Immerse yourself in the lively and festive atmosphere of the Japanese festival season

Apart from cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji, Japan is also very famous for its unique culture with a history spanning thousands of years. Particularly, Japanese festivals are abundant and occur almost year-round, highlighting the distinctive traditional characteristics of Japan. Let's explore the 10 most vibrant and lively Japanese festivals with Vietjet!

1. Oshougatsu - Japanese New Year Festival

The Japanese festival of Oshougatsu is held on the first days of the Gregorian calendar, from January 1st to January 3rd. The term "Oshougatsu" in Japanese means "the first month of the year," originating from the tradition of welcoming the new year deity, Toshigamisama, who protects health, luck, and success.

The Oshougatsu celebration in Japan is similar to the traditional Tet holiday in Vietnam, being the most significant traditional festival of the year and an opportunity for family members to gather and welcome the new year together. Japanese people clean their houses, decorate with Kadomatsu pine trees or Shimekazari ropes, have a New Year's Eve meal, exchange New Year's gifts, and participate in traditional games such as Tokoage or Hanetsuki badminton.

Oshougatsu is one of the major festivals in Japan with many engaging and enjoyable activities.

2. Sapporo Snow Festival

Every winter, Sapporo is blanketed in freezing snow. The Sapporo Snow Festival has transformed the cold and bleak winter of Hokkaido into a lively and bustling event. The snow festival is held at 3 locations: Odori, Susukino, and Tsudome, with the main venue being Odori Park, located about 1.5km from the center of Sapporo. Each winter, the snow festival attracts over 2.5 million visitors from both domestic and international destinations, who come to admire hundreds of meticulously crafted ice and snow sculptures. Moreover, this fascinating Japanese festival also entices visitors with spectacular light displays, snow and ice activities, food stalls, and various other entertainment activities.

3. Nagasaki Lantern Festival

The Nagasaki Lantern Festival takes place over a period of 2 weeks, typically from late January to early February depending on the lunar calendar, attracting over 1 million visitors to the Chinatown area in Nagasaki and its surrounding regions. Formerly just a small lunar New Year celebration, this Japanese festival has now grown significantly with over 15,000 decorated lanterns, transforming the city of Nagasaki into a dreamlike spectacle with vibrant red and orange hues during the lunar New Year. Visitors attending the festival can marvel at the enchanting lantern displays, watch fireworks displays, enjoy traditional dances, and participate in various other exciting activities.

The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is held to celebrate the lunar New Year.

4. Saijo Sake Festival

Every October, the famous sake-producing town of Saijo in Hiroshima prefecture hosts the traditional Sake Festival. This festival attracts thousands of people from Japan and around the world to enjoy the exquisite taste of Hiroshima's top-quality sake. Saijo boasts more than 10 traditional sake breweries. Visitors are free to tour and taste various types of sake from these breweries, indulge in hot pot meals cooked with sake, and purchase sake to take home. Wherever you go, whichever area you're in, it feels like an enormous sake party, and you might even encounter people sleeping on the ground after having indulged a bit too much—a fascinating sight unique to the Saijo Sake Festival.

5. Gion Festival

The Gion Festival takes place annually in July at Yasaka Shrine, and it is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan. Originally, the festival was organized by the Emperor to honor the gods, pray for health, and ward off epidemics, a tradition that has been continued until today. Throughout the Gion Festival, there are many unique and lively activities, the most famous being the Yamaboko Yunko procession. Additionally, there are various other rich activities such as the purification ritual of Mikoshi, the construction of floats Hoko and Kama. This is also an occasion for people to wear beautiful kimonos, socialize, and wander around the streets of the Geisha district in Kyoto.

6. Koinobori Matsuri - Carp Streamer Festival

The Koinobori Matsuri takes place on the 5th day of the 5th month according to the lunar calendar, coinciding with Vietnam's Tet Doan Ngo. Two months prior, colorful carp streamers are hung along various streets in Japan to celebrate the festival for boys. "Koinobori" means "carp swimming upstream" in Japanese culture, symbolizing courage. The image of "carp leaping over the dragon's gate" is a wish for boys to be healthy, strong in character, and to succeed in their studies, achieving greatness. During this festival, families decorate their homes with carp streamers or Kintarou dolls, prepare traditional Obento meals, and create various other carp-themed decorations.

The festival embodies hope for the future generations, deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

7. Furusato Food Festival

The Furusato Food Festival takes place every January at the Tokyo Dome, being a special Japanese festival dedicated to food enthusiasts. The festival gathers the most delicious and unique dishes from all over the country. Visitors have the opportunity to fully experience the characteristic cuisine from all over Japan right at the Tokyo Dome. Additionally, it's a chance for visitors to explore, admire, and shop for exquisite Japanese handicrafts, as well as enjoy special artistic performances.

8. Hinamatsuri Doll Festival

The Hinamatsuri Doll Festival occurs on March 3rd, coinciding with Vietnam's Cold Food Festival. This is a Japanese festival dedicated to girls, wishing them health and happiness both in the present and the future. In Japanese, "Hina" refers to small dolls, considered very sacred and passed down from generation to generation. On Hinamatsuri day, girls are the central figures and can invite friends over to play and enjoy delicious foods like hina-arare, hishi mochi, chirashi-zushi, etc. It's also an occasion for families to gather and bond together.

The Hinamatsuri Doll Festival not only attracts young children but also appeals to adults who are passionate about doll collecting.

9. Ramen Expo Osaka

First held in 2013, the Ramen Expo Osaka may not be one of Japan's long-standing festivals, but it has garnered significant attention. Osaka is renowned for some of the world's finest noodle dishes, and the Ramen Expo is an annual festival dedicated exclusively to ramen noodles. It takes place over four consecutive weekends in December at the Expo Commemoration Park in Osaka.

Ramen, a traditional Japanese dish, consists of wheat noodles served in a broth made from bones, with various toppings such as pork, seaweed, dried bamboo shoots, boiled eggs, scallions, and more. The Ramen Expo Osaka brings together a wide variety of ramen styles, including shoyu ramen, tonkotsu ramen, shio ramen, onomichi ramen, etc., each with its unique flavor and aroma, appealing to any food enthusiast.

10. Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is held around mid-September in the city of Kishiwada, Osaka. It is a traditional and thrilling Japanese festival that leaves a lasting impression on spectators, attracting up to 400,000 visitors annually.

In Japanese, "Danjiri" refers to wooden carts. The Danjiri Festival features a procession of large, intricately carved Danjiri carts, weighing up to 4 tons, pulled at high speeds. Each Danjiri represents a different district of the city of Osaka and competes for victory in the race.

Formerly, Japanese festivals were a way to express reverence towards the gods; nowadays, Japanese festivals are about delicious food, fireworks, and well-wishes. However, they all serve as occasions to strengthen bonds and preserve the long-standing traditions of the land of the rising sun. If you ever have the opportunity to set foot in Japan, be enthusiastic about immersing yourself in the culture of this country.

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