October is Japan’s mid-Autumn when the weather is cool during early morning and evening but warm in the daylight. Trees and plant leaves turn red and yellow as autumn gradually starts from the northern part (Hokkaido) and to the Kyushu region. The Japanese celebrate October festivals to seek good harvest, good luck, and Gods’ blessings. Here are some of the October festivals to satisfy your curiosity for Japanese culture and cuisine.
Paantu Punaha Festival
Paantu Punaha festival is among Japan’s unique festivals. It’s Japan’s version of the western countries’ Boogeymen. Men, clad in masks, leaves, black mud and some sort of twigs or root, walk-in Miyakojima streets to scare the hell out of children. They carry sticks and approach senior citizens, new buildings and vehicles to wipe or splash mud as a sign of blessing and luck. Women also participate and become Noro priestesses.
Details:
Date: October 5, 2019
Venue: Miyakojima, Miyako Island, Okinawa
Map: See Map
Website: https://miyakojimabunkazai.jp/en/category/city/
Osaka Kitchenware Street Festival
Perfect for those interested in kitchenwares, this festival showcase pans, knives, ladles, mandolin, chopping boards, pots, plastic or replica food displays, and classic pottery. You can also enjoy here the Taiyaki that is a fish-shaped waffle, filled with sweet azuki bean paste and made to imitate the seabream.
Details:
Date: October 6, 2019
Time: 10:00 - 17:00
Admission: Free
Map: See Map
Location: Near Namba station, Osaka
Gifu Nobunaga Festival
Photo by Opqr and Licensed under Creative Commons
The festival highlights the processions of warrior figures from Japanese history such as:
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Oda Nobunaga - the show’s star
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Nohime or lady no - Nobunaga’s wife
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Luis Frois - Portuguese missionary, a friend of Nobunaga. He made a diary about his travels in Japan.
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Saito Dosan - Nobunaga’s father in law and samurai warlord
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Kinoshita Tokichio - a samurai general who succeeded Nobunaga and became Toyotomi Hideyoshi
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Takenaka Hanbei - Brilliant military strategist and Japanese samurai
The event starts with a professional marching band and then a rifle firing with the above mentioned historical figures. This procession starts along the length of Nagarabashi-Dori from 12:30 pm at Gifu Station until 2:20 pm at Gifu City Hall. Here you will have an opportunity to witness the history of Japanese history.
Details:
Date: October 6-7, 2019
Location: Downtown Gifu City, See Map
Admission: Free
Website: http://www.gifucvb.or.jp/en/02_event/02_06.html
Nagasaki Kunchi Festival
Photo by Masoud Akbari and Licensed under Creative Commons
This event celebrates 380 years of tradition and history that started in 1634. Participants constitute over 50 neighbourhood dance groups and floats such as Shishi lions, Dutch ships, Takara-bune and Jaodori dragons. Getting a nice view of the fluvial parades can be difficult due to the early booking as tickets are sold one month ahead. Admission is free except for seats found near the dance performance.
Details:
Date: October 7-9, 2019
Location: Suwa shrine, Nagasaki City and around other areas in the central part of the city
Phone: 095-882-0111
Map: See Map
Admission: Free
Website: http://nagasaki-kunchi.com/
Warai Festival
This festival is meant for fun and laughing. Warai festival started when a long time ago, the goddess Niutsuhime showed up late at the meeting of deities in Izumo because of oversleeping. Discouraged, the goddess confined herself in her room and cried because of shame. Worried villagers gathered outside her door and they decided to make a party. They yelled, laughed and roared until the Goddess returned to the meeting. Since then, the villagers gather yearly to the parade and immerse themselves in the river.
Details:
Date: October 8, 2019
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Address: Niu Shrine, Hidakagawa-cho Egawa 1956, Hidaka-dun, Wakayama Prefecture
Map: See Map
Website: http://kanko.hidakagawa.jp/miru/nyuujinnja.html
Organizer: Hidakagawa Tourism Association
Takayama Autumn Festival
Photo by Sjaak Kempe and Licensed under Creative Commons
Ranked as one of Japan’s most beautiful festivals, Takayama Autumn Festival is a yearly festival held in the north part of Takayama old town. The event features a fluvial parade that constitutes floats stored in warehouses or storage houses.
The attractions include:
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Festival float displays (October 9-10, 9:00-16:00) - Starts from morning till late afternoon
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Karakuri performance (October 9 - 12:00 - 14:00) (October 10 - 11:00-13:00) - Several floats decorated with Karakuri Ningyo or mechanical dolls that can dance and move adorn the fluvial parade.
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Mikoshi procession (October 9, 13:00) (October 10: procession returns at 16:30) - Features a mikoshi or a portable shrine that is paraded all over the town. The shrine contains the Shinto deity.
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Evening festival (October 9: 18:00 to 21:00) - Consists of festival floats along the streets of Takayama.
Details:
Date: October 9-10, 2019
Access: 5 minutes taxi to Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine or 20 minutes walk from the Takayama Station.
Address: 178 Sakura-mach, Takayama-shi, Gifu-ken
Map: See Map
Website: http://www.hida.jp/english/
http://kankou.city.takayama.lg.jp/2000002/2000024/
Otsu Hikiyama Festival
One of Shiga prefecture’s festivals, Otsu Hikiyama is celebrated with the 13 Mikoshi (portable Shinto shrines) floats. It centres in Tenson-Jija shrine near the Otsu station. It’s among the great events of Lake Biwa. The festival celebrates the city prosperity since the Edo period - 1603-1867. The parade features Karakuri or mechanized dolls that inspired Japan’s love for modern robots. Participants give Chimaki rice cakes as a sign of good luck. Chimaki is a rice dumpling filled with various fillings and wrapped in bamboo, reed or banana leaves. Another attraction is the Tanuki or “raccoon dog that is seen as statues in izakaya (informal Japanese pub) and bars. Nintendo’s game Super Mario also popularized the Tanuki suit.
Details:
Dates: October 12-13, 2019
Location: Near the Otsu Station, Shiga Prefecture
Map: See Map
Website: http://www.otsu-matsuri.jp/home/
Taiko no Hi
Taiko no Hi is also known as health and sports day celebrated every second of Monday in October. This festival started in 1966 to celebrate the Tokyo Olympic Games Opening held on October 10, 1964. Businesses and schools organize games to follow those games played during that 1960s Olympic games. Such games include hockey, football, 4 by 100m relay, 100m sprint, obstacle course race, tug of war, sack race, ball toss, gymnastics or human pyramid and a three-legged race.
Details:
Date: October 14, 2019
Location: Celebrated nationwide
Nada no Kenka Matsuri, Hyogo
Photo by Corpse Reviver and Licensed under Creative Commons
Dubbed as the Fighting Festival, it’s one of the dangerous and popular Japanese festivals. Participants parade Yatai floats that represent the seven districts of Himeji. They also gather and worship at Hachiman shrine and then celebrate with colourful costumes and music. It’s believed that through this festival, villagers will reap a good harvest, get blessings from Gods and earn a good fortune.
Details:
Location: 672-8023 Hyōgo Prefecture, Himeji, Shirahamacho,
Access: A 10-15 minute towards the Otabi Mountain and shrine
Date: October 14 to 15, 2019
Map: See Map
Address: Matsubarahachiman Shrine, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
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