What are the three major festivals in Japan? Learn about the highlights and history, then head out to festivals in each region!

How did the traditional Japanese culture of "festivals" come about?

First of all, how did Japanese festivals begin? There are various theories, but it is said that the word "festival" originally comes from "matsuru" (to worship), which means to ask the gods for permission, and festivals have mainly been held at the turning points of the seasons, from spring to summer to autumn to winter. These are deeply connected to the cycle of daily life, and in farming villages they were held to offer prayers to the gods of the land, such as "May we harvest lots of rice" in farming villages and "May we catch lots of fish" in fishing villages.

Furthermore, most of the important religious ceremonies in festivals were held at night when there were no spectators, and it was considered very important to offer prayers. From there, the time of day gradually shifted to daytime, and festivals became more popular after the Edo period. A sense of excitement and enjoyment for large groups at festivals for the sake of entertainment and local interaction began to emerge. Economically wealthy towns began to compete over the splendor of their festival costumes and props, and in recent years this has also led to them attracting tourists. (Reference: Yanagita Kunio, "Japanese Festivals," Kadokawa Sophia Bunko, 2013)

Japan's Three Greatest Festivals

Among the festivals held all over Japan, the most famous are the "Three Great Festivals of Japan." The three great festivals are the Gion Festival (Kyoto), the Tenjin Festival (Osaka), and the Kanda Festival (Tokyo), all of which are characterized by their extremely large scale and long history.

Gion Festival (Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto Prefecture)

The Gion Festival is held in Kyoto, a city that has been the capital for a long time and is steeped in traditional culture. It is a festival at Yasaka Shrine, which has a history of over 1,000 years. It has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage as the "Yamahoko Event of the Kyoto Gion Festival."

The Gion Festival is called "Gion Goryoe" and began as a prayer to remove disasters when an epidemic spread across Japan, including Kyoto, in 869 (Jogan 11). This festival allows you to feel the weight of history as you think back to the time of the epidemic.

In the evening after the Yamahoko Junko (first festival) on July 17th, the three portable shrines that are the main attractions of the festival, "Susanoo-no-Mikoto," "Kushiinadahime-no-Mikoto," and "Yahashira-no-Mikogami," are presented at the foot of the stone steps of Yasaka Shrine, and the departure ceremony, "Mikoshi Togyo," is held. The sight of each portable shrine being lifted high into the air while shouts of "Here we go! Here we go!" is a spectacular sight.

One of the highlights of the Gion Festival is the Yamahoko Procession, which takes place twice during the festival (once in the morning and once in the afternoon). 34 gorgeous Yamahoko (floats) are paraded through the streets of Kyoto, so gorgeous they are called "moving art museums."

The Gion Festival is held every year from July 1st to 5th, starting with the "Kippuiri" ceremony to pray for a safe festival, and concludes with the "Ekijinja Nagoshisai" festival on July 31st. Various religious ceremonies and events are held over the course of about a month, attracting approximately 1.8 million visitors.

Gion Festival

Tenjin Festival (Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, Osaka Prefecture)

The Tenjin Festival is the largest festival in Osaka, full of warmth and humanity. It is held at Osaka Tenmangu Shrine every year on July 24th and 25th.

The origins of the Tenjin Festival in Osaka date back about 1,000 years. To appease the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, a white wooden sacred spear was floated down the river, and the residents living within the shrine's territory, known as the Shinryomin, prepared boats to welcome it, and a purification ceremony was held at the shrine. Since then, this long tradition has been passed down, and it has attracted believers along with the Tenjin Festivals held at Tenmangu Shrines all over the country.

The highlight of the Tenjin Festival is the boat procession that takes place on the final day of the festival, when a large number of boats line up on the Okawa River and then the Dojima River. Bonfires and food stalls line the surrounding area, and the festival is crowded with nearly one million spectators every year. The Tenjin Festival Dedication Fireworks, which marks the end of the festival, feature original fireworks called "Beni Ume" that open up in the shape of a plum blossom, in honor of Tenjin-sama. The lights reflected on the water and the fireworks floating in the night sky are beautiful, and the festival is also known as the "Festival of Fire and Water."

The Tenjin Festival in 2023 will be held as usual for the first time in four years, and there will be a dedication fireworks display, so why not come and witness the moment of its revival?

Tenjin Festival

Kanda Festival (Kanda Shrine, Tokyo)

Kanda Myojin Shrine was founded in 730 (Tenpyo 2) in what is now Otemachi, and in 1616 (Genwa 2) it was moved to its current location as the guardian deity of the front demon gate of Edo Castle. It continues to attract faith to this day as the guardian deity of the people living in Edo. Kanda Myojin Shrine is the main guardian deity of the great city of Tokyo (Edo). The Kanda Festival is held here every two years, and about 300,000 people attend the festival every year.

Kanda Myojin Shrine is the guardian deity of 108 neighborhoods, including Kanda, Nihonbashi, Akihabara, and Otemachi. The highlight of the Kanda Festival is the Shinkosai Festival, in which a large procession of people dressed in Heian period clothing and a phoenix-decorated portable shrine carrying the enshrined deity forms a parade that covers a long distance of about 30km through the 108 neighborhoods. As befitting its name of the "Tenka Matsuri," the gorgeous parade is a spectacular sight, reminiscent of a festival picture scroll.

Another highlight is the Mikoshi Miyairi, where 200 mikoshi (portable shrines) of all sizes arrive at Kanda Shrine one after the other, accompanied by the lively shouts of Edokko (people of Edo).

In 2023, the Kanda Festival will be held for the first time in four years, and many people came to see the enthusiastic Edokko. The next festival is scheduled to be held in early May, two years from now, in 2025.

Kanda Festival

Full of individuality! The three major festivals that exist according to region and concept

There are other "big three festivals" in Japan that are categorized by region and concept. We've picked out three of these unique big three festivals to introduce to you.

Tohoku's Three Greatest Festivals

The three major festivals in Tohoku are the Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori Prefecture), the Akita Kanto Festival (Akita Prefecture), and the Sendai Tanabata Festival (Miyagi Prefecture). Among these, the Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori Prefecture) is the most famous festival nationwide.

Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture)

The Aomori Nebuta Festival, held every year from August 2nd to 7th in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, is said to be one of the most popular festivals in Japan, attracting nearly 3 million people every year.

The Aomori Nebuta Festival was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1980. It is said to have been born from the combination of the floating lanterns of the Tanabata Festival, which was introduced from China during the Nara period, with local customs (such as sending off insects), but its exact origins are unclear.

The highlight of this festival is the giant nebuta lanterns created by the nebuta craftsmen. These artistic works that shine at night attract the hearts of many people. The highlight is the sight of the dancers (haneto) dancing vigorously around the nebuta, shouting "rasserah!".

Aomori Nebuta Festival

Sandai-kunchi (Kyushu's Three Greatest Autumn Festivals)

Kunchi (Okunchi) is an autumn festival held in northern Kyushu, and is meant to express gratitude for the harvest. In China, there is a custom of celebrating September 9th as Double Yang (one of the five seasonal festivals), and it is said that the name comes from the reading of the 9th. The three major Kunchi festivals are Nagasaki Kunchi (Nagasaki Prefecture), Hakata Okunchi (Fukuoka Prefecture), and Karatsu Kunchi (Saga Prefecture). The Nagasaki Kunchi, which has an exotic feel, is the one to watch.

Nagasaki Kunchi (Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki Prefecture)

Nagasaki Kunchi, which has a history of about 400 years, is the autumn festival of Nagasaki's guardian deity, Suwa Shrine, and is held every year from October 7th to 9th, bringing together the entire local community. The festival is said to have begun in 1634 (Kan'ei 11), when two courtesans dedicated a Noh dance called "Komai" to the altar of Suwa Shrine. Currently, each town performs a votive dance, and the town that takes the turn once every seven years is called the "dancing town."

The highlight of this festival is the exotic performances that are typical of Nagasaki, which flourished as a trading port. Each town has different performances, such as the dragon dance (Jaodori), whale spouting, and the drum mountain (Kokkodesho). Chinese and Western cultures mixed together and the festival developed in its own unique way. These votive dances are designated as important intangible folk cultural properties by the government.

Nagasaki Kunchi Festival

Japan's Three Greatest Fighting Festivals

Many people would say that the best part of a festival is the fierce competition and roughness that almost seems like a fight. The three biggest fighting festivals in Japan are mainly the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival (Osaka Prefecture), Kakunodate Festival (Akita Prefecture), and Iizaka Fighting Festival (Fukushima Prefecture) (although sometimes the Fushiki Hikiyama Festival in Toyama Prefecture is included). If you want to experience the power of the festival, head to the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival (Osaka Prefecture).

Kishiwada Danjiri Festival (Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture)

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, famous for its speed and power, is held every September and October in Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture. The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival began as an Inari festival held in the mid-Edo period to pray for the harvest of five grains, including rice, wheat, beans, foxtail millet, and barnyard millet. Since then, the tradition has been passed down for over 300 years. It was only after the war that the danjiri began to race through the city, due in part to progress in road paving construction.

The extremely large and heavy "Danjiri (float)" weighing 4 tons and standing 4 meters tall races through the city in a spectacular fashion. In the "Yarimawashi" where the Danjiri turns the street corner with great force, the carpenters, the stars of the festival, dance rhythmically on the roof of the Danjiri. The wildness and delicacy of the dance, with sweat flying, is an appealing sight.

Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

If you go to a festival after learning about the origins, history, and highlights of the festivals in various parts of Japan, you will be able to enjoy the festival more than usual. Why not use this article as an opportunity to travel to various parts of Japan to see festivals?

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