TOP 7 Most Distinctive Japanese Festivals, You've Earned if You Know about Them

Kanda Matsuri Festival is one of the three major festivals in Japan and also the most famous one in Tokyo. Usually, it is held around May 15 in odd-numbered years and last for 6 days. The parade on Saturday during the festival is the most lively; the impressive highlights are the massive walking parade and Taichung shows, which consist of 3,00 people through central Tokyo districts, including Kanda, Nihonbashi, Otemachi, and Marunouchi. Among the parade and shows, there are God Sedan chair with phoenix decorations on the eaves and all kinds of floats, as well ass God officials sitting on the horses. The whole scenery is very spectacular. If you are in Tokyo and encounter the festival, just take a look at this traditional festival of Japan.

Yasaka-jinja Shrine is located near Gion in Kyoto. It is said that it was a shrine built for the guardians of Gion. There are more than 3,000 Yasaka-jinja Shrines in Japan. This is the head of all shrines, which is the most popular shrine in Kyoto. Inside the shrine, many lanterns are offered, which are very beautiful at night. If you travel to Kyoto in July, you can visit "Gion Festival", which is one of the three major festivals and held in Yasaka-jinja Shrine. All of them are unmissable. Gion Festival originated from the sacrificial activities which were implemented by the public for praying peace in the 11th year of the of Tang zhenguan when the infectious diseases outbroke. The climax of the festival is "Shanmao Parade" (float parade in Gion Festival) held on July 17. Most of the decorations on the parade floats are originated from local stories or anecdotes, which are luxurious and gorgeous, and have the reputation of being an active art gallery.

Wearing a bathrobe to view the fireworks is just like a Japanese manga scene. The fireworks display is originated from the habit which the Edo people enjoy the fireworks in cool times. Odaiba, Sumida-gawa and outer court of Meiji Shrine are the three major fireworks venues in Tokyo. Among them, the fireworks display in Sumidagawa are the most representative. On the last Saturday in July, tens of thousands of fireworks light up the night sky in civilian areas. The first venue of Sumida River Fireworks Display is near Asakusa Station; the best observation point is near Sumida Park and Honjo-azumabashi, which are the most popular. The second venue is near Kuramaecho Station, and you can also view the fireworks outside the venue. It is recommended that you can view the fireworks from the Tokyo Tower, with a different style.

Sounkyo Hyoubaku Festival, one of the biggest winter festivals in Hokkaido, is held in the hot spring town between mountains and valleys. The ice fall and ice lanterns in Sounkyo are beautiful, and you can rent tires to skate on the slopes, view various types of shows, activities, and fireworks. Sounkyo, a small town in the heart of the Daisetsuzan National Park in north-central Hokkaido, which is famous for its for its ski resorts and spa hotels. You can first take JR from Sapporo to Kamikawa Station, and then take bus after you get off the tram to reach Sounkyo. Moreover, the hotels provide the shuttle bus to bring you to the venues of Sounkyo Hyoubaku Festival.

Asian rock fans must know about SUMMER SONIC. it is the only music festival in Asia that rivals Europe and America. In Chiba prefecture and Osaka, it is held on Statuary and Sunday in Middle-August or early August every year. This is the largest indoor music festival in Asia, with a large number of Japanese musicians and well-known bands from overseas attending every year Most of the performances of Summer Sonic are implemented indoors. Thus, in the summer hot day, you can avoid the pain of the sun exposure. In Summer Sonic, there are many big-name singers and orchestras, such as Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, and Sigur Ros. All of them have participated in the Summer Sonic.

Mount Fuji is the largest Shibazakura viewing area in the capital area of Tokyo. The carpet woven through white, red, and pink Shibazakura forms a wide range of shades of pink; moreover, the whole scene is amazing with matching the beautiful scenery of towering Mount Fuji. From Mid-April to late May every year, it is the season for appreciating Shibazakura. Shibazakura is actually a kind of flower that grows closely on the ground. Because its flowers look like cherry blossom and grows on the ground like a lawn (it is called "しばふ" in Japanese), it is called "Shibazakura". In the annual flower viewing period of Shibazakura, "Fuji Shibazakura Festival" will be held in Motosuko Lake Resort. In an empty plain whose size is equivalent to two baseball fields, 800,000 plants of Shibazakura are planted. It seems to be a world of flowers and flowers looking ahead.