Nine Lively Japanese Summer Festivals You Can Participate In

“Kanto” is a bamboo pole with dozens of lanterns attached, and the largest “Kanto” is 12 meters long. Because it resembles an ear of rice, the Akita Kanto Festival is held to express Akita's prayers for a bountiful harvest.

The highlight of the festival is the night parade of around 280 Kanto poles. The pole bearers, called “sashite,” balance the poles with their arms, hips and foreheads in an exciting display of strength and skill. Watching thousands of lanterns light up the sky, accompanied by traditional flutes and drums, has become a distinctive feature of Akita. During the day, tourists can also try holding a smaller Kanto pole. Once you have experienced balancing the pole, you will be amazed at the dexterity and skill of those who handle it with ease.

At the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, more than 10,000 dancers holding beautiful “hanagasa” flower hats dance to the music of Hanagasa Ondo, with spirited chants of “Yassho, makasho.”

The dancers form a spectacular ensemble for 1.2 kilometers through the center of Yamagata City, led by booming drums on the magnificent float. The streets are brightly colored with dancers in beautiful costumes and hats decorated with red safflowers. Visitors are also welcome to join in at the end of the parade, where both locals and tourists gather to enjoy the passionate dancing.

Tokushima Awa Odori is one of the largest traditional dance festivals in Japan, attracting 300,000 dancers and 1.3 million spectators. Around 1,000 dance teams, called “ren,” dance energetically to live music. The festival has a long history, dating back 400 years to a regional Bonodori dance.

The peak of excitement is “sou odori,” when several thousand dancers begin to move in perfect unison. There are also “ren” that welcome tourists, as well as spontaneous dances around town where anyone can join in. This is an event not to be missed by any lover of traditional performing arts!

Hakata Gion Yamakasa, the summer festival of Kushida Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture, begins on July 1 with the unveiling of the beautifully decorated Yamakasa floats. During this time, the giant Yamakasa floats, which are over 10 meters high, are displayed at various locations around the city.

The most exciting moment comes at 4:59 on the morning of July 15, the final day, when the sound of a drum signals the start of “Oiyama,” the timed float competition. People dressed in traditional costumes, carrying the one-ton float, run through the streets of Hakata shouting “Oisa!” Set your alarm clock, be an early bird and enjoy the festival.

The humorous Hyuga Hyottoko Summer Festival is held in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture. “Hyottoko” is a man with a pouting face and “Okame” is a woman with a round face, and both are clown masks of married couples that have been passed down in Japan since ancient times. At this festival, people dressed in red kimonos and white obi, wearing Hyottoko, Okame or Fox masks, parade around the town performing comical dances that make people laugh.

This popular festival attracts around 2,000 dancers from all over Japan, and you can join the parade by registering in advance. Beat the summer heat with a burst of laughter at this fun festival.

The Tottori Shanshan Festival is the largest festival in Tottori Prefecture, attracting 200,000 spectators each year. The festival's name, “Shanshan,” is derived from the sound of bells attached to umbrellas ringing and the sound of hot water from the Tottori Hot Springs boiling vigorously.

Beginning on the eve of the festival, which starts on August 14, around 4,000 dancers perform the umbrella dance in the city. The sight of beautiful traditional Japanese umbrellas with gold and silver paper twirling to the sound of bells is spectacular. Despite the large size of the umbrellas, the dancers' well-trained movements are truly impressive. There is also a corner where visitors can try their hand at umbrella dancing.

The Bakan Festival is a festival held in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, at the end of August every year. It started in the 1970s to revitalize the city, and now it's a festival that attracts over 400,000 people.

The “Heike Odori Sou Odori” dance festival is held on the last day of the Bakan Festival, and 4,000 dancers fill the venue. The famous “Heike Odori” is a dance performed to commemorate the Heike clan that perished in Dannoura, Shimonoseki, in the 12th century. Visitors can easily join in as the choreography is simple.

The Kochi Yosakoi Festival is the hottest festival in Kochi prefecture. It is one of the largest dance festivals in Japan, with 200 teams and around 20,000 people taking part over four days, starting with the Eve Festival on the 9th of August.

Based on the Kochi folk song “Yosakoi Bushi,” the “Yosakoi” dance is characterized by the rhythm of the clapper called “Naruko,” a tool used to scare away birds, and beautiful costumes. In addition to traditional music, styles such as samba, rock, hip-hop, flamenco and hula have been incorporated in recent years. Audiences love the spectacular performances, which involve dozens to 100 people in elaborate costumes and controlled movements. Tourists can join a team in the parade if they attend a training session beforehand.

One of the Matsuri that impresses foreign tourists the most is Nebuta Festival in Aomori Prefecture. Giant lantern floats called “Nebuta” parade through town in this spectacular festival. About nine meters wide and five meters high, the nebuta are designed with historical or mythical themes and are surrounded by “haneto” dancers who jump around energetically.

This festival is the best stage for locals to enjoy the short summer in the northern prefectures and soak up the energy. There is a costume rental shop in Aomori City for tourists who want to participate in the festival as a haneto. Join in the chant of “Rassera, rassera” and dance the night away.