Japanese Festivals
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Transcript of Japanese Festivals
JAPANESE FESTIVALS
Matsuri (祭 ) is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday
There are a lot of local festivals in Japan as almost every shrine
celebrates a festival of its own. Most festivals are held annually and celebrate the shrine's deity or a
seasonal or historical event. Some festivals are held over several days.
THE SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL IS WHERE LARGE SNOW AND ICE
SCULPTURES ARE BUILT IN THE CITY IN EARLY
FEBRUARY.
LOCATED ODORI PARK SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO
SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Japan celebrates the entire spring season
of the cherry blossoms. All over Japan festivals are held which include food and at night
lanterns. The Cherry blossom
trees are usually at their best during what is called the
‘Golden Week’ from late April to early
May.
The Nango Summer Jazz Festival is a music festival where Jazz artists from all
around Japan perform on an outdoor stage with a large
audience. Nango is one of the biggest jazz festivals,
becoming more and more popular each year. The
Nango jazz festival is also a free event.
NANGO SUMMER JAZZ FESTIVAL
The Doll Festival is where families pray for the happiness and health for the girls in their family. The display is a set of dolls
sitting on a red carpet platform representing the Emperor, Empress,
attendants and musicians in traditional court dress.
DOLL FESTIVAL
Hinamatsuri is celebrated each year on March 3 and
the dolls are usually displayed for a month and
taken down on a specific day to avoid bad luck.
LAKE SHIKOTSU ICE FESTIVAL
Every year, Lake Shikotsu turns into a coloured
ice playground as part of the Ice Festival, which
runs from the end of January to the
middle of February.
AOMORI NEBUTA FESTIVAL
The Aomori Nebuta is a summer festival that attracts the most tourists of any of the country's nebuta festivals, and is counted among the
three largest festivals in the region. The festival is held from August 2 to August 7, where the float is carried through the city. A fireworks show is held on the evening of the final day while the float is carried
into the sea.
JAPANESE LANTERN FLOATING FESTIVAL
The Lantern floating festival is very famous. The
small paper lanterns
containing a burning flame are either set afloat
to a river, lake or sea to drift away into the night.
Japanese people believe that the lanterns light
guides the way for their
deceased family members' spirits.
Usually the person who lets the lantern go
will write a message on the
inside.