}); "name": "Is Osaka colder than Tokyo? The radish festival takes place annually in December, usually on 9th & 10th December, when boiled radish is served to about 10,000 people over the two days, when eating the hot radish is believed to be good for health. Currently there are 125 upcoming events. Fuji. A famous fire festival in which two giant chiggers are set alight and pulled about with ropes. In recent years, however, many restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores have stayed open during the New Year holidays. JNTO - Japan National Tourism Organization. If you are planning to visit Japan in December, it's best to avoid traveling to the country during the last week of the month and the first week of January, because this period is one of the busiest travel seasons in Japan. For several weeks in January, the city of Morelia celebrates its fiesta of the Immaculate Conception, and on January 17 pets and livestock in many areas are festooned with flowers and ribbons for the fiesta of San Antonio Abad. Marvel at lavishly decorated giant floats lit up with lanterns, see fireworks and enjoy festival food and drinks. Thus making it a perfect place for snow-adventure sports. "@type": "Question", 21 December December 3 - Chichibu Yo Matsuri, Chichibu Shrine, Saitama. So, if you manage to book your trip during this time, you'll have some options for dining and shopping. Cookie Policy var layer = $(this); Japan is a magical place in the winter with snowy mountains, steaming hot springs, rich foods, and fiery festivals. Hagoita also refers to a wooden bat used to play hanetsuki, a traditional game similar to badminton, but the ones sold at the fair are purely decorativeand are good luck charms for the new year. IN TOKYO: Tokyo Winter Illumination Guide, IN JAPAN: Japan Illumination Map: Best Winter Illuminations. Sakurai, Nara Prefecture The worst part? One member of the household dons a demon mask and plays the "bad guy" as everyone else shouts "get out!" "@type": "Question", "@context": "https://schema.org", window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_57769, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? Make sure to visit the UNESCO world heritage site listed village: Shirakawa Go. A nationally-designated Important Folk Cultural Asset. Weather ranges from autumnal cool to proper winter cold. In this 400-year-old festival, oshiroi, a white paste made from rice flour and water, is smeared on villagers' faces as a prayer for good harvests in the coming year. The last festive market of the year at the large Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in north-west Kyoto. When: Cancelled in 2021 (Usually held each year on 2-3 December) Special mention also goes to the Kobe Luminarie whose impressive display commemorates the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The western regions of Japan Nagano and Niigata Prefectures are great places to enjoy some of the best alpine sports in all of Asia. The most popular choice is the outdoor natural hot spring due to the mesmerising views outside. Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture slideshow:false, Real travel stories. Niiname-sai 5. Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages. Wakamiya Hachiman Naked Festival Japan Wonder Travel Tours in Tokyo Find the Other Tours Other articles you might be interested in 1. Perfect Guide to Get WiFi Connection in Japan And unlimited fun at Casela. }); Even if you aren't moving around, parks, shrines, and places you probably want to see will be inundated with people. One of the light displays at the Kobe Luminarie. Your kids will love Disney Land & Ocean Park! Hotel prices will often be at their highest. The Blue Pond became famous since it reflects a blue colour due to the presence of Hydrogen Peroxide in Water. }); $(window).resize(function(){ One of Japans three great fire festivals, the Nozawa Fire Festival is a spectacular sight with towering flames surrounded by snow. Akiba Taisai Hiwatari Shinji Festival $('#metaslider_57782').flexslider({ This region includes the capital city, Tokyo and a few other popular cities Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya. "text": "Yes, December is a good time to visit Japan. A must-see place in Kyoto, the temple offers some of the most breathtaking views in Japan. There will be an incredible opening night on , The already beautiful and bustling streets of Kobes China Town will be decorated with hundreds of red lanterns until January 9. Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau | Ikenoue Purification Ceremony, Go Tokyo | Setagaya Boro-ichi (Flea Market), Miyajima Tourist Association | Chinka-sai. The magical surroundings are perfect for an evening stroll , Osakas winter illuminations are split into two main events under the Festival of Lights umbrella: Midosuji Illumination and Osaka Hikari Renaissance. Gangtok & Darjeeling Tour Package 5D/4N @ Rs 13,000. Ohara Festival 9. Namahage Although Christmas is not a big festival in Japan and people work on the day of Christmas, what is worth a watch is the beautiful lights and illuminations that are done up all across Japan, especially in the Tokyo Region. timer_metaslider_57769(); Visit the Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park in Nagano to experience the adorable wild Japanese macaques enjoy themselves while they take bath in the Hot Springs inside the park. Hagurosan Shoureisai But both the cities experience milder winter temperature as compared to the Northern part of Japan" Participants attempt to steal the goblins' offerings, while the goblins attempt to ward off their abusers with bamboo staves. Fukuoka 1 2 Free Culture Hina Festival Opening Parade Feb 11th - Apr 3rd Yanagawa's Hina Festival Opening Parade brings the figurines of Girls' Day to life. Entsuji Temple, Nagoya This temple has been holding daruma (a manifestation of the Buddha) fairs for every year over 400. At home, families throw beans (usually soybeans) in mame-maki ceremonies to drive away evil spirits that could foul up things later. If you are planning to visit Japan in winter season,please check out these articles, too! Summary: A festival featuring a parade of 47 Ronin that is held to commemorate the heroic deeds of the 47 loyal ronin (masterless samurai) of Ako. Getting A Japan Visa Will Now Be Easier Than Buying A Movie Ticket. Greg Rodgers is a freelance writer and photographer from Kentucky. ", Phi Phi. , { A short walk from Shimbashi Station, visitors can see the Caretta Illumination. Talk to our travel experts today. The New Year period might be a good time to stay in Tokyo. Yes, Osaka is colder than Tokyo. This is a great opportunity to get your fill of incredible music performances and feudal Japan, as you will see participants dressed up in ancient Japanese attire. The Chichibu Yo Matsuri is a night festival, which features a lot of exciting fireworks. The name comes from the Wakamiya Shrine a shrine within the ground of the larger Kasuga Taisha Shrine. in Japan happening in December. January 1. Click pictures at the Winter Illumination in Japan 5. Akiba, Shizuoka Prefecture Bringing in the new year is taken very seriously in Japan. 14 December Summary: A festival where boys and men clad in loincloths enter the Nagara River to purify themselves and offerprayers for success. Shogatsu (New Year) franckreporter/Getty Images. Even if only 2% of Japanese are Christians, they do the season so well that this is really worth checking out. The New Year holidays also coincides with store sales, so it's a great time to get some bargain shopping done if you don't mind large crowds. direction:'horizontal', Located in Ibaraki prefecture, the event is spread out over two weekends in August. { The 6 Biggest Events and Holidays Celebrated in Japan. When: 31 December 2021 Its worth noting that the New Years holiday period, around 28 December to January 5 depending on the year, is a very busy time for domestic travel. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto You will see hot pot dishes and other Japanese delicacies perfect for winter as well as weird tradition like celebrating Christmas with KFC in Japan. At midnight, Buddhist temples ring bells 108 times (the estimated number of worldly sins/desires). A procession commemorating the 47 Ronin with people in traditional costume walking from Bishamon Temple to Oishi jinja in eastern Kyoto. Please select your country on the list below: Discovering Japan: our topic by topic guide to Japan. Create your Kanpai account to manage your profile and view your participation history (questions, answers). It's hard to get seats on non-reserved cars during the peak travel season. The middle part of the country including Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagoya and Kyoto get occasional snow that's usually light. 17 December Ask any kind of question and share your knowledge about Japan in Kanpais community space, our Q&A section Kotaete. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advisory Information, Early season skiing is possible from mid to late December at some resorts, The new year's period is a busy and expensive time to travel with some businesses closing for a few days, The Oshogatsu holiday period typically runs from December 29 to January 3 depending on how the days fall, Many shrines hold New Year's Eve events on December 31. 67-Year Old Sridhar Tells How He Beat The Odds & Took A Solo Trip To Dubai. Ice skate in Tokyos outdoor rings. Much like Chinese New Year, special food is prepared and money is given to children in small envelopes. }, Dont forget to enjoy this beautiful journey to the fullest that you are going to embark on in December on your trip to Japan. Click pictures at the Winter Illumination in Japan 5. It's a good idea to bring a warm hat and earmuffs for windy days. Once youre done skiing, you can relax in the hot springs and eat at the many cafs nearby. Alternatively, the Chrome browser allows you to translate many webpages from Japanese into English. Sabyacsachi's Romantic Trip Proves Europe To Be The Mother Of All Vacations, Srishti Talks Of Her Amazing Trip To Singapore With Her Mother & Niece. Sponsored posts are clearly labeled with a "Sponsored" tag. Dates, times and functions are subject to change without notice and can vary slightly each year. Sanya, China. Some of the articles on this site contain affiliate links. It's considered one of the biggest festivals in Japan. var el = $(this); It is also a good time to be a part of festival and events organised in Japan." Fuji seen from Lake Ashinoko. Japan in December In December, the beginning of winter, both domestic and international people enjoy seasonal events including Christmas Market and New Years countdown parties in Japan as well as skiing and snowboarding and Onsen hot springs. before: function(slider) { Daikon radish becomes available in late autumn and is associated with the seasonal cuisine of winter. Arrive a bit too late for the excitement, and your punishment will be inflated accommodation prices and overcrowded transportation. Take a look: Visit the Sapporo Snow Festival, which is the Biggest Snow Festival in Japan and is considered one of the biggest in the world. Misogi Matsuri NOTE: Some websites only have information in Japanese so you may need to use an online translation service such as Google Translate or DeepL . If its not obvious from the , The Ramen Expo in Expo Commemoration Park (more commonly known as Banpakukoen) takes place this year over five consecutive weekends (including some Fridays) in December. Enjoy skiing in Hokkaido 2. "text": "Yes, Osaka is colder than Tokyo. layer.css('cursor', 'pointer').on('click', function(e) { slideshow:false, More information: Gifu Convention and Visitors Bureau | Ikenoue Purification Ceremony, Where: Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture Make sure to hang around in these markets and shop for your loved ones. The takes place at Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture which can be accessed around 90 mins from central Tokyo. el.before(cloned); 13 Incredible Things To Do In Japan In December That All Travelers Must Try, 25 Unbeatably Fun Things To Do In Japan That All Travelers Must Try In 2022. Summary: The final market of the year at the temple featuring stalls selling items such as second-hand kimono, pottery, food and New Year's decorations. }); } WebHere is a list of events, that are annually celebrated in Japan, for the month of December. This is because back in the time it was isolated from the rest of Japan. Gishisai Festival window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_57782, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? Although the days are short, it's the sunniest month of the year in Tokyo due to relatively little rain or snow. Attend events like Ramen Expo and Nankinmachi Lantern Festival 4. 14 December Some festival goers may appreciate the sakemore than the flowers themselves, but all enjoy the time outside in fresh spring air! Plan to already be situated for enjoying the big holidays, and maybe consider avoiding travel during the Golden Week stretch altogether. The door is symbolically slammed shut on the evil spirit. $('#metaslider_57782 .msHtmlOverlay .layer[data-link], #metaslider_57782 .msHtmlOverlay[data-link]').each(function() { before: function(slider) { $('#metaslider_57769 .msHtmlOverlay .layer[data-link], #metaslider_57769 .msHtmlOverlay[data-link]').each(function() { Although throwing beans to frighten evil spirits may bewilder and amuse first-time visitors, travelers can really get behind the joy that is hanami the act of appreciating (and partying under) seasonally blooming flowers. The month falls in the winter season during which several parts of the country gets covered in thick snow. When: 17- 19 December 2021 Cocktail parties. Atago Shrine, Mt. After the ringing of bells, you go inside the temple and pray to the deity to end the year on a good note. Izumi Kannon Temple, Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture var cloned = el.clone(); Chichibu Night Festival . Numerous special events occur at the Tokyo Disney Resorts to celebrate Christmas. $('#metaslider_57782 .msHtmlOverlay').each(function() { Sengakuji| Official site, Where: Setagaya, Tokyo Prefecture 2 December Must Read: 25 Unbeatably Fun Things To Do In Japan That All Travelers Must Try In 2022. Many of Japan's ski resorts double as hot spring resorts, or at least have a selection of onsen bathing spots nearby. Asakusa Kannon Hagoita-ichi prevText:"<", Book memorable holidays on TravelTriangle with 650+ verified travel agents for 65+ domestic and international destinations. }, Japans festivals & events in December Chichibu Yomatsuri (Night Festival). Yes, December is a good time to visit Japan. "@type": "Answer", Participants light torches from a sacred flame (hi) and then pray for peace as the bell (kane) announces the beginning of the New Year. 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