Japan Festivals - March

March Japan Festivals 3月の祭り

Awashima Jinja Grand Festival

1-3 March

Uto, Kumamoto Prefecture

At only 30cm tall, the torii gate of this shrine is the smallest in Japan. It is said that women who are able to pass through the gate will deliver children safely and not suffer women's illnesses.

Todai-ji Shunie

1-14 March

Todai-ji Temple, Nara

Festival of water and fire. Priests conduct a fire ceremony every evening from 6pm, swinging long torches in the air to ward off evil. At 2am on the 13th, water is drawn (お水取り) from the 1200 year-old well and offered to visitors.

Water-drawing Ceremony

2 March

Jingu Temple, Obama, Fukui Prefecture

Water is drawn from the Onyu River and presented to the principal image of the temple. Said to represent the 'sending' of water to Todai-ji temple in Nara whose well is fed by the river according to legend. A ritual dating back over 1200 years.

Konomiya Hadaka Festival

January 14 of the lunar calendar (date can vary from late February to early March)

Konomiya Shrine, Aichi Prefecture

Hundreds of men around the inauspicious age of 42 don loincloths and try to tag a totally naked man -the shin-otoko before he reaches the safe haven of Konomiya Shrine, so they can pass off bad luck and ill-fortune. Boistrous, dangerous often stampede-like festival. Access to Konomiya Shrine from Konomiya Station on the Meitetsu Line or Inazawa Station on the JR Line from Nagoya Station. (Tel: 0587 23 2121)

Watch a movie of Konomiya Naked Festival

Kyokusui no Utage

2 March

Dazaifu Tenmangu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture

Kyokusui no Utage recreates a popular leisure pursuit of court nobles in the Heian Period (794-1192). Poets dressed in Heian-style kimono sit amongst the plum trees at the Tenmangu Shrine in Dazaifu in Fukuoka Prefecture, composing poems on narrow strips of paper that they slip into sake cups floating by in the nearby stream.

Hina Matsuri

3 March

Hokyo-ji Temple, Kyoto

Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival), held every year on March 3, has its roots in an ancient Chinese purification ceremony in which evil was transferred to doll surrogates (katashiro) which were then cast away on a river. Hokyo-ji in Kyoto is often referred to as the 'Doll Temple' due to its extensive collection of dolls.

Read more about the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival)

Hina Matsuri

3 March

Ichihime Jinja, Kyoto

Participants dress in models of dolls' clothing.

Hina Matsuri

3 March

Shimogamo Jinja, Kyoto

Dolls are cast adrift on the river that runs through Shimogamo Shrine in the Demachiyanagi district of Kyoto to pray for children's health.

Hina Nagashi Matsuri

3 March

Awashima Jinja, Kada, Wakayama

Women and young girls dedicate dolls to the shrine deity. The dolls are brought to the sea at Kada beach and cast adrift on a boat to take away the evil and sicknesses that afflict women.

Hadaka Oshiai Matsuri

3 March

Bishamon-do Temple, Yamato, Niigata Prefecture

Various rituals start early in the morning and continue throughout the day. In the late afternoon, loincloth-clad youths have ice-cold water poured all over them and jostle in deep snow as a prayer to Bishamonten, the evil-banishing god of arms. Yamato is a small town south west from Niigata city.

Jindai-ji Daruma-ichi

3-4 March

Jindai-ji Temple, Choufu, Tokyo

Annual festive market selling all kinds of Daruma dolls for good luck in Chofu, western Tokyo.

Shimabara Hatsuichi

3-10 March

Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture

Festive market to commemorate the construction of Shimabara Castle in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture. Ceramicware, plants, food and much more on offer.

Ogose Plum Festival

Early to mid-March

Ogose, Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture

The ume no hana festival closest to Tokyo is the Ume Matsuri in Ogose Town in the mountainous Chichibu Region of western Saitama Prefecture. It is easy to reach from Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo: take the Tobu Tojo Line to Sakado, change there to the Tobu Ogose Line, get off at Ogose Station.

Kirishima Jingu Otaue-sai

6 March

Kirishima Jingu Shrine, Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Ceremonial rice planting festival to mark the beginning of Spring. Features time-honored kagura dances and bugaku court music.

Takaosan Hiwatari Matsuri

9 March

Hachioji, Tokyo

A chance to witness the rigorous ascetic exercises of the mountain priests of Takao-san such as walking on hot coals. Visitors are welcome to take part.

Shiogama Jinja Hote Festival

10 March

Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture

Lively mikoshi parades and Shinto music and dance all day in Shiogama north east of Sendai.

Honensai Festival

15 March

Tagata Jinja, Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture

Bizarre fertility festival where the sake flows and a freshly carved 3m wooden phallus is paraded around the area of Tagata Shrine. Infertile couples come to pray for a child by touching the monster phalluses. Tagata Shrine is just outside the castle town of Inuyama, north of Nagoya.

Watch a video of the 2007 Tagata Jinja Hounen Matsuri

Phallic symbols abound at the Honensai Festival, Tagata Jinja near Inuyama

Honensai Festival takes place on March 15 at Tagata Jinja near Inuyama

Hatsuuma Taisai

16 March

Takekoma Jinja, Miyagi, Iwanuma

Mikoshi parades and a procession of 700 participants in period dress at Takekoma Shrine in Miyagi Prefecture.

Oumihachiman Sagicho Matsuri

15-16 March

Oumihachiman Shrine, Hachiman, Shiga Prefecture

Gaily decorated floats parade around the city streets before being ritually burned to the accompaniment of dancing and music.

Oidematsuri

18-23 March

Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture

Horse-back archery (yabusame) contests and a parade in ceremonial dress.

Aizu higan shishi

21 March

Aizu wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture

Lion dances are performed around the city marking the end of the long winter and the Buddhist services of the equinoctial week.

Kirishima Nanohana Flower Walk

Late March

Kirishima Jingu, Kagoshima Prefecture

Taking place on the last Saturday of March, you are welcome to join in this exploration of Kirishima's beautiful flora.

Tel: 0995 57 1111

Kirishima Guide

DISCLAIMER Festivals may be cancelled or postponed without much warning. Check with your local tourist office for confirmation.

Naked Festival, Konomiya Shrine, Aichi Prefecture

Books on Japanese Festivals