10 Traditional Performing Arts and Events in Kansai

Mikuni Town in Fukui Prefecture flourished as a port city during the Edo and Meiji periods, thanks to its role as a hub for Kitamae-bune trading ships. Today, its historic streets, lined with merchant houses and stately residences, exude a nostalgic charm.

Each May, the Mikuni Festival takes place at Mikuni Shrine, dedicated to the local guardian deity. Known as one of the "Three Great Festivals of Hokuriku," it originated as an offering by town merchants, who donated floats and puppets as a form of worship.

The highlight of the festival is the Float Parade, held on May 20. Six giant floats, each topped with a 6.5-meter-tall warrior puppet, gather in front of Mikuni Shrine to the accompaniment of shamisen, flutes, and taiko drums. Following the Mikoshi and Float Send-Off Ceremony, the floats begin their grand parade one by one. Since the puppets are newly crafted each year, every festival presents a unique and unrepeatable spectacle.

During the festival, visitors can also enjoy over 300 stalls and food trucks offering local specialties and festival cuisine, as well as a variety of events to enhance the experience.

Located in southern Mie Prefecture, Kumano City is surrounded by natural beauty, with the sea to the southwest and mountains to the northeast. The area is also rich in historical sites, including those registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Among these, the Kumano Fireworks Festival, held annually in August, is a highlight.

The Kumano Fireworks Festival, with a history spanning over 300 years, is believed to have originated from simple fireworks displays during Obon as a form of offering for ancestral spirits. The ashes of these fireworks were then used in lantern-burning rituals, marking the beginnings of this spectacular event.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Sea Surface Explosion, where fireworks are thrown from high-speed boats into the sea, creating mesmerizing semicircular bursts of light over the water.

Another crowd-pleaser is the Onigajo Grand Firework Display, which utilizes the rugged cliffs and caves of Onigajo as a natural stage for breathtaking pyrotechnics. The Onigajo Ground Explosion, where firework shells are placed directly on the rocky terrain and detonated, envelops the venue in a thrilling combination of sound, light, and reverberation.

Otsu City, situated in southwestern Shiga Prefecture, is known for its proximity to Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, as well as historical landmarks like Enryaku-ji Temple and Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine.

Among its notable events is the Otsu Festival, one of the "Three Great Festivals of Lake Country" and a designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. With a history spanning over 300 years, the festival’s main event is the Hikiyama Parade, featuring 13 resplendent floats built during the Edo period. Each float is uniquely adorned with intricate carvings and decorations that showcase the distinct styles of various neighborhoods.

A highlight of the parade is the karakuri puppets atop the floats. During the procession, the floats stop at several points to perform shomon, where these puppets enact intricate movements and short plays, captivating onlookers.

Kyoto, renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji, is a city steeped in tradition and culture. It has also played a significant role in the development of traditional Japanese arts like tea ceremony and ikebana. Kabuki, one of Japan’s most celebrated performing arts, traces its origins to Kyoto, where Izumo no Okuni introduced the "Kabuki Odori" dance in 1603.

Kabuki combines dramatic performance, music, and dance, featuring extravagant costumes and makeup. Its unique stage mechanisms, such as the hanamichi and revolving stages, add to the spectacle. With over 300 plays in its repertoire, Kabuki remains a cornerstone of Japanese theater.

The Minamiza Theatre, built in Kabuki's birthplace, has hosted performances for over 400 years. Its annual Kaomise Performance in December is a beloved winter tradition in Kyoto.

Visitors can also participate in stage experience tours, offering hands-on opportunities to explore features like the hanamichi. The theater itself is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

Located in southern Osaka, Kishiwada City flourished as a castle town under the rule of the Okabe family during the Edo period. Today, the Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is synonymous with the city and is recognized nationwide.

The festival dates back over 300 years to an Inari Festival initiated by Lord Nagayasu Okabe to pray for abundant harvests.

It is held twice a year: in September for the coastal areas and in October for the inland regions. At the heart of the festival are danjiri, massive wooden floats weighing over four tons, pulled through the streets. The highlight is the yarikomashi, where floats are turned sharply at right angles while maintaining high speed. Teams of pullers, foremen, and carpenters synchronize perfectly to execute this exhilarating maneuver. Don’t miss the illuminated danjiri at night, adorned with lanterns.

Don't miss the chance to visit the Kishiwada Danjiri Kaikan for a deeper understanding of the festival. This facility offers a close-up look at danjiri decorations and a hands-on experience with festival instruments, allowing visitors to engage with the festival's spirit even outside its scheduled dates.

Kobe, in Hyogo Prefecture, is a city that blends Western influences, evident in its Kitano Ijinkan district and former foreign settlement, with traditional Japanese culture, such as the revered Ikuta Shrine. Each December, various shrines across Kobe host performances of Gagaku, Japan’s ancient court music.

Gagaku, performed by the Imperial Household Agency Music Department, dates back over 1,000 years and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2007. This art form comprises three main styles:
- Kangen: Instrumental music performed with percussion, wind, and string instruments.
- Bugaku: Dances accompanied by kangen.
- Kayo: Vocal music with kangen accompaniment.

Though rarely experienced in everyday life, Gagaku is actively promoted by the Japan Gagaku Association, which holds regular performances, national anthem renditions at events, and workshops where participants can try Gagaku instruments. Plan your visit by contacting the association via their official website (info@gagaku.or.jp) for the latest schedule and event details.

Nara Prefecture, home to Japan’s oldest capital, Fujiwara-kyo, is rich in cultural and historical significance. The city of Nara is dotted with World Heritage-listed temples and shrines, and Nara Park, where visitors can encounter free-roaming deer, is bordered by landmarks like Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Todai-ji Temple. On the eastern side of Nara Park rises Mt. Wakakusa, the site of the annual “Mt. Wakakusa Yamayaki” event, held every year on the fourth Sunday of January.

This tradition, dating back to the Edo period, is said to have begun as a ritual to pacify spirits buried in the Uguisuzuka Kofun tomb located atop Mt. Wakakusa.

The event starts with monks from Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji, and Todai-ji temples carrying a sacred flame from the Kasuga O-Tondo fire ceremony at Kasuga Taisha. The flame is then paraded to Nogami Shrine and Mt. Wakakusa.

Following a spectacular display of approximately 600 fireworks, around 300 members of the Nara City Fire Department light torches from a large bonfire and set the entire mountainside ablaze. The sight of Mt. Wakakusa engulfed in flames against the night sky is truly awe-inspiring.

Wakayama Prefecture's Tanabe City is home to Kumano Sankeimichi (the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range), a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Tanabe Festival, held annually at Tokei Shrine, is the largest festival in the southern Kishu region and one of the "Three Great Festivals of Kishu."

The main attraction is the Kasahoko Parade, where eight beautifully decorated Kasahoko floats make their way through the streets of the old castle town. On the eve of the festival, during the Aizubashi Float Gathering and Separation Ceremony, the floats, illuminated by red lanterns, reflect on the river’s surface, creating a magical atmosphere. On the second night, the floats assemble in the Tokei Shrine grounds, marking the climax of the festival.

Other highlights include the Mikoshi Procession, where portable shrines are carried through the town, and Yabusame Horseback Archery, in which skilled archers shoot arrows while riding at full speed. This two-day event is filled with vibrant activities that celebrate Wakayama's rich traditions.

In southern Tottori City, the town of Mochigase is known for the Nagashi Bina Festival, an ancient tradition performed along the Chiyogawa River every year on the third day of the third lunar month.

This custom, which originated in the Heian period, involves using human-shaped paper dolls (hitogata) to symbolically transfer misfortunes before releasing them into rivers or the sea as a form of purification.

In Mochigase, this practice evolved during the Edo period into the Nagashi Bina Festival, where pairs of male and female paper dolls are placed on shallow straw mats adorned with peach blossoms and camellias, then floated down the river to pray for good health.

At the Nagashi Bina Museum, visitors can create their own paper dolls and participate in the floating ceremony.

The festival day also features a Hina Doll Stroll, where around 1,000 hina dolls, including historic Kamo Dolls, are displayed throughout the town and the museum.

Tokushima Prefecture is famous for its Awa Odori, a traditional dance with a history spanning over 400 years. Complementing its global fame, the region also boasts Awa Ningyo Joruri, a form of puppet theater designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

Ningyo Joruri is a traditional puppet performance that combines storytelling by a narrator (tayu), shamisen accompaniment, and puppetry. Each puppet is controlled by three puppeteers, allowing for delicate movements that convey even the finest emotions and nuances of the characters.

What sets Awa Ningyo Joruri apart is its unique connection to Tokushima. Traditionally performed on rural stages within shrine precincts, the prefecture has the highest number of existing rural stages in Japan, with approximately ten still in use for performances today.

At the Awa Jurobe Yashiki in Tokushima City, visitors can enjoy daily performances of the classic play "Keisei Awa no Naruto: The Pilgrimage Song Scene". Special performances featuring various other plays and exhibitions are also held, offering a deep dive into the world of this traditional art.

Even for those unfamiliar with traditional Japanese arts and events, having even a little background knowledge can make these experiences much more accessible and enjoyable.
Let these extraordinary experiences inspire your journey into Japan’s rich cultural heritage.