Festivals and Events for September 2016 in Japan
September in Japan is the start of autumn with the promise of cooler weather and pleasant temperatures ahead. The weather starts to cool down from mid to late September with the red, yellow and orange leaves of autumn starting in the colder regions of Japan. September is a good time to travel in Japan with clear skies and cooler mornings and evenings after the hot summer months. There are quite a few traditional cultural festivals happening around this time of the year.
Here are a few of the most popular September festivals and events in Japan.
11 May to 15 October 2016
Event: Gifu Ukai (Cormorant Fishing)
Location: Nagara River in Gifu City
Time: Starts from 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.
9 July to 3 September 2016
Event: Gujo Bon Odori
Location: Gujo Hachiman
Time: 8 pm to 10:30 pm (11 pm on Saturdays)
Price of Admission: FREE
Gujo Bon Odori is one of Japan’s largest traditional folk dance festivals held at the picturesque riverside town of Gujo Hachiman in Gifu Prefecture. The festival is held from July 9 to September 3 as part of the Obon period in Japan, and is held to honour the spirits of ancestors. This amazing 400 year old summer tradition is held for a period of 32 nights from mid July to early September, climaxing with 4-nights of all-night dancing during Obon in the middle of August.
11-25 September 2016
Event: Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament
Location: Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo
The Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament starts in Tokyo at the Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday September 11 and lasts until Sunday September 25. It is the fifth out of six tournaments held every year and lasts for 15 days. This year all eyes will be on Japanese sumo wrestlers, Takayasu and Takarafuji, who have been promoted to Sekiwake, sumo’s third highest rank. In the previous tournament in Nagoya,Takayasu captured the Technique Prize for the first time with a 11-4 record which included wins over three Ozeki. Takarafuji earned the Fighting Spirit Prize for the first time with a 10-5 record which included wins over Yokozuna Hakuho and two Ozeki.
Sumo Japan’s Traditional Sport
14-16 September 2016
Event: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Matsuri
Location: Kamakura
Time: Times vary according to the event
Price of Admission: FREE
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Matsuri is a traditional festival full of ancient rituals and powerful performances held at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura. The festival features mikoshi portable shrines, a tea-offering ceremony to the gods and many traditional performances ranging from ancient samurai skills to dances of love. The highlight and main attraction of the festival is yabusame, a traditional form of Japanese archery done on horseback. It is a contest combining both equestrian skills and Japanese-style archery, which was popular among the samurai warriors.
17-18 September 2016
Event: Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri
Location: Osaka
Time: Day 1 (6:00 am to 10:00 pm) Day 2 (9:00 am to 10:00 pm)
Price of Admission: FREE
The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is a fun high-octane festival held in Kishiwada in the south of Osaka. The festival is the biggest and most famous danjiri matsuri in Japan, and began in 1703 when the daimyo (feudal lord) of Kishiwada Castle prayed to the Shinto gods for an abundant harvest. The festival features 35 elaborately hand-carved danjiri festival floats which are pulled through the streets of Osaka at breakneck speeds. Each float is pulled by a team of up to 1,000 people and represent a different district of the city.
19 September 2016
Event: Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day)
National Holiday
Respect for the Aged Day or Keiro no Hi in Japanese is a National Holiday held on the third Monday of September. It is a day in Japan to respect our elders and celebrate longevity. The holiday started in 1966 and can trace its origins to 1947 when Taka-cho in Hyogo Prefecture declared September 15 “Old Folks Day”. Its popularity spread nationwide and it become a national holiday in 1966.
22 September 2016
Event: Shubun no Hi (Autumn Equinox Day)
National Holiday
Autumn Equinox Day or Shubun no Hi in Japanese is a National Holiday on September 22. Autumn Equinox Day became a national holiday on 1948. It’s a day to mark the changing of the seasons in Japan and pay our respects to our deceased ancestors. Many memorial services take place at temples around Japan. People also visit the graves of their ancestors to offer rice cakes called ohagi, clean the tombstone, and offer incense and flowers.
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/
