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Small Town August Festivals 2010/4/29 23:38
I'm going to be in Japan from 8/15 - 8/28. This will be my 4th trip.

The last time we ended up quite by accident at one of the annual festivals in Tsumago, and it was hands down the highlight of the trip. Quite the different vibe from the larger festivals I've been to.

The problem is that these small festivals tend to be very difficult to find any information on or find listings of, especially in English. Does anybody know of some smaller local festivals in this time frame (excluding probably the first few days). Maybe you know of something local to your area that's not super famous? Accessibility by train is a plus but not a requirement, but I do need to be able to take a bus.

Thanks!
by Mike (guest)  

Summer festivals 2010/4/30 19:54
Hi Mike

Summer is usually a great time for festivals as many places will be celebrating O-Bon, the annual remembrance of ancestors, with Bon Dances etc going on all over.

One of the best places for Bon Dances is the town of Gujo Hachiman in Gifu prefecture. If you can get there in time, they will be having Testsuya Odori - All night dancing - between the 13th & 16th August... the whole town is packed all night with thousands dancing away merrily. http://www.bonodori.net/E/ezenkoku/egujo/egujo_top.htm

For a good rundown of August festivals throughout Japan, check out this list :

http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=366&pID=401&cName=Japanese%2...

Hope you have a great trip!
by Into Japan Specialist Tours rate this post as useful

oops! 2010/4/30 19:55
sorry... that should read Tetsuya Odori... not Testuya...
by Into Japan Specialist Tours rate this post as useful

Hmm... 2010/5/1 18:39
There is a nice one in Tsuyama (see "Do" section):
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tsuyama

If you are looking for the interactive kind with the traditional dances, I can't remember when/where exactly those that I went to are. These are indeed difficult to find out about, even when you are there!
by Rabbityama (guest) rate this post as useful

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