cancelled or postponed without much
warning. Check with your local tourist office for confirmation.
Matsuri: Japanese Festivals - Japan's Festival Calendar
Hassaku Oshi-tsuki
