Japan is full of festivals, events and some special dates throughout the year. This article will show you most of the festivals and events that take place in the month of May.
Table of Content
Holidays
Golden Week
The month of May starts in the middle of Golden Week – the biggest holiday in Japan. Many people have a week off in Golden Week. The holiday is timed to coincide with some of Japan's best spring weather. It's the peak travel season. Trains are crowded, roads are blocked and prices are sky high.
Constitution Day, May 3
The anniversary of Japan's new post-war Constitution, which took effect on May 3, 1947.
day, 4th of May A holiday loosely devoted to nature.
Kodomo no HI - Children's Day - May 5thIt is a day of hope for the health and happiness of children in Japan. Boys, as usual, follow a tradition and custom of the ancient samurai.
Festivals - Matsuri
Aoi Matsuri
A reenactment of a 6th century imperial procession in Kyoto that has been held since the 10th century. In true Kyoto style, the festival is dark but authentic. The procession includes around 500 participants in imperial clothing. Each year, a single woman is selected to be Imperial Princess from thousands of candidates. She wears no less than 30 layers of kimono in the show.
Sanja Matsuri
Tokyo's Sanja Festival is known for its huge crowds. The festival features mikoshi parades and dancing. There are also side events such as Geisha performances.
Mifune Matsuri
A spectacular recreation of a 1,000 year old boat lures. It takes place in Kyoto and attracts over 100,000 spectators. The festival is sponsored by the Kurumazaki Shrine. It is common for celebrities and geisha to visit and participate in the event.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival
End of April ~ end of May.
It is one of the most photogenic festivals in the world. About 80,000 red, pink, white and other flowers are planted in an area of 2.4 hectares with Mount Fuji in the background.
Kanda Matsuri
A large spring festival held in Tokyo that features around 200 mikoshi (looks like a movable altar), songs, dances and floats.
Himeji Sakura Festival
Depending on the region and year, this event may take place in May. It's a simple Sakura-Hanami festival held at Himeji Castle.
Shibuya Ohara Matsuri
Kagoshima's version of Ohara Matsuri performed in mid-May in Shibuya. Considered a festival of friendship between Tokyo and Kagoshima. It is used to promote Kagoshima tourism and culture in the capital. The festival features 60 dance teams with various teams from Kyushu.
