Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
chocolates (white, of course). Later in the year,
Pocky Day (November 11) is an even more overtly
commercial affair, even by Japanese standards -
people give their loved ones boxes of Pocky, sweet
breadsticks whose skinny nature vaguely resembles
the date (eleven-eleven). Christmas is also an
almost totally commercial event in Japan; Christmas
Eve, in particular, is one of the most popular date
nights of the year, and all fancy restaurants are
booked solid. By contrast, New Year's Eve is a fairly
subdued, family-oriented event.
Hana Matsuri April 8. The Buddha's birthday is celebrated in all Tokyo's
temples with either parades or quieter celebrations, during which a small
statue of Buddha is sprinkled with sweet tea.
Earth Day Tokyo Around 22 April W earthday-tokyo.org. The
capital joins in global celebrations of our planet's environment with big
events in Yoyogi Park and elsewhere.
Jibeta Matsuri Mid-April. In this celebration of fertility, an iron phallus
is forged and giant wooden phalluses are paraded around
Kanayama-jinja, in the southern Tokyo suburb of Kawasaki, amid dancing
crowds, including a group of demure transvestites.
Kamakura Matsuri Mid-April. Kamakura's week-long festival
includes traditional dances, costume parades and horseback archery.
JANUARY
Ganjitsu (or Gantan) January 1. The hatsu-mōde - the first shrine
visit of the year - draws the crowds to Meiji-jingū, Hie-jinja, Kanda
Myōjin and other city shrines to pray for good fortune. Performances of
traditional dance and music take place at Yasukuni-jinja. National holiday.
Kōkyo Ippan Sanga January 2. Thousands of loyal Japanese - and
a few curious foreigners - troop into the Imperial Palace grounds to greet
the emperor. The royal family appear on the balcony several times from
9.30am to 3pm.
Dezomeshiki January 6. At Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba, firemen in
Edo-period costume pull off dazzling stunts atop long bamboo ladders.
Seijin-no-hi (Adults' Day) Second Monday in January. A colourful
pageant of 20-year-old women, and a few men, in traditional dress,
visiting city shrines to celebrate their entry into adulthood. At Meiji-jingū
various ancient rituals are observed, including a ceremonial archery
contest. National holiday.
MAY
Design Festa May and November or December W designfesta.com.
Thousands of young and aspiring artists converge on Tokyo Big Sight in
Odaiba for this twice-yearly weekend celebration of design.
Kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day) May 5. Families fly carp banners,
symbolizing strength, outside their homes. National holiday.
Kanda Matsuri Mid-May. One of the city's top three festivals, taking
place in odd-numbered years at Kanda Myōjin, during which people in
Heian-period costume escort eighty gilded mikoshi (portable shrines)
through the streets.
Tōshō-gū Haru Matsuri May 17-18. Huge procession of one
thousand armour-clad warriors and three mikoshi , commemorating the
burial of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in Nikkō in 1617.
Sanja Matsuri Third weekend in May. Tokyo's most boisterous
festival, when over one hundred mikoshi are jostled through the streets of
Asakusa, accompanied by lion dancers, geisha and musicians.
FEBRUARY
Setsubun February 3 or 4. On the last day of winter by the lunar
calendar, people scatter lucky beans around their homes and at shrines or
temples, to drive out evil and welcome in the year's good luck. The liveliest
festivities take place at Sensō-ji, Kanda Myōjin, Zōjō-ji and Hie-jinja.
JUNE
Sannō Matsuri Mid-June. In even-numbered years the last of the big
three matsuri (after Kanda and Sanja) takes place, focusing on colourful
processions of mikoshi through Akasaka.
MARCH
Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) March 3. Families with young girls
display beautiful dolls of the emperor, empress and their courtiers dressed
in ancient costume. Department stores, hotels and museums often put on
special displays at this time.
Hi Watari Second Sunday in March. A spectacular fire-walking
ceremony held at the foot of Mount Takao.
Tokyo International Anime Fair Last week of March W www
.tokyoanime.jp. Four-day event (with public access over the weekend)
when Japan's anime industry displays its shows and film for the
coming year.
Roppongi Art Night Last Saturday in March W roppongiartnight.
com/en. Dusk to dawn street performances and art events are held
across Tokyo's party district.
JULY
International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival Mid-July (dates
can vary) W tokyo-lgff.org. One of the best Tokyo film festivals,
dedicated to queer movies. Screenings are at Spiral Hall in Aoyama and
Wald9 Cinema in Shinjuku.
Hanabi Taikai Late July and early August. The summer skies explode
with thousands of fireworks, harking back to traditional “river-opening”
ceremonies to mark the start of the summer boating season. The
Sumida-gawa display is the most spectacular (view it from river boats or
Asakusa's Sumida-kōen on the last Sat in July), but those in Edogawa,
Tamagawa, Arakawa and Harumi come close. Kamakura has its hanabi
taikai on August 10.
AUGUST
Fukagawa Matsuri Mid-August. Every three years Tomioka
Hachiman-gū, a shrine in Fukagawa (east across the Sumida River from
central Tokyo), hosts the city's wettest festival, when spectators throw
buckets of water over a hundred mikoshi being shouldered through
the streets.
APRIL
Art Fair Tokyo Early April W artfairtokyo.com. Tokyo International
Forum is the focus for Japan's largest commercial art event with around
100 local and national galleries participating.
 
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