The small town Chichibu, near Tokyo, is the annual venue for one of Japan's most spectacular festival of Yomatsuri.
Directions: About 3 minutes' walk from Chichibu Station. Chichibu Station is about 65 minutes from Kumagaya Station on the Chichibu Tetsudo Line. Kumagaya Station is about 40 minutes from Tokyo Station on the JR Shinkansen"Asama".
As the show progresses, you can see the attraction of fireworks, traditional art performances, parades, and attractions lighting float.
Chichibu Yomatsuri counted as one of the three grandest float festivals in Japan. The main highlight of the evening parade will take place at around 19:00 where six large float decorated with painted carvings and colorful flower with lighting lanterns will leave the Chichibu Shrine.
The convoy will float through the city streets with fireworks background. Each float has at least 10 meters tall weighing about 10 tons and pulled by dozens of young men in costume festival. It also comes wasp Parade drums and blowing flutes.
Chichibu Yomatsuri has a long history with more than 300 years of age. (Frommers.com)
Chichibu Yomatsuri (Chichibu Night Festival)
Gorgeous floats dash up a steep slope.
The fireworks displays lighting up the winter evening sky are spectacular.
Dates: December 2nd and 3rd
Places:Chichibu Shrine
City:1-1, Banba-machi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
Chichibu Yomatsuri is a festival of Chichibu Shrine which has a history of more than 2,000 years. It is one of Japan's three greatest hikiyama (float) festivals, together with the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto (July 1st-31st) and the Takayama Matsuri of Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture (April 14th and 15th, and October 9th and 10th).
The main attraction of this festival takes place on the 3rd (the 2nd features an event held on the eve called Yoiyama). Two kasaboko which are large parasol-like objects decorated on top with weapons such as spears, and artificial flowers together with four yatai floats shaped like small houses are paraded through the city streets. In the afternoon, the floats are transformed into stages by pulling out wings on either side, where Kabuki plays are performed.
The most exciting scene of the festival unfolds on the evening of the 3rd when kasaboko and yatai floats, weighing 10-20 tons each and lit up with countless lanterns, climb up a steep slope with a mikoshi (a portable shrine). The spectators' excitement reaches its peak at the powerful sound of the drums and flutes, and the unique festival shouts of 'Ho-ryai! Ho-ryai!' The fireworks illuminating the clear winter evening skies are another of the attractions of this festival.
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