The Kawagoe Festival is one of the largest and best Autumn Festivals in all of Japan. Moreover, the festival is an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. In addition, the Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals are an UNESCO cultural heritage. The festival started at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine in 1648 afterRead More →
Horo festival, also known as Horokake matsuri, is a religious celebration and unique cultural event. September is the month for cultural and religious events after all! There are so many in fact, that I only pick a select few to share, such as the distinctive Horo Festival. This event hasRead More →
Each year, the last festival of Saitama City’s ‘summer’ festivals is the Kita Urawa Awa Odori. However, it always falls in Autumn! It is usually on a Saturday in September. But it was cancelled during the pandemic. Kita Urawa Awa Odori Each year, Saitama City has dozens of festivals knownRead More →
Miyoshi Festival and fireworks – I haven’t been in many years, but for a number of years in a row we attended this local festival in Miyoshi town beside Tokorozawa. One of the reasons I liked this particular festival is because it is at the start of September when theRead More →
Gyoda Floating lantern and ‘cool’ or summer evening festival or とうろう流し納涼大会 in Japanese. The Gyoda Floating Lantern and Summer Evening Festival is an annual event in Gyoda City. Moreover, it is held on the same date every year – on August 16th. However, between 2020 and 2022 they cancelled theRead More →
Last year, Fukaya had most of their summer festivals, except for the Fukaya Fireworks. This year, they are back for the first time in four years. However, they are on in September rather than the usual August. Before the pandemic these fireworks were always on the first Sunday in August.Read More →
The 13th annual Odako Fireworks are on in 2023, for the first time in four years. It is just a small firework display that follows a day time festival called the Kasukabe Community Summer Festival. Both were cancelled between 2020 and 2022 due to the pandemic. Odako Fireworks The fireworksRead More →
One of Saitama’s most spectacular summer festivals, the Yorii Tamayodo Suitengu festival (Suitenguusai) and fireworks need little introduction within Saitama. If you are looking for a unique, but traditional festival – one of the best Water Festivals in all of Japan – pin this! Despite the magnificence of this waterRead More →
Information for the annual Kagohara Summer Festival in Kumagaya City. Kagohara Summer Festival Each year on July 19th and 20th, regardless of what day of the week they fall, the Kagohara area of Kumagaya have their annual summer festival. It has been sorely missed for the last three years inRead More →
The Nakasendo matsuri is just one of many festivals that is normally held in Omiya at the end of July and start of August each summer. They are collectively called “Omiya Summer Festival”. A couple of them went ahead in 2022, but not this one. This is the first timeRead More →