Festivals and Events for August 2014 in Japan
August in Japan is the middle of summer and is very hot and humid. It’s a great time to head outdoors and enjoy the many summer festivals with lots of major ones happening around the country. Lots of cities and towns across Japan also hold spectacular summer fireworks which are a must see in summer. This is one of the best times of year to be in Japan and experience a Japanese festival.
11 May to 15 October 2014
Event: Gifu Ukai (Cormorant Fishing)
Location: Nagara River in Gifu City
Time: Starts from about 7:30 pm
Price of Admission: A fee applies for the viewing boat
Cormorant Fishing or ukai in Japanese is a major summer attraction on the Nagara River in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Ukai is a traditional fishing method that uses trained cormorants to catch river fish. The art has been practiced along the Nagara River in Gifu for more than 1,300 years. It has a very long history in Japan and is mentioned in many ancient chronicles.
Mid July to Early September 2014
Event: Gujo Bon Odori
Location: Gujo Hachiman
Time: 8 pm to 10:30 pm (11 pm on Saturdays)
Price of Admission: FREE
The Gujo Bon Odori is one of Japan’s largest traditional folk dance festivals. It is held at the picturesque Gujo Hachiman in Gifu Prefecture, a place that is often called “Little Kyoto”. The Bon Odori is held to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. The dance festival is held over a period of 33 nights during the summer, climaxing with 4-nights of all night dancing during “Obon” in the middle of August.
2 August 2014
Event: Nagaragawa Gifu Fireworks
Location: Gifu
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm
Price of Admission: FREE
The Nagaragawa Gifu Fireworks are held on the first Saturday of August and follow on from the Chunichi Shimbun Gifu Fireworks the previous Saturday. Held along the banks of the famous Nagara River in Gifu City with Mount Kinka and Gifu Castle as a backdrop, the skies above the river are set ablaze with colour. There are many street stalls (yatai) selling all kinds of Japanese festival food as well as people in beautiful yukata (summer kimono).
2-7 August 2014
Event: Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
Location: Aomori
Time: 7:10 pm to 9:00 pm
Price of Admission: FREE
The Aomori Nebuta Matsuri held in Aomori, which is at the northern tip of Honshu is one of the must see summer festivals in Japan. It is a colourful festival featuring enormous illuminated lantern floats, covered with paper illustrated with historical figures and samurai warriors. The floats are pulled through the city by teams of chanting dancers wearing a unique costume called haneto. The festival floats are constructed of painted washi paper and take an entire year to design and construct. The daily parade starts at sunset and lasts for hours. It is one of Japan’s most famous festivals and is one of the Three Great Festivals of the Tohoku region of Japan (Tohoku Sandai Matsuri).
3-6 August 2014
Event: Akita Kanto Matsuri
Location: Akita
Time: 7:20 pm to 9:00 pm
Price of Admission: FREE
The Akita Kanto Matsuri is a spectacular festival held in Akita City in the Tohoku region of Japan. The festival is held in hope for a good harvest, and features hundreds of giant bamboo poles weighing 60kg bearing illuminated lanterns, topped with gohei. Participants skilfully balance the giant poles through the streets to the rhythm of taiko drums. It is also one of the Three Great Festivals of the Tohoku region of Japan (Tohoku Sandai Matsuri).
6-8 August 2014
Event: Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Location: Sendai
Time: Times vary according to the event
Price of Admission: FREE
The Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is regarded as the most famous and largest Tanabata festival in all of Japan. Held in Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture, it features the famous kusudama ball of paper flowers made from Japanese paper (washi) as well as many other colourful Tanabata decorations. It is also one of the Three Great Festivals of the Tohoku region of Japan (Tohoku Sandai Matsuri).
12-15 August 2014
Event: Awa Odori Folk Dance Festival
Location: Tokushima
Time: Main Event from 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Price of Admission: FREE
The Awa Odori Folk Dance Festival is another must see festival in the Japanese summer. Held in the city of Tokushima in Shikoku, it is Japan’s largest and most famous bon dance festival. Men, women and children in yukata (summer kimono) and straw hats take to the streets to dance to the sounds of shamisen, taiko drums and flutes. The bon dance is done to honour one’s ancestors in Japan.
13-17 August 2014
Event: Obon
Location: All Over Japan
Obon, which is the Buddhist festival of the dead occurs every year in mid-August. It is a time in Japan where ancestors return to earth to visit their descendents and the family home. It is a beautiful festival where lanterns are lit and floated on rivers, lake or the sea to help guide them safely home on their journey. Families will return to their hometowns to honour the spirits of their ancestors in this wonderful custom. Obon has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and includes a dance known as Bon-odori.
16 August 2014
Event: Daimonji Gozan Okuribi (Bonfire)
Location: Kyoto
Time: The fires start at 8 pm
Price of Admission: FREE
The Daimonji Gozan Okuribi or Daimonji Bonfire is a must see festival in Kyoto during the summer. Huge fires in the shape of Chinese characters are set alight on top of five mountains during Obon (festival of the dead) to bid farewell to the souls of our ancestors. The largest fire is always burned on Mount Daimonji, just above Ginkakuji Temple. It is one of Japan’s most impressive spectacles.
John Asano is a blogger, travel writer and travel advisor living in Gifu, Japan. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he has lived in Japan now for over 15 years. John loves nothing better than picking up his camera and exploring all the amazing sights and attractions that Japan has to offer. He writes about the must see sights and attractions in Japan at Japan Travel Advice, as well as about Japanese culture and modern life on his blog Japan Australia. You can read more of his work at http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/
