Shizuoka Prefecture

As fun as most Japanese festivals can be, do you ever get the impression that they start winding down just as things get interesting? For the most part, as soon as the sun sets and the canned beers kick in, festival stalls close their shutters, the last fireworks fade, and everybody goes home. But fear not, because if you are looking for a matsuri that gets you going all day and into the night, Hamamatsu has the festivals for you. Hamamatsu Kite Flying Festival One of Japan’s best-known Golden Week festivals, the Hamamatsu Kite Flying Matsuri, is independent of Shinto religious affiliations and has the celebration of children at its heart. Its origins date back to the Eiroku era (1558-1569), when it was said that to celebrate the birth of his first son, the regional daimyo (chieftain) flew a giant kite from Hamamatsu Castle. Continuing this tradition, from around 10 am on May 3 and 4, and 12 pm on May 5, the famed sand dunes of Nakatajima Beach host a series of dramatic kite flying competitions to celebrate Boys’ Day. 170 Neighborhood and district teams join the fray with 3.5m x 3.5m kites portraying their district crest, adorned with…