The Imperial Palace opens its doors on 2 January for Ippan Sanga. The Emperor waves to well wishers from a terrace behind bullet-proof glass. This is one of only two days when the Imperial Palace grounds are open to the public. Entrance to the gardens is by Niju-bashi Bridge.
Dezome-shiki is an impressive festival held at Tokyo Big Sight Convention Centre on 6 January. Firemen dressed in Edo-period costumes go on parade, later performing acrobatic stunts on top of bamboo ladders at Harumi Pier in Chuo dori.
Coming of Age Festival, known as Seijin-no-hi, honours people reaching the age of 20 with a traditional display of archery at Meiji Shrine (Harajuku Station) on the second Monday of January. Twenty is the age considered as the beginning of adulthood. It is also the minimum legal age for voting, drinking, and smoking. Seijin-no-hi is also a national holiday.
Sumo Tournaments, called Hon-basho, draw crowds during 15-day periods for the last 2 weeks in January, May and September at the Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium, Ryogoku Station. Visit their website for more information: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/
Setsubun Festival marks the early advent of spring on 3 February with a classical dance of the seven gods of fortune performed at Sensoji Temple. Dried beans are scattered at most temples and shrines to banish evil spirits.
Sumo Tournaments, called Hon-basho, draw crowds during 15-day periods for the last 2 weeks in January, May and September at the Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium, Ryogoku Station. Visit their web-site for more information: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/
The Doll Festival, known as Hina Matsuri, honours girls by wishing them future happiness on 3 March. On this day, families with daughters display dolls in the house together with peach blossoms and special treats. It is a nice time to take daughters to the Kobayashi Doll Museum.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival (Sakura Matsuri) takes place from late March to early April and is celebrated wherever there are trees in bloom. In addition to cherry blossoms, there are also plum and peach blossoms mixed into this traditional appreciation of nature and beauty. Grab a bottle of plum wine (or juice) and head to the nearest park for a picnic.
The impressive Yabusame Festival is held at Sumida Park on 3 April. Yabusame is archery on horseback which began in the Edo era. The festival honours heroes of the past and takes place in Kamakura. In addition to the displays of horseback archery, a parade of shrines and sacred dances take place at the Hachiman-gu Shrine.
Sanja Matsuri is held on the third weekend in May at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. In addition to attracting over 1 million spectators, this is also considered the wildest of all Tokyo’s festivals. The main excitement is the grand procession on 16 May, which heats up the community with traditional musicians, performers and dancers. Over one hundred mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded through the streets, accompanied by great celebration and people dressed in traditional attire.
The Grand Festival of Suitengu Shrine is the annual Spring Festival held on 5 May and celebrated with sacred music and dance.
Another Grand Festival takes place from 7–18 May. Hundreds of years old, the festival is celebrated at Tosho-gu Shrine, featuring a costumed re-enactment of the delivery of the famous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains. There are displays of horseback archery and a beautiful parade through the streets.
The Kanda Matsuri is held in mid-May at Kanda Myojin Shrine. It features 70 portable shrines and dance performances by geisha ladies.
Minato Matsuri on 20 May celebrates the opening of Tokyo Bay in 1941. Festivities and a parade of sailboats are best viewed at Harumi Pier. (The exact date may vary by a few days, depending on the year.)
The jubilant Beer Festival takes place in mid-June at Yebisu Garden Palace. You can sample more than 80 different beers from both local and international brewers.
Sanno Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s largest festivals held from 10-16 June at Hie Shrine.
Gion Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s biggest parades held on 17 July. Elaborate floats wind through town, accompanied by thousands of people in traditional attire.
August is the time for dancing in the streets with the Samba Carnival and the Kagurazaka Awa Festival, both held during the last week of the month.
The lively Samba Carnival begins at Sensoji Temple. Huge crowds of samba lovers come from all over Japan and abroad to take part in the festivities and watch a parade of scantily-attired dancers Samba down Kaminarimon-dori.
The Kagurazaka Awa Festival is held at Kagurazaka, Shinjuku and is a traditional street-dance festival.
The Buddhist Obon Festival marks the beginning of Obon week all over Japan during mid-August*. It is also known as ‘Festival of Lights’ as lanterns are lit to help the spirits of past ancestors find their way home. It is an enchanting festival when floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas, Obon dances are performed, graves are visited and offerings are made at temples. It is believed that each year during Obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.
Note
that Obon week is one of Japan's major holiday seasons, accompanied by intensive travel activities and increased accommodation rates.
Fukuro Festival at West Square is Ikebukuro’s biggest festival held on the last weekend in September and first weekend in October. It starts with a parade and ends with Yosakoi dance.
Sumo Tournaments, called Hon-basho, draw crowds during 15-day periods for the last 2 weeks in January, May and September at the Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium, Ryogoku Station. Visit their web-site for more information: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/
The colourful Maple Leaf Festival (Takao Momiji Matsuri) covers the whole month of October, particularly on the weekends. Traditional Japanese activities such as parades and street entertainers mark the change from summer to autumn and the parks are alive with vibrant foliage.
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is held annually during the month of November. It is a glamorous event involving screening a wide range of new Japanese and Asian films, tributes to major world filmmakers, and award ceremonies. The main screenings take place at the Bunkamura theatre which is connected to the Tokyu department store in Shibuya.
New Year’s Eve rings in Joya No Kane. At the stroke of midnight on 31 December, every temple bell throughout the country is rung 108 times, once for each human passion. People wear their best kimonos and visit the nearest temple to pay their respects and pray for good fortune in the New Year.
For Japan's current Festival and Events see the Tangent E-zine's Festival page.
We will definitely stay in this hotel again. My rating of facilities was just good only because we did not use the pool (extra pay) and business center but found the tour desk and concierge extremely...
