Spring Takayama Festival 2022

I have noticed that the Covid-19 infection rates have dropped dramatically in the last few weeks. I believe that Japan may be open to tourism by March, so that tourists can see the cherry blossoms.

My question is about festivals, specifically the Spring Takayama festival. Will the festival be held? Should I expect large crowds?

I�fm asking because the festival is five months away, and I am still seeing lots of hotel vacancies. I usually try to book hotels in festival locations six months in advance, and sometimes I still can�ft find anything. A few years ago, I tried to book a hotel in Nagaoka for their Fireworks Festival in early August, and was shut out. I really wanted to see the Phoenix shell.

I realize that I could book the hotel rooms now, and just hope, but I don�ft want to book if there is no chance that the festival will be closed to tourists.

Anyway�c any information concerning the opening up of Japan for tourism, and spring festivals, would be appreciated. Thank You.

The details regarding the 2022 spring festival have not been decided yet. The decision is not usually made until a couple of months in advance.

To give some background:

The 2021 spring festival was held on a dramatically reduced scale. Most events were cancelled and the floats were left in their storages across town, but the doors of the storages were opened so that people could at least take a glimpse at the floats.

Plans were initially the same for the 2021 autumn festival as for the 2021 spring festival, but on relatively short notice (I think something like 1-2 months before the festival), the policy was changed and not even the storage doors were opened.

What happens in April 2022 will mostly depend on the development of the corona situation inside Japan. I would be very positively surprised if it were to be held on a regular scale.

As I have posted before, �eIn Uji I Trust�f. I will wait until late October to make my next trip to Japan. I have gone several times in the spring, but never for fall colors.

I am not too upset, because my itinerary would have had me leave Takayama on the 16th or 17th. I would have wanted to stay longer, perhaps an entire week, so that I could also catch the festival in Furukawa on the 19th & 20th. I also want to see the Takayama festival in its full glory, with parades.

I know that some things are still open, like Nabana No Sato, which is the winter illuminations near Nagoya. I would have also gone to this in my trip, but I will be able to see this in the fall.

To Uji: Thank You.