Japanese Festivals and National
Holidays
Spring
Spring is the beginning of a year. It’s so
warm and comfortable season that many
people like it. People wish for a happiness
and healthy growth through a year in Spring.
Doll festivals called Hina-Matsuri
It’s the festival for girls on 3rd in
March
Family with girls displays hina dolls
People wish for a happiness and
healthy growth.
It’s believed that being late for put
them back means being late for
getting married.
Children’s day
It’s national holiday for boys on
May 5th.
The day is aimed at celebrating the
healthy growth of children and to
thank their mothers
Family with boys displays a helmet
called kabuto
They put up carp streamers called
koinobori
very big hina dolls!!!!
kabuto made of newspaper
sushi formed hina dolls
carp streamers made by children
Summer
There are many festivals in summer in Japan.
People enjoy spending time there with their
friends or families. They buy something to drink
and eat at small shops like this picture. When
some people go to the festivals, they wear yukata
like Japanese kimono.
The Star festival called Tanabata
Celebarate a Chinese legend
Held on the night of the 7th of
July
Pray to the gods for something
Some ornaments are attached to
branches of bamboo
Fireworks Festival
many many colorful and big
fireworks
seeing beautiful fireworks makes
un really happy
Why people call ‘Tamaya--!!!’
when they watch fireworks?
Bon Dance Festival
This is the Buddhist all souls’ day.
Dancing for a service for dead
people
Music is slow tempo, and the
arrangement of a dance is simple.
Bon dance has been changing for
many years.
Autumn
This is calm season in a year, it’s not too hot and
neither too cold. So people enjoy playing sports,
reading books, and foods or something.
And people can enjoy viewing colored leaves in
Autumn. Leaves turn red or yellow or purple…
There are so many colors in them.
Harvest Festival
A festival for thanking to the god
for harvest
People carry a portable shrine
Wearing coats called happi is
common.
Winter
This is the coldest season in a year. We have a
lot of snow in winter in the west of Japan. My
place doesn’t have as mush snow as other
place. Snow causes many troubles. For
example, car accidents, a delay of trains and
buses. On the other hand, falling snow is very
beautiful.
Snow Festival in Sapporo
The history of this festival
People visit Sapporo to see it
from not only Japan also all over
the world.
Display some statues made of
snow