7 Best Japan Local Festivals in November Annually

Each country has its own cultural events and local festivals, including Japan. You will be surprised that so many local festivals in Japan are not widely-documented by the global news. Throughout Japan, here are some of the best Japanese local festivals in November that are held annually.

#1 Onomichi Betcha Festival

Date: November 1-3

A mysterious festival that is said to have helped to cure the plague in ancient times, and grant prosperity and success in children’s academic achievement. This festival is held in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.

#2 Ohara Festival

Date: November 2-3

About 20,000 dancers dance in a parade annually through Kagoshima City to the tune of local folk songs and ondo, or dance steps. This is the largest festival in Southern Kyushu.

#3 Karatsu Kunchi

Date: November 2-4

The “Hikiyama Event of Karasawa Kunchi” was registered as “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage” in 2016 and this festival has been recognized as one of the most important events of the year. This event with an estimated 500,000 people is held at Karatsu Shrine in Saga Prefecture.

#4 Asakusa Tori no Ichi

Date: November 4, 16, 28

This event is held during the day of the rooster (Tori no hi) in November every year, in Asakusa Washi-jinja Shrine, which is located a short distance from the center of Asakusa in Tokyo. This event is a celebration of good luck and prosperous business, filled with rake-shaped lucky charms. Try to visit this event at night to see the beautiful things about it.

#5 Hanno Festival

Date: November 5-6

Floats and musical performances held at shrines in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture. The city is filled with people in kimono, and Japanese masks ride on floats.

#6 Wakamiya Hachiman Festival

Date: November 8-10

Held in Bungotakada, Oita Prefecture, this festival holds a tradition of more than 900 years. On a cold night, local men carry a portable shrine, which weighs as much as one ton, across the Katsura River that flows through the city. You can also see the world’s largest torch, ‘Bungo Grand Torch”.

#7 Arashiyama Momiji Festival

Date: November 13

Besides being famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring, Arashiyama in Kyoto is also known for its colorful autumn leaves in the fall. To appreciate the beauty, on the river near the Togetsukyo Bridge, people dressed in beautiful Heian-period kimonos will sit elegantly on the boat and take pictures.