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. Regional Festivals - From Hokkaido to Okinawa .
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Yamagata Festivals
***** Location: Yamagata
***** Season: Each month
***** Category: Observance
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Explanation
source : www.yamagatakanko.com
January
Heisei Nabe Gassen Cook Off (Tendo City)
Mid-January
At this event devoted to the Japanese style of hot pot cooking called nabe, you can taste a wide range of nabe from not only within Yamagata but also from the entire Northeastern Tohoku region of Japan. There are even some overseas varieties of this originally Japanese dish.
Sasano Kannon Hatsu Ju-shichi-do Matsuri
(Yonezawa City)
January 17th
There are booths selling traditional arts and crafts including Sasano Ittobori wood carvings at this annual festival of the Sasano Kannon Temple.
Sakata Nihonkai Kandara Matsuri (Sakata City)
The 4th Saturday and Sunday in January
Experience the taste of Shonai at this festival by eating dongara jiru, a local cod stew dish found only in this region. During this festival, the streets of Sakata are lined with booths and venders with generation after generation of history serving their own unique specialty foods
Nihonkai Kandara Matsuri (Tsuruoka City)
The 3rd Sunday in January
During this festival, you can enjoy the taste of dongara jiru, a local cod stew dish often eaten during the winter in the Shonai region.
Yaya Matsuri (Shonai Town)
A Sunday in Mid-January
Boys between the ages of 5 and 14 are showered with cold water during this unique festival that takes places during the dead of winter at the Chigawara Hachiman Shrine.
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February
Zao Juhyo Matsuri (Yamagata City)
Late-January to Early-February
This festival of fire and ice takes place during the best time of the year to view the juhyo, trees so covered in snow and ice that they are called the ice monsters of Mt. Zao.
Kurokawa Noh Ogisai
. Ōgisai 王祗祭（おうぎさい） OgiSai Festival .
(Tsuruoka City, Kushibiki District)
February 1st and 2nd
Pray for a bountiful new year while watching this Noh performance at the Kasuga Shrine.
Shinjo Yuki Matsuri (Shinjo City)
Early-February
This snow festival held in the Mogami Park area is one of the biggest winter events of the Shinjo area.
Uesugi Yuki Toro Matsuri (Yonezawa City)
The 2nd Saturday and Sunday in February
Over 3,300 candle-lit snow lanterns decorate the area around Uesugi Temple and Matsugasaki Park during this festival.
Kasedori (Kaminoyama City)
February 11th
This unique festival, believed to prevent fires, is a folk tradition passed down in Kaminoyama. They welcome new participants!
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March
Yamadera Basho Memorial Hall Special Exhibition: The Beauty of Hina Dolls (Yamagata City)
Late-February to Early-April
This is a special exhibition of Hina Dolls, which were introduced to Yamagata by safflower traders during the Edo period (1603-1868).
Tsuruoka Hina Monogatari (Tsuruoka City)
Early-March to Early-April
For one month in the spring, Hina dolls and other Hina crafts that were once owned by the Sakai clan are put on display throughout the city.
Sakata Hina Exhibition (Sakata City)
Late-February to Early-March
This is an exhibition of Hina dolls and adorable Udogawara clay dolls that were owned by various aristocratic families, including the Homma family, once the biggest landowner in Japan.
Kasuga Shrine Kinensai
Kurokawa Noh Performance
(Tsuruoka City, Kushibiki District)
March 23rd
This is a performance by the Kurokawa Noh group, which has been designated as a National Intangible Cultural Asset.
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April
Yachi Hina Matsuri (Kahoku Town)
April 2nd and 3rd
This is an opportunity to see the Hina dolls once owned by wealthy merchant families in the Yachi area during the flourishing safflower trade of the Edo period (1603-1868).
Kajo Kanokai Cherry Blossom Viewing
(Yamagata City)
Cherry Blossom Season
The approximately 1,500 sakura trees in Kajo Park, located in the remains of Yamagata Castle, make this the best place to view the cherry blossoms in Yamagata City.
Tsuruoka Sakura Matsuri (Tsuruoka City)
Mid-April
Not only is Tsuruoka Park the best place to view cherry blossoms in Yamagata prefecture, it was selected as one of the top 100 cherry blossom viewing sites in all of Japan. It contains over 800 sakura trees that bloom beautifully in spring, including the popular Somei Yoshino variety.
Sakata Hiyoriyama Matsuri:
Flower Viewing and Tea Party (Sakata City)
Mid- to Late-April
Sakata City’s Hiyoriyama Park was selected as one of the top 100 city parks in Japan, and it boasts over 500 sakura trees, including the popular Somei Yoshino variety.
Human Shogi (Japanese Chess) (Tendo City)
A Saturday and Sunday in April
A human shogi match is held as part of the cherry blossom viewing festivities in Tendo City. People dressed as life sized shogi pieces on an enormous board become warriors who move according to the commands of professional Shogi players in this traditional festival.
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May
Spring Broiled Herring Matsuri (Shinjo City)
April 28th to May 5th
As the snow melts and flowers bloom, the people of Shinjo City celebrate the end of the long winter in this festival, where they eat broiled herring and drink together in the pleasant spring weather.
Yonezawa Uesugi Matsuri (Yonezawa City)
April 29th to May 3rd
At this festival you can join an enormous crowd of excited and cheering spectators to witness a recreation, complete with antique flintlock guns, of the epic battle between 700 members of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen’s armies that occurred during the Warring States period (1493-1573).
Yakushi Matsuri Gardeners’ Market (Yamagata City)
May 8th to May 10th
Vendors come from all over Japan to sell a wide variety of plants at the famous Gardeners’ Market of the Kokubunji Yakushi Temple Festival.
Sakata Matsuri (Sanno Matsuri) (Sakata City)
May 19th to May 21st
There is a parade of portable shrines and floats on a variety of themes, including the Great Lion that symbolizes Sakata, at this festival.
Tenjin Matsuri (Monster Festival) (Tsuruoka City)
May 25th
This festival of the Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Michizane Sugawara, a scholar and politician who lived from 845 to 903. People dress up like monsters and go on parade at this unique festival, which is one of the Three Great Festivals of Shonai.
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June
Sakuranbo Matsuri (Sagae City)
Early-June to Early-July
Sagae City is a major producer of cherries, and the whole town becomes cherry themed during this festival with a wide variety of cherry related events.
Cherry Pit Spitting Grand Prix (Higashine City)
Mid-June
A cherry spitting competition is the main attraction at this event, which also features dance performances and sales of cherries and other local Higashine City produce.
Higashizawa Park Rose Matsuri (Murayama City)
Early-June to Early-July
Over 20,000 roses in over 750 varieties bloom at Higashizawa Park.
Ayame Matsuri (Nagai City)
June 10th to July 10th
There are over a million irises of 500 different varieties in the 3.3 hectacre Ayame Park.
Sakata Ajisai (Sakata City)
Late-June to Early-July
The Iimoriyama Park of the
Ken Domon Museum of Photography is famous for its wide variety of hydrangea flowers.
. Domon Ken 土門拳 and temple Muro-Ji 室生寺 .
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July
Mt. Gassan Opens (Nishikawa Town)
July 1st
Mt. Gassan, which has the highest peak of the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan, is open to the public starting on this day. The new mountain greenery reflected in snow left over from the winter is beautiful.
Mt. Chokai Opens (Yuza Town)
July 1st
On this day, Mt. Chokai is opened to the public, and there is a prayer ceremony to wish for the safety of mountaineers. The view of the ocean from Mt. Chokai on a clear day is unforgettable.
Kurokawa Noh Outdoor Performance:
Suien no Noh (Tsuruoka City, Kushibiki District)
July 29th
The tradition of Kurokawa Noh theatre has been passed down for over 500 years by Yamagata farmers and is designated as a National Intangible Cultural Asset. Don’t miss this chance to see an outdoor performance of this traditional theatre group.
Sakekawa Kabuki Performance (Sakekawa Village)
July 2nd
This is a performance by the Sakekawa Kabuki theater group. Although its origins are in the Kabuki theatre of the Edo period (1603-1868), Sakekawa Kabuki has since evolved to become its own unique style of traditional Kabuki theatre.
Hijiori Hot Springs Opening Ceremony
(Okura Village)
July 14th
This is the opening ceremony for the Hijori Hot Springs, which were discovered in the year 807 AD.
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August
Sakata Fireworks Show (Sakata City)
The 1st Saturday in August
This is an invigorating fireworks show that combines music and some of the biggest fireworks in Eastern Japan, including the Giant Star Mine.
Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri (Yamagata City)
August 5th to August 7th
This gorgeous festival brightens up three midsummer nights in Yamagata City, and it has become known as one of the four great festivals of the Japan’s Northeastern Tohoku region.
Akagawa Fireworks Exhibition (Tsuruoka City)
August 10th
Over 12,000 fireworks light up the night sky at this enormous fireworks exhibition.
Murayama Tokunai Matsuri (Murayama City)
Mid-August to Late-August
Children and adults alike create a variety of floats and dance wearing traditional costumes in this festival.
Shinjo Matsuri (Shinjo City)
August 24th to 26th
You can see portable shrines with a rich historical tradition at this festival, which is known for its gorgeous floats.
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September
The Biggest Imoni Festival In Japan
(Yamagata City)
The 1st Sunday of September
It takes an enormous six-foot tall pot to cook enough imoni (beef and taro potato stew) to feed everyone at this event, which symbolizes the coming of fall to the citizens of Yamagata. It truly is The Biggset Imoni Festival in Japan.
boiling sweet potatoes
Sagae Matsuri (Sagae City)
September 9th to 16th
A traditional form of horseback archery from the Kamakura Era (1185-1333) called yabusame takes central stage at this festival of Sakae City’s Hachimangu shrine. In addition to archers in traditional dress, there is even a yabusame archery event that is said to predict the outcome of the coming harvest.
Yachi Donga Matsuri (Kahoku Town)
Mid-September
The procession of a portable shrine and a performance by the Hayashi Buraku traditional dance group, which has been designated a National Intangible Cultural Asset, are among the many events at this festival revolving around Yachi’s Hachimangu Shinto Shrine.
Kaminoyama Onsen All Japan Scarecrow Festival
(Kaminoyama City)
Mid-September
Hundreds of scarecrows in all sorts of shapes and sizes are on display at this exhibition, from traditional scarecrows to imaginative modern designs.
Shirataka Ayu Matsuri (Shirataka Town)
Mid-September to Late-September
Catch young sweetfish from the Mogami River and fry them with salt or skewer them with miso sauce. Sharing a drink with a friend along the Mogami Riverside is unforgettable.
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October
Chokaisan Jinroku Tsunokirisai (Yuza Town)
Early-October
There is a traditional cutting of the deer antlers at this sacred event, which also serves as a prayer ceremony for traffic safety on the Chokai Blue Line Highway.
Nan’yo Chrysanthemum Matsuri (Nan’yo City)
Mid-October to Mid-November
The Nanyo Chrystanthemum Festival boasts the deepest historical, cultural, and artistic tradition of all the chrystanthemum festivals in Japan.
Takahata Winery: Fall Harvest Festival
(Takahata Town)
Early-October to Late-October
Celebrate the fall harvest at the Takahata Winery, where a variety of concerts and other events are held. Don’t forget to try some wine and nabe hot pot cooking.
Mogami Daisangyo Matsuri Produce Festival
(Shinjo City)
2nd Saturday and Sunday in October
Local agriculture and produce from all over the Mogami region is available in one place at this event. Come and experience the taste of autumn.
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
(Yamagata City)
A Week in Early October in Odd Years –
Next Festival in 2009
See the top documentary films and meet the top documentary filmmakers from around the world at this exciting international film event.
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November
Kaminoyama Chrysanthemum Festival (Kaminoyama City)
October 17th to November 5th
Over 800 chrysanthemums decorate Kaminoyama City’s old castle district during this event.
Bukkoji Choyaku Nenbutsu (Tendo City)
November 17th
Bhuddist priests chant, ring bells, and perform a dance with an over 700 year history at this religious ceremony.
Kurokawa Noh Performance at the Kasuga Shrine Niinamesai (Tsuruoka City, Kushibiki District)
November 23rd
This harvest festival features a performance by the Kurokawa Noh, a traditional theatre group that has been designated a National Intangible Cultural Asset.
Start of the Season at the Tengendai Kogen Ski Area (Yonezawa City)
Late-November
The Tengendai Kogen Ski Area is the first to open in Yamagata Prefecture every year. You can go skiing here starting around late November to get a head start on enjoying the newly fallen powder snow.
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December
Horohado Year End Festival (Yonezawa City)
December 4th
Scantily clad men wake up early to pound rice to make mochi rice cakes at the Sengen Temple.
Takamatsu Kannon Hadaka Mochi Making-(Kaminoyama City)
Mid-December
Scantily clad men make mochi rice cakes at this year-end event that gives thanks for a bountiful harvest and prays for health and safety in the new year.
. Takamatsu Kannon Hadaka Mochitsuki 高松観音裸もちつき .
Dharma Doll Market: Kannon-sama no Otoshiya -
Daruma Market
(Tsuruoka City)
December 17th
Shops selling auspicious objects associated with the New Year like Dharma dolls, decorated rakes, and battledore line the Nanoka-machi Kannon-do at this event, which is packed with the hustle and bustle of excited worshippers.
Shoreisai (Tsuruoka City, Haguro District)
December 31st to January 1st
This solemn religious ceremony, also called the New Year’s Eve Festival, is the most important of all the sacred rituals surrounding Mt. Haguro, the spiritual center of the three sacred mountains of the Dewa Sanzan.
Mt. Zao Ice Monster Light Up (Yamagata City)
Late-December to Early-March
The ice monsters of Mt. Zao, trees so covered in snow and ice that that take on bizarre and monstrous shapes, are lit up beautifully during this event. The view from the ropeway at night is surreal.
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Things found on the way
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HAIKU
Kurokawa Noo 黒川能 (くろかわのう)
Kurokawa Noh
. Ōgisai 王祗祭（おうぎさい） Ogi Sai Festival .
黒川能 水焔（すいえん）の能
. Kurokawa Noh and related kigo .
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Related words
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