Enjoying the 3 Great Festivals of Japan
Don’t miss the fireworks and mikoshi processions that date back 1000 years
When I think of summer in Japan, yukata, fireworks, and festivals come to mind. They call come together at the festivals.
Japan has 3 big summer festivals:
- Kanda Matsuri (神田祭) the weekend closest to May 15
- Gion Matsuri (祇園祭) July 17-24
- Tenjin Matsuri (天神祭) July 24-25
These are known as the “3 Great Festivals of Japan” (日本三代祭). Each is one of the Great Festivals of their own prefecture — Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto — which each have 3 Great Local Festivals in addition to the being one of the great national festivals.
The essential function of the festivals is to bring peace and prosperity. They drive out evil spirits and protect against misfortunes such as disease and natural disasters.
With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, these festivals have become even more important to Japanese people.
Kanda Myojin Matsuri (神田明神)
Kanda Myojin Matsuri (神田明神) at the Kanda Myojin Shrine is home to three deities: Daikokuten, the god of good harvest and matrimony; Ebisu, the god of fishermen and businessmen; and Taira Masakado, a feudal lord of the 10th century who was revered and deified.
The Kanda Matsuri, known as the Tenka Festival, is said to have been a sacred boat procession until the middle of the Genna Era (1615 -1624). It was held every year until the Enpo Era (1673–1681) but began to be held every other year switching with the Sanno Festival.
Under the patronage of the Edo Shogunate, two portable shrines and 36 to 45 floats were employed for viewing by Tokugawa Shogun and the Shogun’s wife from within the inner circle of Edo Castle. At some point Edo’s common folk began calling it Tenka Matsuri or World Festival. However, from the Edo Period, Kanda Festival became famous across the country as one of the three great festivals.
Modern times
During the Meiji Era, the shrine’s name changed from Kanda Myoji to Kanda Shrine, even though today it is stilled called by both names. Although the number floats decreased from 46 to 40, the festival was still enjoyed on a grand scale equal to those which took place during the Edo Period. However, due to the impact of summer typhoons, the festival was moved from September to May, and the locals of each town were delegated to erecting the float of their area.
From the Taisho Era, the festival custom changed from the shrine performing the mikoshi (神輿) portable shrines procession to each area carrying out their own procession, which resulted in the festival taking one week to hold.
After the war, the practice of float and mikoshi processions changed to only the procession of mikoshi. Originally, due to the length of time it took to transport the deity, the festival lasted one week, but was latter shortened to 3 days and then 2 days due to the use of cars. Nowadays, the festival is once again held for a week.
Finally, in 1984, Taira no Masakado’s Sannomiya carriage was refurbished and officially re-enshrined as a deity. In the Heisei Era, the Kokodori floats, Soma Noma cavalry warrior procession, Masakado warrior procession, and the Mando floats from Mikumano Shrine in Shizuoka were all revived. In 2003, the sacred boat procession was also revived. You can find more information here.
Gion Matsuri (祇園祭)
Gion Matsuri originally began in 869 C.E. when the emperor requested a goryo-e to appease angry spirits, as he believed they were causing disease and plague.
Acting as the patron shrine of the festival, this latter custom originates from Yasaka Shrine’s practice through which the incarnation of Susano no Mikoto, Gozu Tenno, exacts divine punishment to purify the country from plague and disease.
In addition, by imperial command it was deemed that on June 7th, every region throughout the country would erect 66 hoko (鉾) halberds. On June 14, a native boy of Kyoto called the Chigo Page (稚児) would present the mikoshi and gather at Shinsen-en Garden (a garden near Nijyo Castle made by Emperor Kanmu) every year. It is said this version of the festival began with the goryo-e that was performed around 970 or 975.
This core practice of Gion Matsuri has endured since its inception, only once being suspended due to the the Ounin Revolt (1467 -1477) to be resumed again from the Edo Period in which the Yamaboko (山鉾) floats competed to have the most extravagant decorations.
From the Meiji Period, the festival had two parts, the Saki Matsuri on July 17 and the Ato Matsuri on July 24 in which Yamaboko Junkou (山鉾巡行) float procession can be seen. From 2014, the float procession takes place on both July 17 and 24. The painted hat procession has also been reinstated in recent times.
The Importance of the Chigo
The Chigo Page has two roles in Gion Matsuri. First, during the festival eve event, he acts as the messenger of the gods and performs the Shimenawa-kiri (purification) and Taihei no Mai (Peace Dance) while riding in the Naginata Hoko (長刀鉾) in the Yamaboko procession. In his second role as Kuze Komagata, he acts as an incarnation of God and leads the Nakagoza Mikoshi on horseback.
Festival Eve Ceremonies
Gion Matsuri actually takes place from July 1st until July 31st even though Gion Matsuri is basically two 3-day events:
- yoiyoiyama (宵々山) on July 15 and 22
- yoiyama (宵山) on July 16 and 23
- Saki Matsuri (前祭) on July 17 and the Ato Matsuri (後祭) on July 24. These two are the main festival days
There are many other ceremonies involved in preparing for the main festival itself, including ceremonies for bringing fortune and success to the festival and the Yamaboko Junkou lottery which decides the order of the floats. Others include the washing of the mikoshi and events such as the folding screen exhibition when locals open their homes to show off their prized collections.
Following the Ato Matsuri between July 25th and 31st, various purification rituals are carried out for the mikoshi and also those who are involved in running the festival will also be purified.
Tenjin Matsuri (天神祭)
Tenjin Matsuri is Osaka Tenmangu Shrine’s festival. There are many branches of Tenmangu Shrine in Japan and all of them hold a festival as well.
Osaka’s three Great Festivals are held from the end of June until July 25th. Since this day is the most auspicious, the boats are always floated on the Okawa River in Osaka.
Two years after the enshrinement of Tenmangu in 951, the divine Hoko halberd was floated from the bank in front of the shrine where the funeral ceremony was prepared through purification. From this opportunity, the divine fief prepared a welcome boat in which the Tenjin Festival began and has continued for a thousand years.
Since then, the number of boats has increased, and around the time Hideyoshi Toyotomi built Osaka Castle, he also began the sacred boat procession custom.
Known as the “The Nation’s Kitchen”, from the 17th century, Tenjin festival became known as the symbol of Naniwa’s (old name for Osaka) prosperity. In the 18th century, an organization called “Kou” was born to support the festival, new dolls appeared, and the splendor of the festival became famous throughout the country.
Tenjin Festival has continued to endure for more than a thousand years even though it was briefly suspended three times due to the end of the Tokugawa reign, WW2, and recently COVID-19.
The Ceremonies
Similar to Gion Matsuri, Tenjin Matsuri also has a Yoimiya (宵宮) Before Ceremony on the 24th and the Honmiya (本宮) Main Ceremony on the 25th.
The ceremonies on the festival eve include a purification ritual using the ceremonial Hoko, taiko (drum) performance, and the lion dance procession.
The Main Ceremony tends to be the most exciting, beginning with the main shrine festival from which the procession of the deity (transported in the mikoshi) begins and continues to the river where the boat procession begins and fireworks are offered to the deity.
Unique Characteristics
Halberds — Hoko (鉾)
These are very important in Gion Matsuri as they are attached to the top of 66 Yamaboko, and serve as ceremonial halberds for purification. They are used similarly in the Tenjin Matsuri which also uses ceremonial Hoko as a purification tool.
Parade Floats (山鉾): Yamaboko are primarily used in Gion Matsuri and fall under the category of daishi (台紙) which people can ride on. Tenjin Matsuri mainly consists of a boat procession on the Okawa River and may sometimes include daishi as well.
Portable Shrines (神輿): Mikoshi which are portable shrines carried on people’s shoulders to transport the God from one area to another. They are used in other types of Japanese festivals, but are the main focus of Kanda Matsuri, which now boasts of 200 in their festival. They are also implemented in Tenjin Matsuri.
Lanterns (提灯): Chochin a staple of most shrines and festivals. Gion Matsuri delights festival goers with floats of lanterns at night! (See photos above) Tenjin Matsuri makes a spectacular display of lanterns together with fireworks, which reflect their light off the river adding to the ethereal atmosphere of the festival.
The Atmosphere
Aside from the serious business of honoring gods and invoking their aid, there is also much excitement and fun to be had or it wouldn’t be a festival, would it!
While Japan’ summer is hot, humid, and sticky, the festivals have an atmosphere charged with excitement and liveliness. While anticipating the commencement of ceremonies and events, you can hear the beating of taiko drums and other various traditional music.
It’s traditional for people to wear yukata and jinbei (the casual versions of kimono) while enjoying taiyaki (a custard or red bean paste filled cake), takoyaki (fried squid balls), and yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers) and other treats from the food stalls.
Other Festivals
Even though the Three Great Festivals are over for this year, you can still enjoy fireworks, performances, and mikoshi processions at other summer festivals throughout Japan.
