Every year there are thousands of festivals that take place around Japan. The country has a long standing tradition of matsuri, festivals that are celebrations of calendar holidays, religious events and town pride. Different festivals have different ways of celebrating however, each one tries to outdo its neighbour. Some festivals are so spectacular and immense that they take place during a few days to ensure that everyone can enjoy them.
Among the most famous festivals in Japan, a few names come to mind. The summer Gion matsuri in Kyoto is famous throughout the country. In the dead of winter, you can enjoy the Sapporo snow festival, a hugely popular event that needs to be booked several months in advance if you hope to attend. Although these two examples are beautiful in their own right, the Chichibu Night Festival is famous for its impressive floats and winter fireworks. These two common matsuri elements are very uncommon in winter, due to the fragile nature of the floats, and the difficulty of operating fireworks in cold weather. Because of these two elements, the Chichibu Night Festival is deemed to be one of the best ones in Japan. Better still, it takes place in the western part of Saitama prefecture, only about an hour from Tokyo.
Floats are always highly decorated and well-lit. Here, they are also exceptionally high, adding to the magical atmosphere.
The beautiful floats follow a route around the streets, which you can follow with the crowd by referring to the printed guide. If ever you tire of walking the streets, or if the cold has started to wear you out, you can huddle underneath a tent of one of the numerous food stalls. You’ll find everything you need near the station, including tables to sit down and enjoy a piping hot meal with a drink while you wait for the fireworks to begin.
Fireworks exploding in the night sky at the Chichibu Night Festival.
The fireworks go for about an hour, and can be seen from pretty much anywhere near the station. The back streets are recommended so that you get a clear treeless view. A note of caution, Chichibu is a very remote location and therefore, trains stop running fairly early. Check the schedule for the last trains for heading back into Tokyo and keep an eye on time. Unfortunately, if you’re staying far from Chichibu, you may have to leave early and miss the fireworks.
Chichibu Night Festival runs in early December each year. You can find out more about this special festival by visiting the
Saitama Tourismwebsite. Enjoy the sights of a traditional Japanese festival and remember to bundle up! Chichibu can be very cold this time of year and it’s best to go well-prepared.
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