JAPANESE FESTIVALS

Matsuri (祭 ) is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday

There are a lot of local festivals in Japan as almost every shrine

celebrates a festival of its own. Most festivals are held annually and celebrate the shrine's deity or a

seasonal or historical event. Some festivals are held over several days.

THE SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL IS WHERE LARGE SNOW AND ICE

SCULPTURES ARE BUILT IN THE CITY IN EARLY

FEBRUARY.

LOCATED ODORI PARK SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

Japan celebrates the entire spring season

of the cherry blossoms. All over Japan festivals are held which include food and at night

lanterns. The Cherry blossom

trees are usually at their best during what is called the

‘Golden Week’ from late April to early

May.

The Nango Summer Jazz Festival is a music festival where Jazz artists from all

around Japan perform on an outdoor stage with a large

audience. Nango is one of the biggest jazz festivals,

becoming more and more popular each year. The

Nango jazz festival is also a free event.

NANGO SUMMER JAZZ FESTIVAL

The Doll Festival is where families pray for the happiness and health for the girls

in their family. The display is a set of dolls sitting on a red carpet platform representing the Emperor, Empress,

attendants and musicians in traditional court dress.

DOLL FESTIVAL

Hinamatsuri is celebrated each year on March 3 and

the dolls are usually displayed for a month and

taken down on a specific day to avoid bad luck.

LAKE SHIKOTSU ICE FESTIVAL

Every year, Lake Shikotsu turns into a coloured

ice playground as part of the Ice Festival, which

runs from the end of January to the

middle of February.

AOMORI NEBUTA FESTIVAL

The Aomori Nebuta is a summer festival that attracts the most tourists of any of the country's nebuta festivals, and is counted among the

three largest festivals in the region. The festival is held from August 2 to August 7, where the float is carried through the city. A fireworks show is held on the evening of the final day while the float is carried

into the sea.

JAPANESE LANTERN FLOATING FESTIVAL

The Lantern floating festival is very famous. The

small paper lanterns

containing a burning flame are either set afloat

to a river, lake or sea to drift away into the night.

Japanese people believe that the lanterns light

guides the way for their

deceased family members' spirits.

Usually the person who lets the lantern go

will write a message on the

inside.