Setsubun Kijin Shrine is one of only a few shinto shrines in all of Japan that worships “oni” – Japanese demons or ogres. Kijin is written with the Kanji – Chinese characters – of demon and God. It is not a particularly large shrine, nor is it particularly aesthetic. ButRead More →
Setsubun Kitain Temple Kawagoe – Setsubun is celebrated annually on February 3rd. (Except in 2021 when it fell on February 2nd for the first time in 124 years!) You can celebrate at home and / or at a setsubun event. Of the setsubun events the mamemaki (bean throwing) ceremony atRead More →
The Setsubun festival at Fudougaoka Fudouson Souganji Temple in Kazo is famous throughout Kanto and beyond. (Souganji / Soganji / Sogan Temple is one of the three major Fudo Temples.) The festival has been carried out for almost 400 years. Apart from the common practice of mamemaki, throwing beans toRead More →
Takasaki is famous for Daruma and for the largest and most popular Daruma market in Japan. But it is not the only place you can buy the popular talisman. The Kitain Temple Daruma Market / Festival has also become well known over the years. It is held on the sameRead More →
The Naked Men Festival, Kamikawa, Saitama. Naked Men Festival The naked men festival is on the 19th of November annually, in Kamikawa town, Saitama prefecture. And during the time the festival is on there is also a winter cherry blossom festival on a ten minute drive away. The cherry blossomsRead More →
The 100 caves of Yoshimi will have a festival this coming Saitama Prefecture Day, November 14th. And every year on the same date in celebration of the prefecture’s day. The unusual attraction in Yoshimi will be free in for the occasion. Usually it costs 300 yen per adult and childrenRead More →
Yabusame is the military art of discharging an arrow at a target while riding on a running horse. Each year in both Autumn and Spring Moroyama town celebrates this ancient military art form. However, in 2020 the Autumn Yabusame was cancelled on account of the Coronavirus. Moroyama is the onlyRead More →
Inomata Hundred Light festival, or Inomata 108 lights, is one of 312 Important Intangible Folk Properties of Japan. It is held annually on the 15th of August in the Inomata area of Misato in the Kodama District of Saitama. It is the bon ceremony of the town with an approximateRead More →
On April 27th 2020, months ahead of its scheduled date, the Nagatoro Tourist Assocation announced the cancellation of the 2020 Nagatoro Fundama Festival. Like the majority of events cancelled in 2020 it was due to concerns about the Coronavirus outbreak. It is too early to tell (September 2020) if theRead More →
The Misato “Big Bon” dance festival is held annually on August 11th, a public holiday for mountain day. It takes place in Niodori Park in Misato City, near Misato Chuo Station on the Tsukuba Express line. The dance festival starts at 4 pm and ends around 8.30 pm. However, inRead More →