14D Japan Summer Festivals; Aug 04-17, 2008,
Tokyo, Aomori, Gifu, Shikoku, Koya-san, Hiroshima, Kyoto
USD $1,995 per person; local payment of USD $250 per person
Tour prices DO NOT include international airfare and taxes.
Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs. Some are so different that they do not even remotely resemble the original festival despite sharing the same name and date. Journey with us to uncover Japan’s Summer festivals.
Highlights
- Aomori Nebuta; Aug 05-07, 2008
- Gifu Hachiman Odori; Aug 08-09
- Awa Shikoku Festiva; Aug 10-11
- Koyasan O-bon; Aug 12-13
- Miyajima Fireworks Festival; Aug 14-15
- Daimonji Festival; Aug 16-17
Day 01 / Arrive Tokyo
Arrive in Tokyo at any time.
Days 02-04 / Aomori Nebuta Festival
Partake in one of Japan’s biggest and liveliest festivals at the Aomori and Hirosaki Nebutra Festivals. These festivities centre around a massive parade of huge lanterns in the shape of samurai warriors. The lanterns are made with wooden or bamboo frames and covered with brightly colored papier-mâché and take almost a year to build. Join the locals for some spirited dancing as they relax and enjoy this beautiful festival.
Days 05-06 / Gifu Hachiman Odori
Virtually all communities in Japan have annual Odori festivals, but the one in Gujo Hachiman, the Gujo Odori, lasts for 30 nights. Dating back over 400 years, this festival is all about dancing. Don your cotton yukata and sandals, learn a few simple hand movements, and take to the streets to the sounds of flutes and drums until the wee hours of the morning.
Days 07-08 / Awa Shikoku Festival
Awa Odori takes place during the Buddhist observance of O-bon, when the spirits of the dead are thought to return to their ancestral homes. In Tokushima, the departed are welcomed back with a performance of the ‘Dance of the Fools’. Legend has it that in 1587 a feudal lord threw a house warming party where his guests had a few too many drinks. They began to dance, flailing their arms and legs about. After recovering from their hangovers, they decided it should become an annual event! In Tokushima City, most of the action happens for four days along the city’s main drag.
Days 09-10 / Koyasan O-bon
Koyasan is a mountain top village, home to over 100 monasteries and a powerful place to visit. During the summer Obon festival, thousands of pilgrims come to Obon to pay respect to their ancestors by lighting several thousand lanterns which illuminates the route through the Okunion cemetery.
Days 11-12 / Miyajima Fireworks Festival
Search for the perfect viewing location for one of the world’s best fireworks displays. Watch in awe as a custom made boat launches thousands fireworks over the sea backlighting the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima’s Miyajima neighborhood.
Days 13-14 / Kyoto Daimonji Festival
The night sky is painted a bright red as five hugh bonfires are simultaneously lit on the surrounding mountains of Kyoto. Built in the shape of kanji (Japanese characters), the fires are supposed to help guide the spirits of the dead back home.
2008 Dates
- Aug 04-17
Group Size
- Minimum 04, Maximum 14
Group Leader
- Tour Leader, local guides
Accommodation
- Hotels (13 nights)
Transport
- Taxi, bullet train, subway, ferry, local train
Meals Included
- No meals are included
Meal Budget
- Allow USD $270 for meals not included
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