Yasaka Shrine Setsubun
One of the many traditional Setsubun festivals taking place across Kyoto (and Japan), Yasaka Shrine’s version is unusual in that it features Geiko – the Kyoto version of Geisha. On …
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Heian Jingu Setsubun
One of the best-known Setsubun festivals in Kyoto, this is a great place to drive away those evil spirits and welcome in the new spring season. Priests begin the day with a cleansing ritual at …
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Dojima Yakushido Setsubun Omizukumi Festival
Celebrated to mark the end of winter and the day before spring begins on the old lunar calendar, Setsubun is an age-old Japanese ceremony thought to drive evil spirits from the house. Many people …
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Noboribetsu Onsen “Naked Man” Festival
Officially called the Noboribetsu Onsen Hot Water Festival (Noboribetsu onsen yu matsuri), this unique festival takes place at the coldest time of year, when the last thing you want to be is …
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Kayabuki no Sato Snow Lantern Festival
An amazing chance to see a remote, snow-covered thatched village illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.
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Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2024
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival will be held for the first time in three years! Featuring more than 15,000 lanterns, the festival originally started as a simple Chinese New Year celebration. In …
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Miyajima Oyster Festival
Hiroshima Prefecture is famed throughout Japan for its oyster industry, so Miyajima (Itsukushima) with its strong connection to oyster farming is the perfect place for such an event. What’s …
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Kamihinokinai Paper Balloon Festival
Held every year on February 10, this local festival sees dozens of large paper balloons set off into the night sky. With over a century of history behind it, the origins of the traditions are not …
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Kasedori Festival
This unique festival gets its name from the straw coats worn by the participants. Apparently they’re supposed to be birds. While dancing, they cry out “kaah, kaah” – …
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Sapporo Snow Festival 2024
For where to stay and what to do, see our Sapporo Snow Festival Mega Guide. The Sapporo Snow Festival takes place every year for a week in early February across three main sites: Odori Park, …
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Namahage Sedo Festival
A festival in which locals dress up as demons and scare the bejesus out of young children. There are also bonfires, a dramatic explanation of the reason for the festival, taiko drumming, and …
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Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival
In Yonezawa City, there is a wonderful lantern festival that has been going on for nearly 50 years. What happens? 200 snow lanterns and around 1000 snow caves are lit up in Matsugasaki Park in …
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Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival
Making the best of the truckloads of snow that cover Hirosaki each winter, the Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival surrounds the quaint little castle with approximately 200 snow lanterns along …
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Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival
With ice floes and drift ice in the winter seas around Abashiri in the far north of Hokkaido, it gets very, very cold – so what better place to have a festival with giant carved ice …
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Ashikaga Flower Park Illuminations 2023
Visit one of the best illuminations in Japan and relive the wonder of the spring wisteria.
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Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival
A kamakura is a hollow carved out from a mound of snow. This festival, in Yokote City, Akita, usually features more than 100 large kamakura and numerous smaller ones. Sizes range from small …
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Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Festival
As you may have ascertained from the accompanying image, this is another one of Japan’s renowned “naked” festivals. Before you get carried away, it would be better described as …
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Otaru Light Snow Path 2024
Timed to coincide with Sapporo’s giant winter festival, Otaru’s Light Snow Path (Otaru Yuki Akari no Michi — the awkward name is a direct translation) event is on a much more …
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Lake Towada Winter Story of Light
Lake Towada will be transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland with fireworks each night. The festival includes fireworks at 7:30 p.m., activities that require advanced reservations, and …
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Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2024
The 2023 Shirakawa-go Winter Light-up has been announced! It will go ahead this year but reservations will be required. Where is Shirakawago? Shirakawago is a picturesque village in Gifu …
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Ichiya Kanjo (One Night) Festival
A small, local festival held to celebrate the girls who sacrificed themselves to save the village from the disasters of the Yodo river (now the Nakatsu river). It takes place on February 20th …
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Baikasai Plum Blossom Festival
A fantastic opportunity to see one of Kyoto’s most beautiful temples, with stunning plum blossom, tea ceremonies and even Geisha – this is an unmissable event. The grounds are filled …
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Osaka Marathon 2024
The Osaka Marathon lets you see the city with a different atmosphere. One filled with cheering, sweating, and a winter’s glow. There will also be an Osaka Marathon EXPO on the 24th and …
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