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。

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。

Heart Osaka Autumn Festival:

 “Midosuji Kappo” and “Nakanoshima is a Big Sailing Ship”

October 12 to 13

ハート大阪 秋まつり10/12・13

「Presenting Midosuji and Nakanoshima as Osaka's heart of cultural communication」

-          A autumn festival to explore and enjoy the urban attractions of Osaka –

The festival is mainly composed of two feature events, "MIDOSUJI kappo" and "Discover NAKANOSHIMA." "MIDOSUJI kappo" takes place on the Midousuji Avenue to demonstrate its local attractions to both domestic and international communities. The event is also designed to invite citizens of Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City to visit Midosuji and rediscover the appeal of Osaka. "Discover NAKANOSHIMA" aims to enhance the charms of Osaka as a water capital city and will be held in the Nakanoshima area and along the Okawa River and the Dojima River. These events are intended to create a connection between Midosuji (north-south axis) and Nakanoshima (east-west axis) to expand the scale of the festival in terms of time and space.

Hannan City Scaffold Float Parade

（ 阪南市やぐらパレード ）
Oct 5 (Sun) 16:00-17:00

Dignified scenery of 20 lined up scaffold floats which come together from various places in the city. The Parade starts in front of City Hall, and travels between Nankai Honsen Ozaki Station and the former National Highway Route 26 in a figure eight. You can see the fantastic image of the scaffold floats in the evening when the sun sets and the lanterns are lit up.

勇壮なやぐらの曳行が繰り広げられる秋祭り。10月5日は阪南市内各地区から20台のやぐらが阪南市役所前に集まり、周辺をパレードします。本祭りは波太神社の本殿前階段を豪快に駆け上がる「宮入り」（12日）が見所です。また、13日には「神輿渡御及び各地区曳行」も行われます。

Seimei-jinja Shrine（晴明神社）

Seimei-jinja Festival （晴明祭）

Eve（宵宮祭）　　Sep 22　5:00 p.m.～

Main Festival（ 神幸祭 ） Sep 23　1:00 p.m. ～ 5:00 p.m.

This shrine honours an 'onmyou' (principles of Yin and Yang) scholar of the Heian period, Abeno Seimei. The shrine was established in 1007, at the site of what had been his house. It is said to ward off evil.

On the 22nd, people make a procession holding lanterns to welcome the spirit of Abe no Seimei and Kagura dance and music performance will be held. On the 23rd, about 500 people march around the shrine playing music.

22nd: Rituals on the eve of the main festival (5:00 p.m.)
Lantern procession ritual Shinto dance (7:00 p.m.) and other events.
* 23rd: Deity procession (1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
A portable shrine carrying the deity makes its way around the neighborhood under the shrine's protection accompanied by a long procession.

Yasui-Konpiragu Shrine（ 安井金比羅宮 ）

Kushi-Matsuri ( Comb Festival )

櫛祭

Sep　22  13:00 ～

This is a festival to thank women’s combs and hair ornament. From 13:00, a ceremony is held and after that, a beautiful procession of women who wears various traditional hair styles will go around the area.

An exhibition of old combs. Women in costumes and hairstyles from the ancient times to today leave Shrine at 2PM and parede Gion area.
Free

Shitennoji Temple

和宗総本山　　四天王寺

September 21 DAISHI E（大師会 ）

 September 22 TAISHI E （太子会 ）

The oldest officially administered temple in Japan, Shitennoji was built by Prince

Shotoku (574-622 A.D.), the great cultural hero of early Japanese history who at the age of sixteen successfully triumphed over the opposition and brought about

the adoption of Buddhism in the country.

The battle was between the Soga Clan and the Monobe Clan. The Soga, represented by Prince Shotoku, wanted Japan to adopt Buddhism, a newly arrived, highly developed religion from India via China, and the powerful Monobe were opposed, supporting instead the ancient Japanese religion. The Prince, it was said, achieved his victory by praying to the Four Heavenly Kings, the soldiers of the Buddha. And it was to mark that victory that in 593 A.D. he ordered the construction of Shitennoji Temple.

The temple was built not far from Osaka Bay, which played a vital role in trade and traffic. It was a strategic location which enabled a show of Japan's power and prosperity to the world. Despite repeated reconstructions, the layout of the temple compound has remained largely unchanged from the beginning.

Kiyomizudera-Temple （ 清水寺 ）

September 15 ～ September 17

"Seiryu-e festival"(Blue Dragon Dance) 

Held at Kiyomizu Temple, one of Kyoto's most popular tourist destinations, this festival is called Seiryu-e, or the the Blue Dragon rite. According to legend, this dragon, a reincarnation of the Kannon diety (the Goddess of Mercy), comes to drink every night from the Otowa-no-taki waterfall in the temple precincts. As part of the festival, a giant dragon (made of linen and Japanese traditional washi paper by skilled Kyoto craftsmen) is raised high and paraded around the precinct, while monks blow giant seashell horns. The festival, which also features other deity constructions, will last about one hour, passing over the observation platform of the temple and ending at the main hall; 　From 14:00, a large blue dragon marches around the temple precinct

東山山系「青龍」の地に清水寺は位置します。
清水の湧きあふれる音羽（おとわ）の滝に、観音様の化身である龍が、夜ごと飛来して水を飲む－との伝えが清水寺に古くからあります。
さらに本堂の東方に位置する奥の院の南廊下の祠（ほこら）に夜叉神（やしゃじん）が祀（まつ）られています。この夜叉神は青龍の地を守り、清水寺の御本尊の守護と共に、京の都を昼夜休みなく警戒し、人々の悪縁を断ち芳縁を結ぶ神として都の人々に信仰・畏怖（いふ）されてきました。
清水寺創建千二百有余年、御本尊御開帳の年・平成12年3月3日にあたり、ここ青龍の地に、音羽の滝の故事、夜叉神への畏怖が結びつき、人々の安寧（あんねい）を祈願する青龍会（せいりゅうえ）を結成、観音の化身である青龍の誕生とその開眼の法要が執り行われました。

Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine

（石清水八幡宮）

Iwashimizu-Matsuri Festival

（ 石清水祭 ）

Sep 15   8:00～18:30

One of the oldest festivals in Japan. Big parade, about 500 peaple and gods, can be seen.

9月15日

祭典は10時からで、風雨安穏、家内安全祈願がされ、奉納大相撲も行われます。16時頃からは嵯峨野六斎念仏が奉納されます。境内一円、数千個の提灯の明かりの中で行われる京の伝統芸能を見物に多くの人々が訪れます。

山ぶき会「女神輿」の巡行（昨年例）8時大社出発 → 渡月橋付近で舟渡御 → 15時すぎ大社

Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine) （ 住吉大社 ）

Moon-viewing festival（観月祭）

Sep 14   18:00～20:30

This bridge is crossed for the purpose of cleansing away sins and filth before approaching the gods, and the reason that the bridge is so steep is said to be because it was likened to a rainbow since it connected the terrestrial world of humans and the celestial world of gods. Scenery of the main shrine viewed from this bridge is exquisite. Also, during Kangetsusai (full moon festival) held on the night of the mid-autumn full moon, waka and haiku are composed on this bridge.

第一本宮にて祭典と献詠が開かれます。反橋では、名月を背景に和歌と俳句が披露されます。また、子供たちによる住吉踊りや観月祭だけの舞楽、そして反橋と名月が作り出す幻想的な雰囲気は情緒的です。当日は1000人以上の人が仲秋の名月を楽しみに訪れます。

After the festival announcement, selected poems from all over Japan for the　Moon Viewing Festival are read aloud on the arched bridge following the Reizei school style. Sumiyoshi dance and bugaku are also offered.

Uneme Shrine （采女神社）（うねめじんじゃ）

Uneme festival（采女祭）

Sep 13 ：Yoimiya festival（宵宮祭）5:00pm～

Sep 14 ：Hana-Ogi Parade（ Jr Nara ～ Sarusawa Pond ）5:00pm～

Hana-Ogi Shinto ritual （Uneme Shrine）6:00pm～

Kangen Shinto ritual （Sarusawa Pond）7:00pm～

花扇奉納行列 Jr 奈良 5:00pm～

花扇奉納神事　　6:00pm～　(采女神社)

管弦船の儀　7:00pm～　(猿沢池)

In the northwestern corner of the Sarusawa Pond is the Uneme Shrine with its back against its Torii gate. It is said that the shrine was constructed to console the soul of Uneme, who had drowned herself in the pond out of disappointment in love with an emperor. Since the shrine could not directly face the pond out of sadness caused by her suicide, it turned around overnight. Children and "Uneme" girls, who carry big flower fans decorated with the seven autumn flowers, start parading the streets in Nara City at 5:00p.m. A dragon-headed boat is floated on the Sarusawa Pond at 7:00 p.m., with the flower fan and its carriers on board. The boat goes around the pond and finally the fan is put down on the pond.

猿沢池のそばにある采女神社。ここには奈良時代、帝の寵愛が衰えたことを嘆いて、猿沢池に身を投げた采女が祀られており、その霊を慰めるおまつりです。ＪＲ奈良駅前から采女神社まで、三条通りを花扇を奉じた時代行列が進みます。神社では祭典があり、猿沢池では2隻の管絃船が、献灯船の間をぬって回遊します。

Mozu-Hachimangu Shrine

（ 百舌鳥八幡宮 秋祭り ）

Sep 13  11:00～22：30    Sep 14   10:00～22:00

It is said that prayers for good harvest, combined with the customs of celebrating the full moon, made the shrine’s “Tsukimi” festival.  The record says it has a long history of more than 300 years.  About four meters high and weighting about three tons, the Futon Daiko consists of a platform with a taiko drum, on top of which are five overlapping layers of vermillion cushions. About 70 people carry the Futon Daiko, with their unique shouts of “bera-bera-bera-sho-shoi” mixing with the sound of the drum as they proceed  through towns.   Afterward, the drum is dedicated to the shrine.  During the two-day festa, 150,000 visitors in total come to see the stirring spectacle.

百舌鳥八幡宮秋祭りは仲秋の名月に当たる旧暦8月15日にかけて行われるため月見祭と呼ばれ、古くより堺、泉州の人々に親しまれてきた。この祭りは、稲の成熟期を迎え豊作を祈るための祭りと、八幡宮に伝わる放生会と、満月を祝う風習とが習合して神社の例祭となったもので、記録によると３００年以上の伝統があり、近年は勇壮華麗なふとん太鼓で有名となっている

神戸南京町中秋節

Kobe-Nankinmachi-Chushu-Setsu

(Chinese Autumn Festival of Kobe-Nankinmachi)

Sep 13 ～ Sep 15

12：00～19：00

China town, known as Nanking Machi will host a traditional August moon festival called Chushusetsu, one of the four Chinese festivals held during a year to mark the seasonal changes.

The theme of the event this year is hoyou, recuperation.

The emphasis will be on foods and traditional ways for the body and mind to recuperate.

Delicacies such as turtle soup with medicinal properties will be available.

The famous Shi Shi Mai, Lion dance will be performed and a special China dress photo studio will be set up for those who would like photos taken in traditional Oriental garb.

Images of the earth god are displayed in the square and in front of the shops.

Although the theme remains the same throughout the three-day period, different events and temporary stalls are planned for each day.

南京町広場Nankinmachi-Hiroba (Nankinmachi Square)

Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

（岸和田だんじり祭り）

Sep 13,  6:00am～10:00pm

Sep 14,  9:00am～10:00pm

Haruki Danjiri Matsuri春木だんじり祭り

Sep 13日～Sep 14

The Danjiri Matsuri,(float festival) is said to have its origin in the "Inari Matsuri" held in the 16th year of the Genroku era(1703). Created by the Lord of Kishiwada Castle to pray for an abundant harvest, the festival, from its very beginning, enjoyed tremendous local support.

The Danjiri Matsuri quickly grew in significance for the people of Kishiwada. Gates normally barring townspeople from entering the castle grounds were thrown open on festival days. Feudal Lords of Kishiwada looked on as each danjiri was pulled in, and each danjiri pulling team staged various, high-spirited performances.

Over 300 years of tradition and all of Kishiwada behind it. 34 danjiri teams bring their sacred float on a recklessly swift tour of this castle town in a race of strength, endurance, and celebration.

「だんじり」と呼ばれる豪勢な山車が街中を駆け抜ける光景で、全国的に有名な祭り。中でも猛スピードのだんじりを、四つ角で方向転換させる「やりまわし」で知られる。江戸時代中期に、岸和田城内の稲荷神社に五穀豊穣を祈願した祭事がルーツ。9月に浜側の2地区、10月に山側の7地区の2回にわたって繰り広げられる。土曜は宵宮、日曜は本宮。見物に当たっては、四つ角など危険な場所を避けることが肝心

Obakusan Manpuku Temple

（ 黄檗山萬福寺 ）

Obaku Hotei Festival （ 黄檗ほていまつり ）

Sep 8   10am～

Manpuku - ji Temple was established by the Chinese Zen priest Ingen during the beginning of Edo Period. The temple retains its original appearance as when established. Since this is the main temple of the Obaku Sect, which was started by the famous Chinese priest, the precincts are designed in the Chinese style. Beyond the main temple gate are Chinese-style buildings, so that it seems to the visitor that he or she is in China. Also at Manpuku - ji Temple the visitor can enjoy Fucha-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) and practice zazen and hand - copying of a sutra. Obaku is one of the three great Zen sects of Japan. (The other two are Rinzai and Soto.)

地域市民に開かれた寺をめざす黄檗山萬福寺が、毎月8日に開催している縁日。広い境内を会場に、誰でも出店できるフリーマーケットや地元産品などが並ぶ市のほか、コンサートや煎茶席などさまざまな催しが繰り広げられる。開運の布袋尊法要もおこなわれる