Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri

春日若宮おん祭

（かすがわかみやおんまつり）

December

15 16 17 18

Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri is a festival held in Nara at the end of the year. Beautifully dressed people walk about in costumes of the 9th to 19th century. Some of them ride horses. During the festival days, Kagura and Maigaku (traditional Japanese dances and performance of ancient Japanese musical instruments) are dedicated to the shrine.

春日若宮おん祭の起源は、1136年当時、全国的な洪水飢饉のために万民が苦しんでいるのを憂えた時の関白藤原忠通公が若宮神を春日野の仮御殿にお遷し申し上げて数々の芸能を奉納し、丁重にお祭りしたところ、雨は止み、作物豊穣となり、天下が無事に治まったので、以来毎年行うことになったと伝えられています。
神秘的な神事が厳格に守られ、芸能においては、日本古来の神楽などをはじめ、大陸から伝来した舞楽や、中世民間におこった田楽・猿楽等の珍しい芸能も正しい形で継承されており、生きた古典芸能博物館といわれています。
15日に大宿所（おおしゅくしょ）でお祭りが行われ、16日に若宮神社で宵宮のお祭りが行われますが、何と言っても17日が一番盛り上がり、午前0時から始まる遷幸（せんこう）の儀から午前11時の還幸（かんこう）の儀まで24時間中お祭りが続きます。
一般的に、正午から始まるお渡り式が有名ですが、午後2時30分から行われるお旅所祭は、おん祭の本番ともいうべき中心行事です。仮御殿へお遷りになられた若宮様の御前、芝居の語源といわれる芝舞台の上で、厳粛な祭典が斎行され、神楽をはじめとする珠玉の古典芸能が午後10時30分頃まで、絶え間なく奉納されます。18日にはお祭りに関わった人々へのねぎらいの行事といわれる後宴として、奉納相撲と後宴能が行われます。

Shin-no Festival

少彦名神社（すくなひこなじんじゃ）

November 22、23

It is performed every year on .23 day on November 22

Held on November 22 and 23 at Sukunahikona Jinja Shrine, this is a festival dedicated to the guardian god of Doshomachi, Osaka's medicine district, and to Shinno, the divine founder of medicine from China. During the festival, the shrine is crowded with people holding bamboo branches with a "paper tiger" attached believed to ward off evil, and who pray for protection against illness and other misfortune. People in the drug and pharmaceuticals business also come here for assistance from this god.

神農祭は、毎年11月22～23日の2日間にわたり盛大に斎行（さいこう）されています。

Hojuji Temple　　（　法住寺　）

鬼が踊り歩く

Hojuji Temple Ogoma-ku　Nov 15

1 PM ～

法住寺大護摩供　　11月15日（土）

Humorous performance

Long nosed gobulin ( Tengu ) and three devils ( Oni ) dance to the rythum. Very interesting.

From 13:00, various traditional performances will be held (music, songs, etc.). Oni hogaku and Yamabushi Mondo (tengu goblins and three other goblins) will dance around the Fudo-do Hall. 200 yen for a piece of wood amulent.
Free

Nagaokakyo Gracia Festival

Miniature Edo - Hikone Castle Festival
（ 小江戸彦根の城まつり ）
Nov 3　1:00pm～3:00pm
 

Places to see
A festival commemorating the birth of Naosuke Ii, the thirteenth daimyo of the Hikone Clan.
The spectacular Castle Festival Parade on Culture Day (November 3) features a drum and fife band, a procession of "manners and customs" from ancient times, and children costumed as samurai.
Other events include the Hikone Castle Speed Palanquin Relay Competition and an antiques market.

11月3日（祝）　13:00～15:00

江戸時代からタイムスリップしたような時代絵巻を展開するこのパレードは、城まつりのメインイベントです。

子供大名行列や子供時代風俗行列、彦根町火消し列、井伊の赤鬼家臣団列などが約2時間にわたり市内を練り歩きます。

Jonangu Shrine （ 城南宮 ）

"Kyokusui no Utage"

曲水の宴 (きょくすいのうたげ)

NOV.3     14:00～15:00

This elegant ritual is a scene of the aristocracy at leisure during the Heian Period. It is held each year on April 29 and November 3 in the Heian-style garden Rakusui-en. The refined notes of a koto float through the garden. A number of poets in period dress are seated along a small brook.Upstream a child places cups of sake on small boats in the shape of a water bird and sends them down- stream. Meanwhile each poet composes a short poem. Having finished it before the sake arrives he or she takes the sake off the boat as it passes. Traditional dances are presented in the garden. The entire pageant is not unlike a picture scroll of the Heian court.

城南宮曲水の宴11月3日（月・祝）

洛南の地の神社、ツワブキの咲く平安の庭・楽水苑で行われます。小川の流れに羽觴（うしょう＝盃を運ぶ鳥形の船）を流し、それが目の前に流れ着くまでに歌を詠み終える平安貴族の典雅な遊びを再現する催しは、恒例の秋の人気行事。

Elegant festival Shitenno-ji Wasso

Naniwanomiya Palace Park

（ 史跡なにわの宮跡公園 ）

November 2

12:30 pm ～3:40 pm

No charge for admission

The Ruins of Naniwanomiya Palace
Although Osaka was never officially recognized as Japan's capital, the city's Naniwanomiya Palace functioned as the country's governmental seat before capitals were established in Kyoto and Nara. Today only the foundations of what was the center of Japan's government in the 7th century remain, but the palace has been re-created in all its magnificence in the nearby Osaka Museum of History.

The Shitennoji Wasso is a festival celebrating the history of cultural

If you ever happen to be in the Kansai area in early November, this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the historically and culturally rich heritage of Osaka.

古代大阪は「なにわの津」と呼ばれ、国際交流の一大拠点でありました。
中でも聖徳太子が建立した四天王寺は、国際外交の桧舞台であり、様々な交流が行われたのです。
「四天王寺ワッソ」はそのような古代の“優雅で豊かな国際交流”を数千名の大巡航を中心として
現代に雅やかに再現する“まつり”です。

Osaka Castle Dream Festival 2008

Special exhibit of an Important cultural property

“Sengan Yagura, Tamon Yagura”

『大阪城夢祭2008』重要文化財「千貫櫓･多聞櫓」特別公開

Nov 1 (Sat) - 3 (Mon, holiday)

10：00am～4：00pm

Public exhibition of the interior of Tamon Yagura, the largest yagura among similar existing examples, located at Oteguchi Masugata, and Sengan Yagura, the oldest construction in the castle built in 1620.

*There are stairs at the entrance and inside since it is an ancient structure.
大手口枡形に位置し、現存する同種の櫓の中でも最大規模である多聞櫓、また1620年に創建された城内最古の古建造物である千貫櫓の内部を公開。

ONE KOREA FESTIVAL 2008

ワンコリアフェスティバル2008

Osaka Castle park （ 大阪城 公園 ）

10月26日(日)　午前11時～午後5時

October 26 ( Sunday )

From 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The event that is held aiming at neighboring country consecutive further understanding / cultural exchange / cooperation.

남북 코리아•일본•중국은, 오랜 교류의 역사를 갖고, 서로 많은 영향을 준 이웃나라입니다.

빠른 성장으로 인해 세계에서 큰 존재감을 가지기 시작한 동아시아. 21세기에 있어서 공존, 공영, 나아가서는 세계 평화까지도, 이 동아시아의 여러나라가 함께 이해하며, 교류, 협력함으로써, 그 실현 가능성이 열린다고 봅니다.

그러기 위해서 우리들은, 지금 눈앞에 있는 여러 난관을 함께 극복하며 HANA(하나)가 되어 가는, 그러한 이벤트로써 재일 코리안, 남북 코리아, 일본, 중국의 아티스트를 초대한 원코리아 페스티벌 2008을 개최하고자 합니다.

 「HANA되는 동아시아의 미래」를 테마로, 지금까지 보여드린 그 이상으로 다양, 다채로운 행사를 화려하게 전개하고자 합니다.

隣国通しのさらなる理解･交流･協力をめざし開催されるイベント。

国籍や民族を問わずだれもが参加できるお祭り、フェスティバルです。

またおいしいものがいっぱいの韓国料理を食せる出店や物販コーナーも多数出店!みんなでHANAになろう!

Yasaka Jinja Shrine in Ikeda

（ 八坂神社 ）

Koda Festival

（ 神田まつり ）

10/25・26

A rare festival in Osaka prefecture in which people carrying square lanterns or banners as long as 8m enter a shrine singing “Ise Ondo”

Oct 25 - 26 Afternoon: Danjiri parade, 19:00 - Square Lanterns entrance in the shrine, Oct 26 Afternoon: Banner entrance 14:00 - 16:00 Mikoshi float procession

池田市神田（こうだ）地域にある八坂神社は、本殿が国の重要文化財に指定されています。縁起によると978（天元元）年に由緒を持つ大変古い神社です。そんな八坂神社では、神田地区6町会がそれぞれに所有する額灯や幟を先頭にして、賑やかに宮入をする珍しい形式の祭礼が行われます。200年以上の歴史を持ちます。祭りの一日目は宵宮で、続いて翌日に本宮です。厳かで賑やかな、昔ながらの雰囲気を味わえるお祭りです。

Osaka Tenman-gu Shrine

Yabusame  流鏑馬神事（やぶさめしんじ）

Oct ２4  From about 14:30～

 Yabusame is horseback archery. It began as a form of military training.
In the old days, shooting arrows while riding a horse running at full speed
was a very important skill for samurai warriors.
However, Yabusame is a kind of ceremony these days. Archers wearing hunting
outfit of medieval warriors shoot at three targets while riding a horse.

昔は室町時代の狩装束を着し、的は表門から三箇所に立て馬上から射るという、勇ましい神事であった。現在では斎庭に舗設された高殿を神職が騎乗し三巡の後、馬場清めに一往復。次ぎに麻裃に陣笠を着た前駆者が騎乗し高殿三巡の後、速歩にて日の丸扇子を適所に散じ次ぎに室町時代の狩装束を着た本駆者が、拝殿下にて天地四方を射る型をなした後騎乗、高殿を三巡後に馬を駆せ三箇所の的を半弓にて打ち破るという次第に至っている。

Jidai Matsuri Festival

時代祭

OCT.22

On this day a grand costume parade will move across the city.
Each group in the procession represents a different period of time of Kyoto.
The Jidai Matsuri Festival is one of the three biggest festivals of Kyoto

This festival, falling within the Autumn sight-seeing season, was started in the 28th year of the Meiji era (1895), when the 1100th anniversary of Heian Sento (the relocation of the capital) was celebrated.
In the morning, the shrine procession travels from the Heian Shrine to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, and at noon, processions representing each era parade through the city, and return to the Heian Shrine. Over the course of one hour, the evolution of cultural items and clothing over 1000 years is recreated. Especially in the Edo era procession, old-style demeanor and interesting items of clothing belonging to the Yarimochi, Kasamochi, Kyosekimochi, and Warajitori groups may be seen.

1895年（明治28年）、平安遷都1100年を記念して平安神宮が創建された。その時、平安神宮の大祭、建造物、神苑の保存のため、市民により平安講社が組織され、記念事業として時代祭が始まった。祭が行われる１０月２２日は、桓武天皇が794年（延暦13）に長岡京から平安京に都を移された日。 　この祭の特色は、神幸祭、行在所祭、還幸祭の神儀のほか、時代風俗行列が行われることである。明治維新から延暦時代へさかのぼって、順次風俗、文物の変遷を再現する。 　現在は18列、2000人に達し行列の長さは２キロに及ぶ。祇園祭、葵祭とともに京都三大祭の一つに数えられている。 山国勤王隊を先頭に、正午、京都御所建礼門前を出発、烏丸通、御池通、河原町通、三条通から平安神宮まで4．5キロ間に一大時代絵巻を展開する。

Yuki Shrine（由岐神社）

 "Kurama Himatsuri"（ 鞍馬の火祭 ）

( Fire Festival )

OCT.22　 6:00pm～

Exciting festival.

Long row of torches planted on both sides of the street leading to Yuki Shrine are lit at 6pm.
Children in festival dress march to the Shrine carrying small torches, followed by adults with bigger torches.

京都三大奇祭のひとつであるこのお祭りのおこりは、京都御所にあった由岐神社を、鞍馬の守り神として移した際、火を点じて迎えたのが始まりとのことです。
午後6時「神事参らっしゃれ」の神事振の声で勇壮な火の祭典の幕があがります。

Sakai Festival

（ 堺まつり）

Xavier Park（ザビエル公園）

< EVE>

October 18  10：00～20：00

October 19  10：00～18：00

< Great parade >

October 19, 11:00～16:30

（Stormy weather cancellation / No postponement for rain）

The Sakai Festival has been held on the third Saturday and Sunday of October every year since 1974 as a way for residents to show their pride in their city. Central to the festival is an enormous and elaborately staged parade featuring a total of 12,000 participants that includes the city’s distinctive “Nambansen” floats, performances by groups of brave soldiers wielding matchlock guns, and processions of folk costumes from around the world. Typically attracting more than 600,000 attendees, the event captures Sakai’s uniquely historic and international flavor with attractions including the “NambanIchi Market,” where visitors can purchase local specialties, and the “Grand Tea Ceremony of Sakai, Hometown of Sen-no-Rikyu,” which reflects the city’s pride in the culture of the tea ceremony of the (great) Sen-no-Rikyu.

灘のけんか祭り

Nada no Kenka Matsuri
(Nada Fighting Festival)

Matsubara Hachiman Shrine

（ 松原八幡神社 ）

October 1411:00am～

and

October 15 　9:00am～

Portable shrines fiercely jolted against one another produce breathtaking scenes befitting a 'Fighting Festival'

Nada no Kenka Matsuri is the popular name for a festival held at the Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in the town of Shirahama, Himeji City. It came to be called by this name, Kenka Matsuri or 'Fighting Festival' because the mikoshi (portable shrines) are jolted against one another when carried on the shoulders of the men in the parade.

There are no detailed rules or opponents for the vehement collisions of the portable shrines. As soon as the portable shrines are set properly on the men's shoulders and everyone is ready, they are knocked against one another at random, and the moment a portable shrine is hoisted on top of another, the contest is over. The greatest attraction is the struggle among 3 portable shrines when men over 35 wearing white headbands, those of 26-35 with yellow headbands and youths under 26 marked by red headbands, holding bamboo poles in their hands, join in the fight. A vehement struggle unfolds but this is in no way a fight between the men. This festival, which is the largest of the numerous fighting festivals held nationwide, is not only famous in Japan but is also becoming widely known overseas.

The highlight of this festival is Yatai-neri, the parade of "yatai", festival floats, gorgeously decorated with wood carving, gold and silver handiwork and embroidered curtains. The yatai are carried on the shoulders of men and are surrounded by the men holding "shide" (bamboo poles decorated with colorful paper) in their hand. As dusk sets in, illuminations on each of the yatai are lit.

灘のけんか祭りとは、姫路市白浜町の松原八幡神社で行われる、秋季例大祭の総称で、「灘祭り」「妻鹿のけんか祭り」とも呼ばれています。一の丸、二の丸、三の丸の、神が乗り移った3基の神輿をぶつけ合う神事によって、戦前から播磨を代表する祭りとして知られていました。