February is filled with fire festivals, plum blossoms, demons and Chinese New Year. This month has many purification rituals, mixed with seasonal celebrations. Check out the events dates here!
1. Setsubun Festivals all around Aichi Temples 節分祭
The “Setsubun Festival” is an event that is held in shrines and temples all around Japan. This festival celebrates the changing of the seasons. The end of winter and the start of spring. It’s like a spiritual spring cleaning out, banishing the bad spirits by scattering handfuls of roasted soybeans (daizu), which have the power to ward off evil and attract good fortune.
- WHEN: February 3 (Monday)
- HOURS: Depending on the temple the hours may vary
- WHERE: Arako Kannon Temple (Nagoya), Osu Kannon (Nagoya), Kasadera Kannon (Nagoya), Ryusenji Temple (Nagoya), Inuyama Naritasan Setsubun Festival (Inuyama) and more.
- PRICE: Free admission
2. Konomiya Naked Festival 国府宮はだか祭り (Inazawa city)
Prepare to see Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri 2020 in Inazawa (Aichi) Japan!
Hadaka Matsuri is a festival held in Japan in which thousands of men compete to have a lucky year.
- WHEN: February 6
- HOURS: 15:00 – 18:00
- WHERE: Kōnomiya Shrine (国府宮神社) in Inazawa City (稲沢市) MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Meitetsu train line to the Konomiya station. Go by the west exit, take the underground passage on the left to cross to the east side of the station. After climbing the stairs, walk 5 minutes to the northeast to the Owari Okunitama Shrine (Konomiya Jinja Shrine). Or take JR Tokaido train line to Inazawa station. From there, 15 minutes by walk.
- PRICE: Free admission
3. Seto Hina Doll Walking Tour 第19回陶のまち 瀬戸のお雛めぐり (Seto city)
Every year, families across Japan celebrate Hina Matsuri, or also known as Girl’s Day or Doll’s Day. This traditional festival is an occasion to pray for the well-being and prosperity of girls.
In Seto city you can find a four-meter tall “Hinamid” (Hina doll pyramid) with over 1,000 hina dolls made of glass and ceramic. It is displayed at the Seto Gura Museum. Also you can find many other hina dolls around the city.
- WHEN: Feb 1 – Mar 8
- HOURS: 9:00 – 18:00
- WHERE: Seto Gura Museum MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Higashiyama Line subway and get off at Sakae Station. Then transfer to Seto Line Train to Owari Seto Station.
- PRICE: Free admission
4. Souriike Plum Blossom Festival 佐布里池梅まつり (Chita city)
The Souri Midori to Hana no Fureai Park houses more than 5,000 plums of 25 different varieties planted on the edge of Lake Souri (佐布里池 Souri Ike). Every year during the Plum Festival (Souri Ike Ume Matsuri) more than 150,000 visitors come to enjoy the plum blossoms. Also there are held different events like Taiko performance, comedy shows, etc.
- WHEN: Feb. 8 – Mar 8
- HOURS: 9:00 – 17:00
- WHERE: Souri Midori to Hana no Fureai Park MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Meitetsu Tokoname Line and get off at Asakura station. Take Chita Bus bound for Souri and get off at Ume no Yakata guchi(梅の館口). Walk to the east approx. 5 minutes.
- PRICE: Free admission
5. Toba Fire Festival 鳥羽の火祭り (Nishio city)
One of the most peculiar and extraordinary traditional festivals in Japan.
With more than 1200 years of tradition, it is designated as a National Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
- WHEN: February 9
- HOURS: 15:00 – 20:30
- WHERE: Toba Shinmei Shrine MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the train Meitetsu Gamagori line to Mikawa Toba Station. From there 10 minutes walk.
- PRICE: Free admission
6. Owari Tokugawa Family Doll Exhibition (Nagoya city)
The Tokugawa Art Museum has a large Hina Doll collection from the princess of the Owari Tokugawa family. Each Hina Doll set exhibits the highest quality, as is befitting of the name of the top-ranking of the three Tokugawa branch families. The minutely intricate workmanship of the doll accessories is absolutely stunning, as if they were miniatures of the actual wedding trousseaus of the princesses.
- WHEN: February 8 – April 5
- HOURS: 10:00 – 17:00
- WHERE: The Tokugawa Art Museum MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: From Nagoya Station take the JR Chuo Train or Meijo Subway or the Meitetsu Seto Line to Ozone Station. From there ten minutes walk.
- PRICE: Free admission
7. Toyohashi Demon Festival 豊橋鬼祭 (Toyohashi city)
Annual festival held in Akumikanbe Shinmeisha Shrine.
The festival has been designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property due to its ritual performances of dengaku (田楽/ritual music and dance performed at observances connected to rice planting).
The two-day festivities feature a variety of traditional ritual performances by parishioners, the most well-known being the “Duel of the Tengu and Red Oni”(鬼 / ogre; around 14:00, 11 Feb.).
The wild red oni and the warrior tengu battle, using an arsenal of secret arts, before the defeated oni flees, scattering sweets and white powder (flour) in his wake. Being covered by the powder and eating the sweets is said to protect one from illness.
- WHEN: February 10 and 11
- HOURS: 8:30 – 21:00 and 8:30 – 23:00
- WHERE: Akumikanbe Shinmeisha Shrine MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: From Nagoya Station take the JR Tōkaidō Line to Toyohashi Station, or take the Meitetsu Nagoya Line. From there take the City Tram and get off in Toyohashi Kōen-mae. And from there 3 minutes walk.
- PRICE: Free admission
8. Anime Game Fes Nagoya 2020 アニメゲーフェス
The event will focus on anime, e-sports, cosplay, and Virtual YouTubers. There will be stage events featuring professional voice actors and virtual YouTubers, as well as areas where top-level e-sport players perform demonstrations. The event will include interactive areas where attendees can do cosplay and try e-sports.
- WHEN: February 15 and 16
- HOURS: 9:30-19:00 (Doors open at 9:00)
- WHERE: Port Messe Nagoya, Exhibition Hall 1 MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: From Nagoya station take the Aonami Line and get off in Kinjo Futo Station.
- PRICE: 1,500 yen
9. Takisanji Oni Matsuri 滝山寺 鬼まつり(Okazaki city)
The Takisanji Temple Ogre Festival is a ritual to pray for peace and good harvest for the coming year. This festival was the very first of Aichi Prefecture’s intangible folk cultural properties to be designated. It features a spectacular fire-based purification ceremony with dozens of people bearing large torches chasing grandfather, grandmother and grandchild ogre.
- WHEN: February 15
- HOURS: From 15:00
- SCHEDULE:
15:00 – Huge torch procession
16:30 – Taiko performance
17:30 – Pre-Buddhist ceremony
18:20 – God and pay evil ritual
18:30 – Onizuka memorial service
18:35 – Bean throwing
19:00 – Garden Festival
19:45 – Fire Festival
- WHERE: Takisanji Temple MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: From Nagoya station take the Meitetsu train line to Higashi-Okazaki Station. Then, transfer to another Meitetsu train to Takisanji Shita. From there 5 minutes walk.
- PRICE: Free admission
10. Sawada Shuzo Sake Brewery Special Open Days (Tokoname city)
Sawada Shuzo Sake Brewery helds the annual its festival called “Sake brewery Open Doors”. During these 2 days open doors event you can visit the brewery and take a tour to know about the sake brewing process and taste different kinds of sake that they are producing. On the 23th will be an english tour guide.
- WHEN: February 22 and 23. *February 21 from 13:00 to 15: 00 will be the “Pre-sale day”.
- HOURS: 9:30 – 15:00
- WHERE: Sawada Shuzo Sake Brewery MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: From Nagoya station take the Meitetsu train line to Tokoname station. From there transfer to a shuttle bus.
- PRICE: 500 yen per adult. Free admission for under 20.
11. Plum festival in the Nagoya City Agricultural Center delaform (Nagoya City)
Enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms during the Weeping Plum Blossoms Festival (Shidare Ume Matsuri) at the Nagoya Agricultural Center “dela Farm”. This is an installation that has one of the largest plum fields in Japan.
- WHEN: February 29 to March 22
- HOURS: 9:00 – 16:30
- WHERE: Nagoya City Agricultural Center delaform MAP
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Tsurumai subway line and get off at Hirabari station. Take exit 1.
- PRICE: Free admission
12. Kawabun Cultural Night 河文カルチャーナイト (Nagoya City)
Held in the oldest Nagoya’s Japanese restaurant, Kawabun Culture Night is a special event aimed at anyone, whether Japanese or foreigner, who has the curiosity to know about the traditional world of geishas.
- WHEN: February 17 to March 27
- HOURS: 21:30 – 23:00
- WHERE: Kawabun Ryotei MAP
- SCHEDULE:
Mondays: Geisha’s Game
Feb. 17, Feb. 28 (Friday), Mar. 2, Mar. 9, Mar. 16, Mar. 23
Tuesdays: Traditional Instruments
Feb. 18, Feb. 25, Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Mar. 17, Mar. 24
Wednesdays: Japanese Casino
Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 4, Mar. 11, Mar. 18, Mar. 25
Thursdays: Kimono Experience:
Feb. 20, Feb. 27, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, Mar. 26
Fridays: Magic & Sword Performance:
Feb. 21, Mar. 6, Mar. 13, Mar. 20, Mar. 27
- HOW TO GET THERE: Take the Sakura Doori subway line or Meijo subway line and get off at Marunouchi station. 7 minutes walk from exit number 4. Or take the Higashiyama subway line (the yellow line) to the Hisaya Odori station. 8 minutes walk from exit number 1.
- PRICE: 5,000 yen with one drink and a sweet
