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October 2019
Sorasaya-jinja Shrine Autumn Festival
Two nights of kagura (starting around 17:30/18:00) and lots of stalls at this riverside shrine just north of the Peace Memorial Park. The Omikoshi parade around the surrounding streets on Sunday is quite impressive - the neighborhood groups carrying the portable shrines should converge on the shrine at around 15:00. Saturday, October 19 Kagura from 18:00 Saturday, October 20 Kagura from 17:30 Photos © Sorasaya Shrine sourced from the Sorasaya Shrine Facebook Page
Find out more »Hiroshima Food Festival
Hundreds of stalls hawking every food product from every part of the prefecture around Hiroshima Castle and in Chuo-koen Park for two days. As I'm sure you know, Japanese people love nothing more than a bit of food tourism, so it can get pretty busy with thousands of people crammed between the tents pumping out mouth-watering smells and the castle moat. There are also boat rides around the castle, a big flea market as well as some live music and…
Find out more »Takehara Shokei-no-michi Candle Festival
The streets of Takehara's beautiful Edo period historic preservation district are illuminated by bamboo candles for two nights. Photos from a previous event and a write up of the event from 2009 here. The Takehara Historic Preservation District is 15 minutes walk from Takehara JR Station The candles are lit 17:00-21:00
Find out more »Etajima Fireworks Festival
Etajima's summer fireworks festival has shifted to an autumn festival! Fireworks 18:00-18:30 (2100 blasts)
Find out more »Shirakami-san Autumn Festival
Two nights of Hiroshima Kagura performances, street stalls and wishes for good fortune on Peace Boulevard.
Find out more »November 2019
Ritual Fire-walking at Daigan-ji Temple, Miyajima
Impressive and elaborate ritual that culminates in priests and members of the public rushing across hot coals in front of Daigan-ji Temple, located at the exit from Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima. For more about and photos and video of this fire-walking ritual click here.
Find out more »Ebisuko Festival
Ebisu Shrine's autumn festival marks the arrival of winter in Hiroshima. Known among locals as Ebessan after the god of commerce, surrounding stores hold sales and buy komazarae bamboo rakes adorned with gold coins and atreasure ship. You might here business owners complain that the whole thing is a racket, but you won't see a shop, restaurant or bar in the area without one. A huge barrel with mouth wide open is placed in front of the shrine to receive offerings. Learn more…
Find out more »June 2020
Toukasan Yukata Festival
Hiroshima really comes alive over the three nights of Tōkasan - a festival that really does feel "festive". Join the 300,000 people who will be donning their yukata for the first time this year who take over Chuo-dori and environs to promenade, play festival games like fish scooping, buy strange inflatable novelties and stuff their faces with equally strange stuff on sticks. As well as parades and summer bon dancing, there will be taiko drumming and other performances on stages…
Find out more »Mibu-no-Hanadaue Traditional Rice Planting Ritual
Mibu-no-hanadaue is a revived rice planting ritual said to have roots in the middle ages that is renacted on the first Sunday of June every year. The event was designated as a UNESCO Intangible Heritage in 2003 and many people now make the trip to Chiyoda in Kita-hiroshima to view it. Bulls are led through the streets to Mibu Hachiman Shrine where they are dressed with elaborately decorated saddles and colorful necklaces. They are then led to a field, and…
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