Here are some festivals to make sure you arrive in time for!!!
cherry blossom festival
A visit to Japan during sakura (cherry blossom) season is a rare pleasure, and highly recommended. If I could visit anywhere I would visit the cherry blossom festival because it is a well known festival in Japan and based on what I have seen and many have experienced it seems beautiful. That said, timing a trip can be tricky. Sakura season usually arrives between the end of March and the beginning of April in Tokyo and Kyoto, but it depends on the weather.
the jidai matsuri
Is a festival that takes place every year on October 22, the anniversary of the foundation of Kyoto. It consists of a large parade that travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Jidai Matsuri is Japanese for "Festival of Ages", and the participants of the parade are dressed in costumes from almost every period of Japanese history, as well as famous historical figures. There are about 2000 people that take part in this festival and it takes two hours to watch the entire day pass by. The Jidai Matsuri is held by Heian Shrine, and both the festival and the shrine were established in 1895 to celebrate Kyoto's history and culture. A few years before in 1868, the capital was moved to Tokyo after having been in Kyoto for over a thousand years. Despite its short history, the Jidai Matsuri is one of Kyoto's three most famous festivals, along with the Gion Matsuri in July and the Aoi Matsuri in May.
the tenjin festival
The festival started in the 10th century and today takes place on July 24 and 25 every year. The main celebrations are held on the festival's second day, July 25, including a land procession and a river procession with fireworks! Tenjin Matsuri is the festival of the Tenmangu Shrine and honors its principle god/ess Sugawar Michizane, the god/ess of scholarship. The festival involves inviting the god/ess out of the shrine and parading him through the city, carrying out various exuberant festivities to entertain him, before taking him back to the shrine. For the people, the lively festivities manifest in a wonderful occasion to enjoy the hot summer day, filled with traditional costumes, spectacular processions and a celebratory atmosphere.
awa odori
Awa Odori is a festival of music and dance , the festival features dances to welcomes the souls and ancestors in the Bon season from July to August. It is well known through JApan for these words 'It's a fool who dances and a fool who watches! If both are fools, you might as well have fun dancing!`. This dance started in 1587 for feudal lord Hachisuka Iemasa (1558-1638), to celebrate the newly-built Tokushima Castle. at the festival when it started citizens were drunk and started to dance in an unsteady way. The Awa-Odori is characterized by irregular steps and by the jovial and energetic up-tempo rhythm. Men and women where separated into groups were the dancers parade through the city dancing and playing drums and gongs. That were used when praying to Buddha, there were also three-stringed Japanese musical instruments, and flutes. The rule of the dance is to move your right arm forward with your right leg and your left arm forward with your left leg in turns to the two-beat rhythm.
sapparo snow festival
This festival is one of Japan's largest winter events that attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and other countries every year. Every festival about two million people come to Sapporo to see a large number of snow and ice sculptures all through out the Odori Park, the grounds at Community Dome Tsudome, and along the main street in Susukino. For these seven days, Sapporo is a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow.
yokote kamakura festival
This Festival is located east of Yokote Station to Yokote Castle, which is located about two kilometres away across Yokote River. A a visitor you can go on a leisurely stroll along the streets of Yokote. If your lucky you may also be able to take part in making a kamakura at one of the hands-on sessions at Komyoji Park.
There is a Kamakuran Hall that preserves some of the kamakura all year round. The Kamakura hall is a small -10 degree Celsius room, so visitors can see the snow houses in the warmer months when the festival isn't on. When the festival is on. close to the Kamakura Hall there are many Kamakura, snow sculptures and food stalls located around, making it a exciting festival.
There is a Kamakuran Hall that preserves some of the kamakura all year round. The Kamakura hall is a small -10 degree Celsius room, so visitors can see the snow houses in the warmer months when the festival isn't on. When the festival is on. close to the Kamakura Hall there are many Kamakura, snow sculptures and food stalls located around, making it a exciting festival.
omizutori
Omizutori started 1000 years ago where the Buddhist priests draw up healing waters and run about with huge pine torches. Now-a-days priests at Todai-ji Temple, confess their sins before the Eleven-faced Kannon enshrined in Nigatsu-do Hall, and also pray for world peace and a rich harvest for 14 consecutive days. This ritual, called Shuni-e, has continued since 752.
During this period, an event known as Otaimatsu is really worth seeing. Priests run to and fro along the corridors of Nigatsu-do waving huge pine torches. It is believed that if you are showered with these fire sparks, you will be protected from evil things.
The highlight of Omizutori is performed early on the morning of the 13th. Where water which only springs forth in front of the temple building on this very day is drawn up and offered to the Buddhist deities. Some people say this water has special powers for curing all disease. This spring water is believed to reach Todai-ji after passing underground for more than 10 days from Obama City, Fukui Prefecture. Even today, the Omizuokuri ceremony is performed on March 2nd.
During this period, an event known as Otaimatsu is really worth seeing. Priests run to and fro along the corridors of Nigatsu-do waving huge pine torches. It is believed that if you are showered with these fire sparks, you will be protected from evil things.
The highlight of Omizutori is performed early on the morning of the 13th. Where water which only springs forth in front of the temple building on this very day is drawn up and offered to the Buddhist deities. Some people say this water has special powers for curing all disease. This spring water is believed to reach Todai-ji after passing underground for more than 10 days from Obama City, Fukui Prefecture. Even today, the Omizuokuri ceremony is performed on March 2nd.
takayama matsuri
The Takayama Festival, some people say the Takayama festival is one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan. This festival features 2 parts. one at the Takayama Festival or Sanno Matsuri at Hie Shrine, and the Autumn Takayama Festival or Hachiman Matsuri at Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine. The Autumn Hachiman Matsuri, is held anually on October 9th and 10th prompts local inhabitants to get ready for winter. The best part of the Takayama Festival are the eleven yatai floats, designed as significant intangible folk cultural assets. Their splendid motifs produced by the skills of the master artisans called Hida no Takumi are so gorgeous that they are often described as 'mobile Yomeimon' in association with the renowned Yomeimon Gate of Nikko Tosho Shrine. The many spectators come from everywhere and are fascinated by the festival, there are wind-up marionettes, which move with a thread or a spring, performing on top of the yatai floats are especially interesting. The floats are lined up before dusk where the unique ornaments look wonderful in the darkness of the night. A significant cultural asset refers to customs of food, clothing, shelter.
Pictures and Information were taken from http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2063.html