Spring Beginnings: 6 Must-Visit Spring Festivals in Japan
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Spring is a season of new beginnings, bringing with it beautiful flowers, comfortable temperatures, and a time of celebration. While most travellers head to Japan in spring to enjoy the cherry blossoms and other flowers, how about checking out a traditional festival and experiencing the rich history and local culture? Let’s check out six spring festivals around Japan.
① Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival | Aomori Prefecture
If there’s one spring flower festival you shouldn’t miss, it’s the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (弘前さくらまつり). Hirosaki Park is considered one of the Top Three Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan (日本三大桜の名所)―along with Takato Castle Ruins Park in Nagano Prefecture and Mount Yoshino in Nara―and its scenery is truly incomparable. The park has around 2,600 cherry blossom trees, which have applied apple cultivation techniques to create denser flowers.
A special sight here is that of the cherry blossom carpet (花筏 hana ikada), which happens slightly after the full bloom period. Cherry blossom petals fall off and accumulate on the still waters of the outer moat to form a pink carpet.
Another enchanting sights is the night time cherry blossoms (夜桜 yozakura) around the Western Moat (西濠). Both sides of the moat are lined with cherry blossom trees that form tunnels which you can leisurely stroll under. At night, the reflection of the illuminated cherry blossom trees in the moat is nothing short of magical.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (弘前さくらまつり) Festival Period: 19 April–5 May 2024 Access: Hirosaki Castle Park is a 5-minute walk from Shiyakushomae Bus Stop, which can be reached via the Dotemachi Loop Bus from JR Hirosaki Station (弘前駅).
② Sendai Aoba Festival | Miyagi Prefecture
Sendai Aoba Festival. | Photo by宮城県観光プロモーション推進室
Over in Miyagi Prefecture, the Sendai Aoba Festival (仙台青葉まつり) is Sendai’s second largest festival after the Sendai Tanabata Festival, and is held on the 3rd Saturday and Sunday of May each year. Sendai is known as the “City of Trees” (杜の都 Mori-no-miyako), and has hundreds of beautiful zelkova trees (欅 keyaki) that sprout beautiful green leaves in May.
The eve of the festival (宵まつり Yoi Matsuri) on Saturday features exciting activities and the Suzume Odori (すずめ踊り) dance. Suzume Odori is a folk performing art representative of Sendai, and its name comes from the dance moves resembling sparrows (suzume) fluttering. During Yoi Matsuri, around 5,000 performers holding folding fans dance and jump to the music, dancing to the beats of cymbals, drums, and flutes.
The main festival (本まつり Hon Matsuri) is held on Sunday, when yamahoko (山鉾) floats are paraded along Jozenjidori Avenue. These floats can be up to 6m high and weigh up to 6 tons, and are manually pulled by members of the community. Joining the floats are people dressed as samurai warriors, donning armour and marching down the streets, making for a thrilling atmosphere!
Sendai Aoba Festival (仙台青葉まつり) Festival period: 18–19 May 2024 Access: Festivities take place along various locations around Sendai’s city centre. The Suzume Odori dance site is a short walk from Kotodaikoen Station (勾當台公園) on the Sendai Subway Namboku Line, while the Yamaboko display is a short walk from Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station (青葉通一番町) on the Sendai Subway Tozai Line.
The Sanja Festival (三社祭) is one of Tokyo’s Three Great Festivals (江戸三大祭), along with the Kanda Festival and Sanno Festival. Held over the third weekend of May, close to 2 million visitors come to watch the energetic festivities, which feature around a hundred portable shrines (神輿 mikoshi) being paraded around the streets to bring good luck.
The Sanja Festival celebrates the three founders of Sensoji Temple (浅草寺), Tokyo’s oldest temple. These founders are enshrined in the neighbouring Asakusa Shrine (浅草神社). On Friday and Saturday, smaller neighborhood mikoshi are carried through the streets, while Sunday’s main festival features Asakusa Shrine’s three large, elaborate mikoshi parading through the districts of Asakusa from 6am to 8pm.
The last day of the festival can get especially chaotic, as the mikoshi bearers jostle and bounce the mikoshi vigorously, an act that is believed to generate more good luck.
Sanja Festival (三社祭) Festival period: 17–19 May 2024 Access: Sensoji Temple is a 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station (浅草駅).
One of Japan’s Three Most Beautiful Festivals (日本三大美祭), the Spring Takayama Festival (春の高山祭)―also known as the Sanno Festival (山王祭)―is held annually from 14 to 15 April, and celebrates the arrival of spring. Originating in the 18th century, the Takayama Festival is made up of two parts: the Spring Takayama Festival held by Hie Shrine in April, and the Autumn Takayama Festival held by Hachiman Shrine in October.
The Takayama Festival is known for its float displays (高山の屋台行事), which has been registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The 12 floats (屋台 yatai) are displayed throughout the two-day festival along Yasukawa Street near Takayama’s old town district. Aside from the procession and marionette parades, one of the festival’s highlights is the night time festival (夜祭 yomatsuri) on 14 April where 100 lanterns are hung and lit up on each float, and paraded through the city.
Spring Takayama Festival (春の高山祭) Festival period: 14–15 April 2024 Access: The floats are displayed across different locations in Takayama.
Held on 15 May each year at Kyoto’s Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, the Aoi Matsuri Festival (葵祭) is one of Kyoto’s top three most important festivals. The festival originated as the Kamo Festival―named after the shrines where it took place―and people performed rites to appease the gods and pray for bountiful harvests in the coming year.
During the Heian Period (794–1185), when Kyoto was the capital of Japan, the festival incorporated more formal rites and rituals. Most of these rite and rituals have been faithfully continued and observed to the festival today. Now, the festival is known as the Aoi Matsuri due to the aoi (葵 hollyhock) pinned to the attire and carts of the participants.
The Aoi Matsuri is known for its long procession that starts at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, passing by Shimogamo Shrine, and ending at Kamigamo Shrine. The procession features men and women dressed in Heian Period attire walking an 8km path. Watching the procession with its detailed outfit and props, you’ll feel like you’ve slipped back in time into the Heian Period!
Aoi Matsuri Festival (葵祭) Festival period: 15 May 2024
Access: The procession can be watched from various points along the route, accessible from Marutamachi Station (丸太町駅), Demachiyanagi Station (出町柳駅), and Kitaoji Station (北大路駅).
Beppu City in Oita Prefecture is well-known for its hot springs (温泉 onsen), and produces the largest volume of hot spring water in Japan. Thus it’s no surprise that the city has a festival celebrating its hot springs: the Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival (別府八湯温泉まつり)!
Beppu has eight different hot spring areas (八湯 hatto), each with different characteristics and therapeutic qualities, making for a varied hot spring experience. A uniquely Beppu festival, the Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival expresses gratitude for the abundance and variety of hot spring water in Beppu, and is held each year starting from 1 April―which is Onsen Appreciation Day (温泉感謝の日) in Beppu―and ending on the following Sunday, creating a week-long bonanza during which many of the city’s hot springs offer free admission.
Other events are also held throughout the week as part of the Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival, such as the Ogi Fire Festival (扇山火祭り), where Mount Ogi is set ablaze, creating a striking sight when viewed from Beppu. The festival signals the arrival of spring, and gives offerings to the gods of the hot springs, who are believed to reside on Mount Ogi.
The largest event of the Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival is the Yubukkake Festival (湯・ぶっかけまつり), which takes place on the last day. Portable shrines are paraded along the street in front of Beppu Station, with participants sitting atop them splashing hot spring water all round, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. If you love hot springs, don’t miss this festival!
Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival (別府八湯温泉まつり) Festival period: 1–7 April 2024 (Ogiyama Fire Festival: 2 April, Yubukkake Festival: 7 April)
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Carissa Loh
An avid traveller fond of solo adventures, Carissa (@ciramissa) has ventured to Japan 50+ times and explored all its 47 prefectures, yet she never runs out of reasons to return. An engineering major, her decade of experience in the tourism industry was inspired by volunteering for the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. While the nature-rich Eastern Japan has become her most-visited destination, she also delights in discovering charming, lesser-known towns across the country.
A railway enthusiast and hiking aficionado, Carissa dreams of riding all of Japan’s sightseeing train and climbing all its 100 Famous Mountains. Sounds like a lofty goal? Check back in 50 years.
Japanese coffee culture has roots in both traditionalism and modernism. It embraces everything from meticulous pour-over coffee methods, vintage coffee
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