Japan has many festivals and traditional events that have been handed down since ancient times.
This time, we will introduce four festivals and traditional events in the Chubu region.
If you’re interested, why not come to Japan during the festival?
*Please check the official website for the dates of the festival.
▲Photo provided:Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau
It boasts one of the largest numbers of spectators in the country, with over 1.7 million people visiting over the three days of the festival every year. The “kite-flying battle” takes place at the Nakatajima Kite Flying Site, and in the evening, a grand event is held at the Hamamatsu City Center Area, including the pulling of Goten Yatai floats. The purpose of the Hamamatsu Festival is for the whole community to celebrate the birth of the first child. The young men of the town, parents and children fly kites high into the sky, bearing the family crest and the name of the firstborn, in hopes of the children’s healthy growth.
▲Photo provided:Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau
The Goten Yatai floats, which fantastically decorate the city at night, parade through the streets, competing with each other for beauty to the sound of reverberating music.
▲Photo provided:Tahara City
It is known for its floats carrying mechanical dolls and is a traditional event that brightens up Tahara city in the fall. Three Karakuri floats carrying the parade are paraded through the town. At night, children perform hand dances on the floats, and hand-held fireworks (Tedutsu Hanabi) are set off at the finale.
▲Photo provided:Tahara City
▲Photo provided:Yamanashi Tourism Organization
This festival is counted as one of the three strangest festivals in Japan, and is said to have a history stretching back 400 years. The highlight is the torch lighting on the first day. More than 70 large torches, each 3m high, are lit all at once. The sight of the night sky turning red and the approach to the shrine engulfed in flames is truly spectacular. On the second day, the mikoshi is paraded through the parishioners and returned to Sengen Shrine. The festival reaches its climax when parishioners walk alongside the mikoshi, holding “Susukino Tamagushi” offerings.
▲Photo provided:Yamanashi Tourism Organization
▲Photo provided:Ito City Tourism Division
The mountain burning is said to have a history of 700 years. The event began with the aim of preserving the mountains, but has now become a part of the spring tradition. The sight of the fire rising from the base to the summit is truly spectacular. Many visitors come every year to see the magnificent scenery.
▲Photo provided:Ito City Tourism Division
▲Photo provided:Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana Tourism Bureau
This festival is symbolized by a dragon, as the Tenryu River was once known as “violent Tenryu.” This festival can be enjoyed from day to night, with activities such as Hamakita kite flying, stage performances, an experience plaza, a product exhibition, and the Hiryu Fire Festival.
The highlight of the show is the finale, “Hiryu (Flying Dragon) Niagara.” Niagara fireworks will be fired from the body of the 60m-long flying dragon suspended by a crane, and fireballs will be fired from the head.
Let’s experience the skills of craftsmen ~ Ganyudo “Shokunin-san”
As I spend more time at home, I find myself worrying more about what to do, especially on holidays. At that time, I happened to look at SNS and saw an experience that an acquaintance had introduced saying that there was something like this. It is a kit called “Shokunin-san” by Ganyudo.
Ganyudo is a long-established traditional store that was founded in the Meiji era, and each of its Japanese sweets are carefully made by craftsmen, and from the appearance to the taste, each one is overflowing with a sense of happiness that cannot be expressed in words. Ganyudo sells a kit called “Shokunin-san” by mail order, which allows you to make Japanese sweets like a craftsman, but how can you look at the samples without actually having the craftsman nearby? I guess I can get some advice…
With this in mind, I opened the “Shokunin-san” kit I had purchased out of curiosity. I felt a sense of excitement, like opening a gift box. The box had a nice photo of Ganyudo’s Japanese sweets, giving off the atmosphere of a strict, long-established Japanese sweets shop.
A Culinary Trip to Hamamatsu! From Gyoza and Unagi to Hamburger Steak
A delectable array of foods are found in Hamamatsu, including Hamamatsu gyoza and unagi. In this article, we delve into the famous specialty foods of Hamamatsu.
What kind of place is Lake Hamana? Sea Lake Textbook – Seafood Edition – now on sale! !
I don’t think there is anyone who lives in this area who doesn’t know about Lake Hamana. I think everyone has at least once gone out to collect clams, go fishing, or go for a drive along the shore of Lake Hamana. Lake Hamana is a very familiar place to us.
What would you say if someone asked you again, “What kind of place is Lake Hamana?” You probably won’t be able to give a good answer like, “Hmm. There’s nothing special about it…” I want to know more about Lake Hamana. With this in mind, I began creating this “Sea Lake Textbook”.
This book was originally based on a poster titled “50 Amazing Things in Hamamatsu and Lake Hamana”. This poster is intended to convey that there are many wonderful things to see in the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana area. The “Lake of the Sea Textbook” is an even more in-depth study. Both were created for local elementary and junior high school students, and were produced as part of the “Lake Hamana Tourism Area” project, which is working to create a tourist area that encompasses Hamamatsu City and Kosai City. Normally, when we think of tourism, we think of inviting visitors from outside, but why local elementary and junior high school students? There is a reason for this.
Have you ever heard of the term civic pride? It means that citizens have pride and attachment to their region. In the field of tourism, there is now a need to foster this civic pride. So why does fostering civic pride lead to tourism?
When you feel pride and attachment to your region, you can’t help but want to share it with others. “Lake Hamana is an amazing place, so come and visit us!” When residents say these words one after another, they attract people from outside, and the residents want to convey the goodness of Lake Hamana to people who come from outside. It will be. And the goodness of Lake Hamana is passed on from person to person. This is the ideal form.
So what can we do to help residents feel civic pride? First of all, let’s let people know that Lake Hamana is amazing! With that in mind, I created 50 amazing posters. The first thing you need to do is stop and look at the poster. After that, I decided to create a textbook that would be more accessible and readable. First, by getting elementary and junior high school students interested, the children will pass it on to their parents, and the parents will also become interested. I want to create something that will lead to understanding the richness of Lake Hamana.
How was Lake Hamana formed?
When did it become connected to the sea?
What kind of creatures do the fish and shellfish live in?
It’s connected to the sea, but is it salty?
How deep is it?