Though the air is getting hot and sticky and permanently filled with the perma-drone of cicadas, July is perhaps one of the best months in Japan (and not just because it’s my birthday). That’s July marks the beginning of the matsuri [festival] season. It is a time when local communities gather in their yukata or jinbei dress to celebrate ancient traditions, pray to local deities or, more often than not, eat some good food and get a little bit squiffy.<\/p>\n
There are a good number of matsuri in and around Nagoya this month, and below you can find a few select ones that you should definitely check out.<\/p>\n
While there are hanabi [firework] matsuri earlier in the summer (the Nishi-Biwajima and Atsuta festivals, for example, occur in June), this is the first big one of the year.<\/p>\n
Taking place on the ‘marine day’ public holiday, the Nagoya Port Festival, or Nagoya Minato Matsuri as it is also called, began in 1946 as a celebration to help raise spirits and encourage positivity following the destruction caused by WW2. The festival runs from 12:30, but the main draw for the huge crowds is the display of around 3,000 fireworks.<\/p>\n