Japanese festivals in October 10月の祭り
Celebrate the arrival of autumn
Autumn is here! And even if the maple leaves aren't quite ready to blush, October is a month full of festivities with matsuri organized every weekend. You are bound to find something to entertain you...
Otsu Matsuri
About ten minutes from Kyoto by train is the city of Otsu, built on the shores of Lake Biwa. In addition to its magnificent temples, Otsu offers its visitors a 400-year-old festival on the first weekend of October each year.
You will be able to attend an impressive parade of mikoshi (portable shrines) carried by the locals, as well as performances of mechanical dolls. These performances allowed the festival to officially become the "intangible folk cultural property" of Shiga Prefecture.
Address: Otsu, Shiga
Date: first weekend of October
Access: Otsu station (JR Biwako line)
To go further: Visit Otsu
Nagasaki Kunchi
Since the 16th century, Nagasaki has celebrated the tradition of Shintoism during the Kunchi. It has even become the biggest festival in the city. Each district of the city is brought to participate with a rotation every year, with varied dance performances.
See also: Shinto
At the time, it was only a pretext to flush out the Christians hidden in the region. Today, the festival highlights the multiculturality of Nagasaki, a colorful city.
Address : Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki
Date: October 7-9
Access: Suwajinja mae tram stop
Takayama Matsuri
Again, several parades see floats and mikoshi parade through the city during the Takayama festival, accompanied by puppet shows. But this one is reputed to be one of the 3 most beautiful in the country. It even takes place twice a year, in April and October.
Enjoy this incredible moment in a magical setting, in the heart of the Japanese Alps, day and night.
To read: Matsuri, Japanese festivals
Takayama Festival Float
Adrian
Address : Sakurayama Hachiman-gu Shrine, Takayama
Date : October 9 and 10
Access: 15 min on foot from JR Takayama Station
Onomichi Lantern Festival
Made famous thanks to the film "Journey to Tokyo" by Yasujiro Ozu, the port city of Onomichi attracts thousands of curious people every year for its precious festival.
In the Seto Inland Sea, you can clear your mind as you gaze at the beautiful Japanese lanterns decorated and arranged to form various designs in the dark.
Address : Onomichi, Hiroshima
Date: October 13 (in 2018)
Access : Onomichi Station
Jidai Matsuri
The " festival of epochs " in French is one of the 3 most important festivals in Kyoto. It celebrates the characters who created the history of the former imperial capital over the centuries. 2,000 participants parade in costume in the city on the occasion of the Jidai Matsuri.
Kyoto's coveted geishas, called geiko, take part in the parade that begins at the Imperial Palace and ends at the Heian Shrine.
Address: Kyoto Imperial Palace
Date: October 22 (23 in case of bad weather, then canceled if the weather does not improve)
Access: Jingu marutamachi (Keihan Oto line) or Higashiyama (Tozai line) stations
Karuizawa Momiji Festival
Maple leaves are eagerly awaited in the Tokyo area at the end of November and the trees only turn red for a few days. But an hour by shinkansen further, in Karuizawa in Nagano prefecture, autumn is celebrated as it should be for 6 weeks!
Take advantage of a day in the Japanese countryside to capture the most beautiful landscapes of Japanese autumn or kôyô, and appreciate the hot springs of the charming Karuizawa.
The Shiraito waterfalls near Karuizawa
Hiroaki Kaneko
Address: Karuizawa, Nagano
Date: end of September to the beginning of November
Access: JR Karuizawa Station
