This is a list of 327

Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties A is administered by the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), and includes tangible properties (structures and works of art or craft); intangible properties (perform ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Criteria

# It must exemplify something original in the Japanese people's everyday life in terms of origin and content, and be typical. # It must exemplify the process of evolution of some technique. # It must exemplify some local characteristic.

Designated cultural properties

Manners and customs

Manufacture, livelihood

9 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Life rituals

6 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1.

Amusements, contests

10 designations, all under criterion 1.

Social life (knowledge of folk customs)

2 designations, all under criterion 1

Annual functions or events

34 designations, all under criterion 1

Religious festivals and beliefs

70 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1. This includes all but oneThe Chiryū Festival, which is part of the UNESCO designated ' Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan'', has been designated as Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in the category of Folk performing arts — Entertainment from Abroad and Performance Arts. of the 33 festivals in the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

Intangible cultural heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...

'' Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan''.The float festivals included in this designation are: Hachinohe Sansha Taisai,

Kakunodate Matsuri is a Japanese festival celebrated from 7 to 9 September in Kakunodate, Akita. Its rites centre on Shinmei-sha shrine. As well as a procession and traditional dances, it is celebrated for the ''oyamabayashi'' in which the floats collide into eac ...

, Tsuchizaki Shinmeishasai, Hanawa Matsuri, Shinjō Matsuri, Hitachi Furyumono, Karasuyama Yamaage Festival, Kanuma Imamiya Festival,

Chichibu Festival is a Cities of Japan, city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Chichibu is in the westernmost part ...

, Kawagoe Hikawa Festival, Sawara Festival, Takaoka Mikuruma-yama Festival, Uozu Tatemon Festival, Jōhana Shinmei Shrine Festival, Seihaku Festival,

Takayama Festival The in Takayama in Japan started in the 16th to 17th century.Lo, P. (n.d.) Japan guide: Takayama and Gero onsen. Retrieved on August 06, 2009. From http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/gifu/takayama.html The festivals are believed to ...

, Furukawa Festival,

Ōgaki Festival Ōgaki Castle is a city located in Gifu, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 161,539, and a population density of 782 persons per km2 in 65,931 households. The total area of the city was . Ōgaki was the final destination for the ...

, Owari Tsushima Tennō Festival, Chiryū Festival, Inuyama Festival, Kamezaki Shiohi Festival, Sunari Festival, Toride Shrine Festival, Ueno Tenjin Festival,

Ishidori Matsuri Ishidori Matsuri (石取祭) can be literally translated from Japanese as "stone bringing festival." It is a festival in Kuwana, located in Mie Prefecture. The festival starts on the first Saturday of August, at midnight, and runs throughout the ...

, Nagahama Hikiyama Festival,

Gion Matsuri The is one of the largest and most famous festivals in Japan, taking place annually during the month of July in Kyoto. Many events take place in central Kyoto and at the Yasaka Shrine, the festival's patron shrine, located in Kyoto's famous Gion ...

Hakata Gion Yamakasa is a Japanese festival celebrated from the 1st until the 15th of July in Hakata, Fukuoka. The festivities are centered on the Kushida Jinja. The festival is famous for the Kakiyama, that weigh around one ton and are carried around the city as ...

Tobata Gion Yamagasa festival is a popular local Japanese festival (matsuri) which takes place annually in Tobata, a ward of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan. It is held for three days (Friday–Sunday) before and after the fourth Saturday of July. The festi ...

Karatsu Kunchi Karatsu Kunchi (唐津くんち; the suffix "kunchi" simply meaning festival) is a Japanese festival that takes place annually in the city of Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, on Japan's island of Kyūshū. About The festival, which begins on the eve ...

, Yatsushiro Myoken Festival, Hita Gion Festival. , August 2–7 , Parade of

nebuta The is a Japanese festivals, Japanese summer festival that takes place in Aomori (city), Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan in early August. The festival attracts the most tourists of any of the country's nebuta festivals, and is counted among the t ...

floats decorated with historical or legendary figures and accompanied by flutes,

taiko are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called and to the form of ensemble drumming m ...

drums and

Obon or just is fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist–Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people retu ...

dances. The festival is said to commemorate

Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was a court noble, general and ''shōgun'' of the early Heian period of Japan. He served as Dainagon, Minister of War and ''Ukon'e no Taisho'' (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards). He held the ''kabane'' of Ōsukune and ...

and together with the

Akita Kantō The is a Japanese festival celebrated from 3–7 August in Akita, Akita, Akita City, Akita Prefecture in hope for a good harvest. Around two hundred bamboo poles five to twelve metres long, bearing twenty-four or forty-six Japanese lantern, lant ...

and the

Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture, the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,091,407 in 525,828 households, and is one of Japan's 20 Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, desig ...

Tanabata , also known as the Star Festival ( 星祭り, ''Hoshimatsuri''), is a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair res ...

festival, it is one of the three great festivals in Tohoku. , , Aomori Nebuta AUG 2006 0002

, - , , August 1–3 , Festival of three shrines: Ogami (霊神社), Shinra (新羅神社), and Shinmei (神明宮), with a procession of 27 floats and mikoshi accompanied by lion dances, masked warriors and people in traditional garb representing legendary or mythical characters. , , Hachinohe Sansha Taisai

, - , , 17th–19th day of the 9th month , Parishioners of 7 towns and villages carry

mikoshi A is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when ...

from the shrine and place them on a scaffolding structure at a temporary shrine where various dances are performed. , , , - , , August 19, 20 , Joined event of Saiwaiinari Shrine (幸稲荷神社) and Hanawa Shinmeisha shrine (花輪神明社) in which 10 festival floats are paraded through town accompanied by music. , , , - , < , September 7–9 , Procession of floats with

kabuki is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. Kabuki is thought to ...

styled dolls, hayashi music and dance at a festival with origins in the 17th century. , , Kakunodate maturi 2008a

, - , , August 5–7 , Parade of more than 200 long bamboo poles (''kantō'') carrying 46 paper lanterns each. Together with the

Aomori Nebuta The is a Japanese festivals, Japanese summer festival that takes place in Aomori (city), Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan in early August. The festival attracts the most tourists of any of the country's nebuta festivals, and is counted among the t ...

and the

festival, one of the three great festivals in Tohoku. , , Akita Kanto

, - , , July 20–21 , Parade of

and 20 festival floats with almost life-sized dolls representing characters or scenes of historical narratives. The floats are provided by the neighborhoods. , , Tsuchi-yama-hayashifuribo

, - , , , Various dates (Jan 6, March 24–25, June 20, 24–28, July 1–8, December 7) with the main event on July 7 , Apart from a parade of floats the festival is particularly noted for ''ushinori'' where a man dressed as

Susanoo-no-Mikoto __FORCETOC__ Susanoo (; historical orthography: , ) is a in Japanese mythology. The younger brother of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun and mythical ancestress of the Japanese imperial line, he is a multifaceted deity with contradictory charac ...

rides a cow through the streets and for ''kumo mai'' (spider dance) in which a man dressed in red does somersaults on a platform on a fishing boat in the harbor. , , , - , , December 31 and January 1 , New Year fire festival in which large torches (''ōtaimatsu'') are lit and the state of burning is said to predict the year's harvest and catch. , , , - , , August 24–26 , Festival initiated in 1756 during the Great famine of the

Hōreki , also known as Horyaku, was a after ''Kan'en'' and before ''Meiwa''. The period spanned the years from October 1751 through June 1764. The reigning emperor and empress were and .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834 ''Annales des empereurs du japon'', p. 418 ...

era by Tozawa Masanobu, head of the

Shinjō Domain was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Dewa Province Japan and ruled by the Tozawa clan. It was centered on Shinjō Castle in what is now the city of Shinjō, Yamagata and occupied all of what is now Mogami District with 86 villag ...

in order to raise the spirits of the people and to pray for abundant harvest. The floats from each of 21 towns are characterised by their gaudy decorations and life size figures. The parade is accompanied by flutes, cymbals, drums and

shamisen The , also known as the or (all meaning "three strings"), is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument . It is played with a plectrum called a bachi. The Japanese pronunciation is usual ...

music. , , ShinjoMatsuriNight

, - , , 16th–18th day of the 11th month , Event related to Hayama no

Kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

in which after purification, local men climb

Hayama 260px, Morito Beach is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, on central Honshū, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 32,961 and a population density of 1900 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Since 1894, the Japane ...

where they receive the kami's oracle. , , , - , , July 18–21 , Festival held to drive away disease-inducing spirits. The festival includes various events such as a procession of young brides accompanied by

hayashi Hayashi (wikt:林, 林, literally "forest, woods"), is the 19th most common Japanese surname. It shares the same character as the Chinese surname Lin (surname), Lin. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese synchronized swimmer *, Ja ...

, children

on four floats, ''daidai

kagura is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase , indicating the presence of gods () in the practice. One major function of is , involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perfor ...

'' and the carrying of

. , ,

, - , , May 2–3, every 5 yearsThe festival was last held in 2017. , Spring festival of Sawawachigi Shrine in which a

is placed on a real fishing boat (dimensions: and ) and paraded through town by 300 men, praying for a good catch and maritime safety. , , , - , , May 3–5 , The grand festival of Kamine Shrine in which four community create floats that serve as multi-level puppet theatre for

karakuri puppet are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata, made from the 17th century to the 19th century. The dolls' gestures provided a form of entertainment. The word has also come to mean "mechanisms" or "trick" in Japanese language, Japan ...

s. Its floats have been designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property. , , Furyumonoomoteyama

, - , , Friday, Saturday and Sunday around fourth Saturday in July , Dating back to 1560 when the

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...

Shimotsuke Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Tochigi Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''SHimotsuke''" in . Shimotsuke was bordered by Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Hitachi Province, ...

enshrined Gozu-Tennō in Yakumo Shrine to stem a disease. The festival is characterised by a display of festival floats (''yatai''), and various entertainments such as

sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...

, shishi kagura, and most notably outdoor performances of

and dances of young girls. These are performed at various stages along the road when some of the stages include a mountain theme, giving rise to the name of the festival: ''ageyama'' meaning literally "raised mountain". , , , - , , Second weekend in October , Procession of 20 ''yatai'' festival floats accompanied by music and dance. , , , - , , , Compulsory rice eating as part of the Hokkōji Myōken Shrine festival.c , , , - , , Day of the

monkey Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as the simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes, which constitutes an incomple ...

in the 9th month , Hotaka Shrine festival with a 300-year history going back to a story involving an evil white monkey that was defended by the village. , , , - , , Third weekend in October , Festival of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine featuring a festival float parade, dances, music, and as the main event a musical battle (''hikkawase'') between the floats. , , Kawagoe Festival at night

, - , , December 2–3 , Main festival of

Chichibu Shrine The is a Japanese Shinto shrine at Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture.Kotodamaya.com"Chichibu Jinja" retrieved 2013-1-26. History According to text in the ''Sendai Kuji Hongi'' (''Kujiki''), Chichibuhiko-no-mikoto, the tenth-generation descendant ...

with six carved floats,

dance and music. , , Chichibu Yomatsuri

, - , , Friday, Saturday and Sunday following July 10 (Gion Festival); Friday, Saturday and Sunday around the second Saturday in October (Shinjuku Suwa Shrine Festival) , 300 year old festival featuring floats decorated with tall dolls. There are ten ''dashi'' floats during the Gion Festival of Yasaka Shrine and 14 ''dashi'' at the autumn festival of Suwa Shrine. , , , - , , Fourth Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July, once every 4 years , Festival incorporating a variety of rituals and performances including a procession with a red-masked demon, drums, flutes, girls with wooden staffs,

, and men carrying decorated sake barrels. A highlight of the festival is the ''Sasara'' dance consisting of 12 pieces performed by young girls in

yukata A is an unlined cotton summer kimono, worn in casual settings such as summer festivals and to nearby bathhouses. Originally worn as bathrobes, their modern use is much broader, and are a common sight in Japan during summer. Though are tradition ...

and colorful hats. This includes dances of two girls representing sun and moon respectively or dances in which the youths prepare the path for the descent of the

kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

. , , , - , , February 19–21 , Festival of the twelve shrines in Mona that includes the offering of taro. , , , - , , July 27–28 , Boats decorated in flowers make their way out to sea accompanied by boat songs. Also included in the festival is a rowing boat race and Kashima odori dance. , , Manazuru-Hayashi

, - , , , "Naked" festival of men struggling for rice cakes, sake and other auspicious objects. The event is seen as a prayer for safety and abundant crops but also constitutes rite of passage to adulthood. , , , - , , , 7 , Grand Festival of Senami Haguro Shrine with a procession of 19 ''yatai'' floats, 14 horses and 4 ''kasaboko'' parade floats around the site of the former

Murakami Castle is a Japanese castle located in Murakami, Niigata, Murakami, northern Niigata Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Murakami Castle was home to a cadet branch of the Naitō clan, ''daimyō'' of Murakami Domain under the Tokugawa shogu ...

. The ''yatai'' floats are two-storied with musicians on the lower and dolls on the upper level. , , , - , , (Nakahama and Sugitaira), January 12 (Ganjiki) , Event in which people prepare ''botamochi'' sweets for the tutelary

as gratitude for a successful harvest and fishing. , , , - , , , Large burning torches on rafts called ''nebuta'' are sent out to sea symbolizing the sending away of drowsiness and filth and praying for a healthy year without disease. , , , - , , First Friday and Saturday in AugustUntil 2006 the festival had been held on August 7, 8. , Parade of large, tall, long, triangular shaped floats decorated with about 90 lanterns each, praying for a good catch and safety at sea. , , Uozu-tatemon

, - , , , Float parade with seven ''dashi'' floats known locally as ''mikuruma yama'' (lit. cart mountains) decorated on top by sculptures of mythical animals from where umbrella like structures cover large

-like figures. , , Onmadashimachi-takaoka mikurumayama

, - , , May 4–5 , Parade of six ''hikiyama'' floats with large sculptures of Japanese deities such as Ebisu or

Daikokuten Daikokuten ( 大黒天) is a syncretic Japanese deity of fortune and wealth. Daikokuten originated from Mahākāla, the buddhist version of the Hindu deity Shiva, conflated with the native Shinto god Ōkuninushi. Overview Mahākāla in East Asia ...

, accompanied by lion dances, music,

and men carrying halberds. Peculiar to the festival are long-based carts known as ''ioriyatai'' pulled in front of the hikiyama and housing two groups of musicians: flute and shamisen players on one side and vocalists on the other. , , , - , , September 30–October 2 , , , , - , , , A cormorant is released to the gods and based on its movement the year's harvest and weather is forecast. , , , - , , , Parade of

and tall red banners accompanied by bells and drums and led by the masked dancing deity Sarudahiko no mikoto. It is a joyous expression of thanks for abundant harvest and fishing. , , , - , , May 13–15 , Festival of Ōtokonushi Shrine with huge tall ''hikiyama'' floats decorated with large kabuki-style dolls, and large barrel-shaped drums in an event meant to drive away disease-bearing spirits and to secure the safety of the local people. , , Dekayama sanno

, - , , August 26–27 , Fire festival in which huge lit and paraded through town announcing the close of the climbing season on

Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest p ...

. , ,

Ignition torches in the main street of Yoshida Fire Festival

, - , , Weekend following July 14, every 3 yearsThe last time the festival was held in 2016. ,

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

event in which two children on two tall structures made of branches compete to strike a light with a piece of flint. , , , - , , April 19–20 , A parade of priests, dignitaries,

, flag carrying men and lion dancers is followed by a procession of ''yatai'' floats and

music in the evening of the first day. The highlight of the festival is the ''okoshi taiko'', when giant drums supported by wooden stand are brought out on the second day. , , Okoshidaiko

, - , , April 14–15 (Spring festival of the Hie Shrine), October 9–10 (Autumn festival of the Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine) , Float festivals with 12 (11) decorated ''yatai'' floats, three (four) with

karakuri Karakuri ( ja, からくり, , mechanism) may refer to: * ''Karakuri'' (manga), a manga by Masashi Kishimoto *Karakuri puppet are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata, made from the 17th century to the 19th century. The dolls ...

mechanical dolls representing characters from Japanese myths or legends during the spring (autumn) festival. The procession is accompanied by lion dances, ''daidai''

and music. , , Kagura Tai Float

, - , , Weekend before May 15 , Parade of 13 ''yama'' floats decorated with dolls and karakuri mechanical puppets. The festival shows features of festival culture from eastern (

Chūkyō Chukyo can refer to: * Emperor Chūkyō (1218-1234), 85th emperor of Japan the city of Nagoya ( 中京 Chūkyō). Various things are named after the city: *Chūkyō Industrial Area *Chūkyō Metropolitan Area *Chūkyō Television Broadcasting * C ...

) and western (

Kinki The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolitan ...

) Japan. , , , - , , Weekend preceding the 10th day of the 8th month , Naked festival involving purification of the participants on the beach, miko

dances, ''oni mai'' (demon dances) and as the highlight, the violent carrying of

. , , , - , , Mid-September , Youths manipulate model boats while singing and chanting. , , , - , , May 3–4 , ''Shio-hi'' (low tide) festival of Kamezaki in which five tall two-tiered ''dashi'' floats with distinct roofs are dragged to the beach with puppet plays performed on the upper storey to the accompaniment of

noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...

and

nagauta is a kind of traditional Japanese music played on the and used in kabuki theater, primarily to accompany dance and to provide reflective interludes. History It is uncertain when the was first integrated into kabuki, but it was sometime dur ...

songs. , , Kamezakishiohi Festival2

, - , , First Saturday and following Sunday of April , Display of 13 three-storied ''dashi'' floats known locally as and produced by 13 towns. During the day

music from the lowest floor accompanies theatrical puppet performances on the top level. Afterwards 365 lanterns (one for each day of the year) are attached to each float. , , Inuyama Festival

, - , , Early July to late October, festival eve on first Saturday in August , Also known as ''100 day festival''. During the Yoi-matsuri eve in August, boats decorated with paper lanterns are festooned in the river. In the morning of the following day, during the Asa-matsuri, these boats with Takasago dolls and festival music go up the river. , , Sunarimatsuri1

, - , , Fourth Saturday and following Sunday of July , Festivals involving six ''danjiri'', boat versions of the terrestrial ''dashi'' floats, which are multi-tiered structures housing life-size dolls and depicting scenes from

drama. The highlight is a lit-up display of the boats on the Tennō river. , ,

Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectu ...

, - , , February 10–11 , Ritual masked and unmasked dances including varieties of

and

dengaku were rustic Japanese celebrations that can be classified into two types: that developed as a musical accompaniment to rice planting observances, and the dances that developed in conjunction with . The celebrated for rice planting was perform ...

. The highlight is the rivalry between a red-masked demon (''

oni An is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess i ...

'') and a long-nose-masked

tengu are a type of legendary creature found in Japanese folk religion (Shinto). They are considered a type of ''yōkai'' (supernatural beings) or Shinto ''kami'' (gods). The ''Tengu'' were originally thought to take the forms of birds of prey and a ...

. After the demon is defeated he runs through the village throwing sweets and white powder which is said to protect from summer diseases. , , Onimaturi

, - , , First Sunday of August and the preceding Saturday , Procession of around 30 ''saisha'' festival carts accompanied by ''

ōdaiko are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called and to the form of ensemble drumming m ...

'' and ''

''. , ,

, - , , Sunday before October 25 and the preceding Friday and SaturdayUntil 2016 the festival had been held every year from October 23–25. , Procession of ''danjiri'', i.e. ''daishi'' or ''hikiyama'' style floats, accompanied by drums and bells. The festival was originally closely connected with the Tenjin festival in Osaka. ,

Iga, Mie is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 88,895 in 40,620 households and a population density of 160 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Iga is located in northwestern Mie Pre ...

, - , , August 14–15 , In an event seen as a prayer for abundant fishing, four gold decorated whale-boat-shaped ''dashi'' floats are pulled through town in pursuit of a mock whale. , , Kujirabune01

, - , , Weekend before the second Monday in October , Parade of thirteen festival floats and

accompanied by music and chanting with participants wearing tanuki masks. , , , - , , September 1 , Formal contest comparing the length of

taro Taro () (''Colocasia esculenta)'' is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in Africa ...

followed by climbing Nogamiyama. , , , - , , Mid-October , Autumn festival of Mikami Shrine as a gratitude for the harvest with portable shrines made of the zuiki plant. , , , - , , April 13–16 , Display of ''hikiyama'' floats in which ''

'' music and children

are performed. The festival was initiated in the tenshō era by

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

celebrating the birth of his son. , , , - , , , ''Dashi'' float parade accompanied by ''

'' music. The festival originates from a ''

goryō are vengeful Japanese ghosts from the aristocratic classes, especially those who have been martyred. Description The name consists of two kanji, 御 (go) meaning honorable and 霊 (ryō) meaning soul or spirit. Arising mainly in the Heian ...

-e'' ritual in 869 when 66 halberds were used to pacify disease causing spirits. From 960 the festival became an annual event only interrupted by times of war. The tall poles on top of the ''yamaboko'' floats symbolize these halberds. , , Naginata hoko

, - , , Various (February 15–17, March 21, September 30, October 16–17) , Religious rituals typical for communities of shrine parishioners (''miyaza'') such as various types of offerings, ritual rice planting (''taue'') and the lighting of large torches. , , , - , , Second weekend in October , Large boat festival with a large fleet of wooden Japanese ships centered around boats carrying

and including rowing boats, lion boats, pleasure boats and boats for music and song. , , , - , , Fourth weekend in July , Three elaborately decorated boats and barges including a lion dance barge slowly make up their way from Koza Shrine along the Koza River to Kōchi shrine, represented by Seisho island, where offerings are made. , , , - , , February 6–7 , Festival of

Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, on the shores of the Kumanogawa in the Kii Peninsula of Japan. It is included as part of the Kumano Sanzan in the UNESCO World Heritage site "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the ...

in which about 2000 men in white clothes run down stairs torch in hand. , , , - , , July 13–14 , 12 vermillion

decorated with ogi fans and mirrors and 12 huge torches waved next to them. ,

Nachikatsuura, Wakayama 270px, Nachikatsuura town hall is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 14,420 in 7622 households and a population density of 79 persons per km². The total area of the town ...

, , - , , Fourth Friday, Saturday, Sunday in July , Parade of ''ōyamagasa'' floats that are decorated by flags during the day and turned into pyramids of light by a large number of lanterns at night. , , Tobata-gion01

, - , , Third Saturday of February , About 9000 naked men competing to get one of two sacred wooden sticks (''shingi'') dropped from a window of the temple. The ''shingi'' are said to make childbirth easier and to drive away evil spirits. , , Hadaka Matsuri small

, - , , Third Sunday in April ,

Shugendō is a highly syncretic religion, a body of ascetic practices that originated in the Nara Period of Japan having evolved during the 7th century from an amalgamation of beliefs, philosophies, doctrines and ritual systems drawn from local fol ...

ritual where various events such as

carrying and lion dances are followed by ritual imitations of rice planting (''taue''), halberd dances and paper cutting, which are typical

yamabushi are Japanese mountain ascetic hermits. They are generally part of the syncretic religion, which includes Tantric Buddhist, Shinto, and Japanese Taoist elements. Their origins can be traced back to the solitary Yama-bito and some (saints or ho ...

performances. The highlight is the erection of a tall pine pole stand (''matsu hashira'') on which a yamabushi performs various acts. The festival is a prayer for abundant harvest and safety. , , , - , , July 1–15, with the peak of the festival between July 10–15 , Festival of Kushida Shrine celebrating

through a parade of large ''dashi'' floats called ''yamakasa'', variously decorated with dolls. ,

Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...

, - , , November 2–4 , Procession of 14 ''hikiyama'' floats in the shape of samurai helmets, sea bream, dragons and other fantastical creatures, the oldest, a red lion dates to 1819. , ,

, - , , November 22–23 , Transfer of the

shintai In Shinto, , or when the honorific prefix ''go''- is used, are physical objects worshipped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or ''kami'' reside.''Shintai'', Encyclopedia of Shinto ''Shintai'' used in Shrine Shinto (Jin ...

from Yatsushiro Shrine to Shioya Hachiman-gū (known as ''o-kudari'') and exhibition of decorated floats and a mythical creature, half snake half turtle on the first day. On the second day the ''shintai'' returns (''o-nobori'') in a procession with lion dances. , , , - , , Weekend following July 20 , Float festival with 9 ''yama'' floats with a peculiar multi-layer doll structure. , , Hita Gionmaturi Kaomise

, - , , First day of gai following

, Various rituals followed by a boat race in an event that is seen as a prayer for abundant harvest and fishing. , ,

Folk performing arts

Kagura

(lit. "god entertainment") are dances associated with

Shinto shrines A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

. There have been 40 designations, all under Criteria 1, unless otherwise indicated.

Dengaku were rustic Japanese celebrations that can be classified into two types: that developed as a musical accompaniment to rice planting observances, and the dances that developed in conjunction with . The celebrated for rice planting was perform ...

(lit. "field music") are musical presentations/dances related to rice planting. There have been 25 designations, all under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated

Fūryū

(lit. "elegant dances") are traditional folk dances often consisting of large processions of participants typically wearing colorful costumes and accompanied by props. Another form represented below is and the syncretic . In these dances, dancing is accompanied by Buddhist chanting and hymns. The most common surviving example of these dances is the

Bon Odori or just is fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist–Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people retu ...

. There have been 43 designations, all designated under Criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated.

Storytelling

6 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1 except for the Hakata Matsubayashi which was designated under 2 and 3.

Ennen and Okonai

(lit. "extend the years") are Buddhist temple entertainments performed at the end of Buddhist services and believed to extend the listeners' lifespans. (lit. "deeds") are Buddhist New Year celebrations in which the evils of the past year are driven away. There have been 7 designations, all under Criteria 1.

Entertainment from abroad and performance arts

39 designations. All were designated under criteria 1 unless otherwise indicated.

Other

18 designations. All were designated under Criteria 1 except for the Daiko of the Kokura Gion Festival and the Inaba and Tajima Kirin Lion dance which were designated under criteria 2 and 3.

Folk techniques

Manufacturing and production

15 designations.

Necessities of life

3 designations, all under criteria 3.

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

Inventory-making for Intangible Cultural Heritage Management
{{Cultural Properties of Japan * Japanese folk art *Folk Intangible Folk