A Cultural Dictionary of Japan

A Cultural Dictionary of Japan


Postcard ~ Pictorial Map of Japan: Festivals (日本の祭)
Image: Daniel Zhao, a vagabond currently living in Troy, NY, USA. She’s a student with a passion for postcards and she loves photography and travel.

Shiretoko Hiraki (知床開き), Summer coming festival ~ Rausu Town, Hokkaido Prefecture, June 21-22, 2014.
This festival is a celebration to pray for safety at sea and which heralds the beginning of the late Shiretoko summer. There are all kinds of events, including a fireworks display, a dance parade, tug of war and more. (Image: rausu-town.jp)

Yamanashi Gion Matsuri (山梨祇園祭り), summer festival ~ Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture, July 11-13, 2014.
Gion Matsuri is an event originated in Gion, Kyoto as part of a purification ritual (goryo-e) to quieten down evil spirits that cause disease and disaster. In 970, it was decreed an annual event. In the Heian period (794–1185) goryō were considered to be spirits of nobility who had died as a result of political intrigue and who, because of their ill will for the living, brought about natural disasters, diseases, and wars. The Gion Matsuri became a model for a large number of festivals around the country. The festival features, among others, the elaborately decorated floats "yama" and giant "hoko", which are pulled through the city, accompanied by drum and flute music by the people sitting on the floats. Yama, the smaller floats, depict scenes from Japanese history and mythology and often bear pine trees, shrines, and mannequins. The hoko are massive 2-storied floats, that are hauled by teams of up to 50 men. (Image: naka-se.com, 2011)

Yamaboko Junko, the main procession of Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) ~ Kyoto City, July 17, 2014.
The highlight of the Gion Matsuri is "Yamaboko Junko" (山鉾巡行), the grand procession of floats held on the 17th. A three kilometer long route along Shijo, Kawaramachi and Oike streets, starting from Shijo-Karasuma at 9.00 am. The word Yamaboko refers to the two types of massive floats used in the procession: the 23 "smaller" yama and 10 massive hoko, accompanied by music. The first float is Naginata Hoko (長刀鉾). The order of the floats is decided by drawing lots, however the Naginata Hoko float has been privileged to head the procession. The festival still uses the practice of selecting a local boy to be a divine messenger (稚児, chigo). The Hoko are the larger two-story floats in the procession. They are so big they need to be pulled by large groups of men (15 - 50). The procession on July 17 features 23 yama and hoko, while the procession on July 24 features the remaining 10 floats. (Photo by Celialee, 2007)

Sanja Matsuri (三社祭 / 浅草神社例大祭, Senso-ji annual grand festival) ~ Taito-ku, Tokyo, held on the third weekend of every May at Asakusa Shrine.
The festivities begin on Friday with the Daigyōretsu (大行列, "large parade"), a large procession of priests, city officials, geisha, musicians and dancers wearing Edo Period costumes (Photo by Tokyobling)