Japanese Holidays & Festivals: June

These are yearly events of June in Japan. Although unfortunately the public events will not be taking place this year, we still wanted to share them with you for your future trip to Japan. On the first of the month, we’ll share a monthly calendar of Japan’s yearly holidays and notable festivals.

JUN 1-2: Takigi Noh Performance

Noh, Japanese traditional musical performance exclusively played by men, will be shown in Heian Jingu Shrine, Kyoto.

JUN 4-10: Yasakoi Soran Festival

About 30,000 dancers from different regions of Japan will participate in dancing parades and performances featuring Sapporo Soran’s folk music.

JUN 13: Chagu Chagu Umakko

100 horses dressed in colorful costumes with children on their backs march in a parade. It is a day for farmers to make wishes for their health and harvests as well as for the horses to take a day off.

JUN 14: Rice Planting Festival

One of the major rice-planting rituals of Japan. 12 women plant rice in Sumiyoshi shrine in Osaka accompanied by rice-planting folk songs.

JUN 14: Izawanomiya Otaue Matsuri

Rice-planting festival in Izawanomiya shrine in Mie Prefecture. After the planting, a group of men wearing loin cloth fights in a mud field for a charm hanging on a bamboo tree.

JUN 15: Yasaka Shrine Festival

There will be a Heian-period court dance performance at Yasaka shrine in Kyoto.

JUN 22-23: Yukata Matsuri

A lot of stalls will be lined up near Himeji Castle in Himeji. People wearing yukata, summer kimono, will get discounts in a number of attractions.

JUN 30-July 2: Aizen Festival

Celebrating Aizen Myo-oh, one of the greatest Buddhist guardians, there will be a parade with geisha on decorated palanquins.