Koenji Awa Odori Festival

TIME: Last Weekend of August
PLACE: Koenji, Tokyo
GETTING THERE: Chuo Line

Awa Odori is a traditional dance from the Shikoku region. Its popularity has spread throughout Japan. Koenji is the second largest Awa Odori Festival outside of Shikoku with over ten thousand dancers. They've been doing the Awa Odori for several decades and it's one Tokyo's largest summer festivals.


Click here for their website


This event coincided with a Youtube Gathering. J-vlogger Ken Tanaka organized a summer youtube gathering Aug 29th at Kichijoji Park. I got there late just as it was winding down and the mosquitos were winding up to dine on the intoxicating blood of inebriated youtubers. A group of us decided to go to the Koenji Awa Odori festival.

Oktoberfest in Tokyo (Hibiya Park)

Here are some scenes from an Oktoberfest celebration in Hibiya Park in the middle of Tokyo.


Beer, saurkraut, big pretzels, sausages, and yakisoba. Plus enough cowbell to sastify even Christopher Walkens.


Main problem though is the lines! It's not like Oktoberfest where they bring your food and drink to you. You have to stand in line and sometimes really long lines so get there early.


There quite a number of Oktoberfest events throughout Japan mainly in September and October. Be sure to check local listings!

TIME: mid-Sept around the 15th-17th from Weds-Friday. Evenings 5:00-10:30
PLACE: Hibiya Park, Tokyo
GETTING THERE: 2 mins from Hibiya Stn on Hibiya Line or 8 mins from Yurakucho on JR Line

Japanese Night Festival: Chichibu Yo Matsuri

Chichibu Night Festival Lights Up the Sky
Gigantic floats, chanting pullers and spectacular fireworks draw thousands of revelers

A decorative float burdened with singers makes it way down the streets of Chichibu, two hours northwest of Tokyo.

TIME: Dec 2&3 12pm-8pm (the 2nd) &1pm-10pm (3rd)
PLACE: Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture (north of Tokyo)
GETTING THERE: SEIBU Line from Ikebukuro (1hr 20mins)


The Chichibu Yo-Matsuri (Night Festival), dating back to the 18th century, is one of the three most famous night festivals in Japan. The small city of Chichibu lies two hours northwest of Tokyo in the mountainous regions of Chichibu National Park. Despite the cold, large crowds descend upon the city every year in early December to see the colorful, illuminated floats parade through the streets.

Festival participants

Six massive decorative floats festooned with a myriad of lanterns are pulled through the streets by large teams of men and women in festival attire. The floats weigh nearly ten tons and some of them are over 30-feet high. These floats require teams of nearly a hundred people pulling and pushing to get them moving. In front of the floats two long lines of people pull on large ropes while chanting "Wa-shoi! Wa-shoi!" (which is like saying "Heave, ho!"). Between them, walked colorfully-attired men rhythmically clacking wooden blocks together.

An empty float before the parade

On the floats themselves, groups of singers waving handheld lanterns chant and shout as they pass by. On each float a taiko drum is beaten furiously, accompanied by wildly shrilling flutes. On top of the float, sometimes a man stands waving a folding fan to the rhythm of the taiko drum and flutes.

A fishy decorated float

Occasionally, the parade hits a bit of a snag much to the relief of the rope pullers and float pushers, no doubt. Some of the rope pullers tried to bamboozle yours truly into pulling their seven-ton float, but I sheepishly declined, claiming an allergic reaction to physical labor.

The floats eventually come to a small, but steep hill where pullers and pushers have to gather up a surge of energy to yank their heavy float to the top of the hill, which also marks the end of the parade.

A singer aboard a float sings out into the cold night

South of the parade, fireworks light up the cold night sky. Below, dozens of temporary food stalls serve up piping hot food and drink to the thousands of visitors.

The backsides of two colorful floats

The Chichibu Yo-Matsuri is definitely a festival to experience. However, festival-goers should be wary of the earliness of the last trains back to Tokyo. The last trains back end around 10:30. This I did not know. When I took a train at 10:40, I reached a station that was still a good ways out of Tokyo and remained there until the next morning. I ended having to take refuge from the cold in an all-night "Manga-kissa" -- Internet/comic book cafe.

Shanghaied!

Fireworks explode over a busy street

"Wa-shoi! Wa-shoi!"

Three red-headed maidens decorate the back of one float

Japanese Firewalking Festival - Akibasan Gongen Hibuse Matsuri

Akibasan Gongen Hibuse Matsuri
Japanese Firewalking Festival



This video is from a year or two ago when I caught the tailend of a fire festival out near Odawara an hour or so to the southwest of Tokyo. Buddhist Priests dressed as Yamabushi - mountain hermits - walked over hot coals. Later, participants were allowed to do the same so I kicked off my shoes, waited in the freezing dirt till I got my chance to walk over by-then-not-so-hot coals. Walking over hot coals is known as Hi-watari-shiki.

The festival is called Akibasan Gongen Hibuse Matsuri and it's held in early-December at Ryokaku-in Temple near Odawara.


TIME: December 6 evening 6-8
PLACE: Ryokaku-in Temple, Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture - about an hour SW of Tokyo
GETTING THERE: Tokkaido Line to Odawara Stn then Hakone Tozan Railway to Hakone-Itabashi Station











TORCH DANCING

This footage was taken slightly in slo-mo (hence the out-of-focus look) of a torch dance at the fire festival. It's accompanied by a rather catchy Buddhist chant.

3000-Strong Japanese Halloween Parade in Kawasaki

Huge Halloween Parade in Kawasaki, Japan

TIME: Sunday closest to Halloween from 2:30
PLACE: Kawasaki - next to Tokyo
GETTING THERE: Tokaido & Keihin Tohoku Line


The Kawasaki Halloween Parade is a huge event that has been going on for about 10 years now with 3000 participants. You can see all kind of Halloween costumes that mix East with West from Hollywood films and traditional western monsters to Japanese Anime characters and Yokai (Japanese monsters). There was also a troop of Stormtroopers. Some really great creative costumes to be seen here.

Women, wine, and song ... ah, but a pirate life be hard!

This is just kick ass!

Even the wee-est ones get into the Halloween spirit

A Chorus of Screams

Held hostage by a bevy of beauties, the bastard!

Pumpkin Ninja!

A Pirate Lass with Sass - she be one after me own black heart!

Bunka no Hi: Japanese Culture Day

Bunka-no-Hi: Japanese Culture Day
Japan’s Culture Day Keeps Traditions Alive

Martial arts demonstrators sparring in sight of the Shinjuku Building on Culture Day.

In this fast-paced modern world of whizzing beeping flashing technology where people rush hurriedly about to keep up with these fast-changing times, it's all too easy to forget the traditions and customs of earlier slower times. Japan's efforts to keep a tenuous cultural link to its past is the national holiday known simply as Culture Day (Bunka-no-hi).

Culture Day (Nov. 3) was originally a holiday to celebrate the birth date of Emperor Meiji (1852-1912). After his death, his birthday was designated as Culture Day, a day in which cultural arts are honored.

A mother and 3-year old daughter dressed in Kimono visit Meiji Shrine

Honoring Imperial birthdays is a relatively new tradition. For long centuries, the Emperor was a shadowy figure controlled by the military dictators known as Shogun and before them the regents and ministers of the Imperial court.

Emperor Meiji was the first emperor in a long, long time to emerge from the shadows to reclaim the power and dignity of the Imperial family. The Shogun government was abolished in 1868, and Japan began its advancement into the modern world.

Yabusame archer prepares himself for the next target 

Culture Day also marks the day when the post-war constitution was officially announced -- Nov. 3, 1946.

Kendo competition at Budokan

Every year the Emperor awards individuals for their endeavors and accomplishments in the cultural arts or academic pursuits. The Order of Culture is one of the highest honors to be given from the Emperor. These awards are not limited to Japanese citizens, however. The American astronauts who first landed on the moon in 1969 received the Order of Culture.

Old and new come together

All over Japan many cities and villages put together various art and cultural presentations such as historical re-enactments, parades, festivals, martial arts demonstration, etc. Quite a number of adults and children will wear kimonos and visit shrines and temples. Traditional Japanese weddings are popularly held on this day too.

Yabusame archers of the Takeda School at Meiji shrine

Meiji Shrine which enshrines the spirit of Emperor Meiji, holds a number of events on Culture Day. Various martial arts are demonstrated using wooden and steel weapons. The mounted archery ritual known as Yabusame is performed as well. Yabusame involves an archer riding a fast horse along a narrow track while shooting arrows at two or three targets. In the past Yabusame was only performed by Samurai, but now women participate in the ritual as well. This shows that Culture Day is not some inflexible stuffy holiday designed to resist change but rather that it is adaptable to the changing times.

Youth practicing their skills and discipline at Budokan

On the grounds where the old Shogun Castle once stood, a kendo competition was held this Culture Day at the Budokan Hall. This is where the Beatles played when they toured Japan back in their heyday. Kendo is a traditional martial arts based on the samurai fencing schools of the past in which the participants garbed in armor from head to waist fight with swords of bamboo.

It's a nice day for a white wedding at Meiji Shrine. 

Whatever its origins, a Culture Day holiday is a wonderful idea. The modern world needs such days to reflect on the cultures of the past by both learning from the mistakes of the past so as not to repeat them and keeping traditional arts alive to be passed down to future generations.

Kendo "The Way of the Sword" Kendo is one of the oldest traditional martial arts still practiced by many in Japan. It derives from the old schools of sword fencing that samurai attended to improve themselves both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Today many top Kendoka (practitioners of Kendo) are police officers. It's a rather expensive pastime to get into, as the equipment all told can run upwards in the thousands of dollars. Kendoka use split bamboo swords and wear armor that covers most of their body. The most recognizable feature of their armor is the cage-like face mask. In competition earning points is quite difficult, as a Kendoka must demonstrate a perfect attack with sword, body, and spirit. TIME: Nov 3rd PLACE: All over Japan (check local listings)  - The above article was mainly at Meiji Shrine and Budokan in Tokyo

Kanda Myojin Shrine Misogi - Japanese Shinto Purification Ritual with Freezing Cold Water

Kanda Myojin Shrine Misogi (Cold Water) Purification Ritual
No Blues From This Wintry Dip in 2007

Misogi Participants purify themselves with freezing cold water

"From the earliest period Shinto exacted scrupulous cleanliness... It is not uncommon for the very fervent worshipper to invoke the gods as he stands naked under the ice-cold rush of a [waterfall] in midwinter." - Lafcadio Hearn, Japan: an Attempt at Interpretation, 1904.

TIME: 2nd Saturday of January around 11
PLACE: Kanda Myojin Shrine, Tokyo
GETTING THERE: Ochanomizu Stn from JR Line and Maranouchi Subway


Misogi is an ascetic practice of ritual purification in which the participants immerse themselves in freezing cold water. This activity takes place in Winter typically close to New Years at many temples and shrines throughout Japan and special places along rivers and at waterfalls especially in the mountains. Misogi participants will wear white which represents purity. The men wear only a loincloth known as a fundoshi and a headband. Women will wear a kimono and headband.


At Kanda Myojin Shrine the participants do a "warm-up" both mentally and physically before stepping into a pool of water with chunks of ice floating in it. They take wooden buckets and splash themselves vigorously with them. After everyone in the group has done their cold water purification, they do more stretching and chanting.





This is from an article I wrote for OhMyNews several years ago when Tokyo had a very mild January

Recently an annual purification ritual at Tokyo's Kanda Myojin Shrine was held. The ritual involved men and women jumping into a shallow pool of freezing cold natural water and showering themselves vigorously with bucketfuls of icy water. These purification-through-freezing-water rituals known as Misogi are often held in winter to display the fierce dedication of the participants.

Young girls brave the cold water and the warm winter

Most winters, particularly the record cold one last year, this ritual would be viewed as brave, strong, and more than a little insane. However, this winter, given the abnormally warm temperatures, it actually looked rather refreshing.

Preparing For Their Refreshing Wintry Dip

With the exception of a few storms here and there, Japan's winter has been exceptionally warm this year. This is in sharp contrast to last year when record snowfalls blanketed the northwestern coast and over a hundred people died in snow-related injuries. 

Heavy snowfall last winter In Nagano

Even Tokyo was hit with a significant amount of snow.

Last winter's snow in Ueno Park in Tokyo

The winter has also been conspicuously late in coming. Autumn leaf viewing has long been a popular tradition in Japan, but usually in autumn! Autumn and winter seemed to have set their seasonal alarm clocks rather late. People were viewing autumn leaves in Kyoto as late as New Year's Eve!
A number of Japanese ski slopes only received their first heavy snow within the last few weeks. Several skiing events had to be canceled or relocated to better slopes.


The warm weather is not only in Japan. Prior to the ice storms now sweeping across much of the US, the weather in many places felt like a fine day in April rather than January. The ice storms themselves are byproduct of the unnaturally warm weather.


Perhaps former U.S. Vice President Al Gore saw the Kanda Myojin Shrine event and took note of the lack of blue skin of the participants, because he was in Japan recently urging Japanese business leaders to set the example for the world to follow on environmental policies.


Gore mentioned Japan's unusually warm winter, and the early blooming cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. were also ominous signs that not all was well.

Stretching out their cold limbs after their dip

"Our planet now has a fever. And it's not going away," Gore said. "We have a moral obligation to those coming after us."


Gore was also promoting his documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. 

Obvilously smarter than us, the Japanese snow monkey prefers a hot bath to a cold one in winter