Japanese Holidays & Festivals: September

These are yearly events of September in Japan. Although unfortunately the public events will not be taking place this year, we still wanted to share them with you for your future trip to Japan. On the first of the month, we’ll share a monthly calendar of Japan’s yearly holidays and notable festivals.

SEP 1-3: Kaze no Bon

People in Yatsuo-cho will decorate their houses with paper lanterns, and dancers will dance Japanese traditional bon odori at night.

SEP 6-7: Hassaku-sai

A Buddhist ritual wishing for health and good harvest. There will be sumo matches and a float parade carried by women.

SEP 9: Karasu-zumo

Shinto priests of Kamigamo shrine perform rituals by jumping like crows. There will be sumo matches afterward.

SEP 14-16: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Festival

Recreation of Japanese archery on horseback in Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura

SEP 14-15: Tono Matsuri

A festival praying for good harvest in the city of Tono. There are Japanese traditional lion dances, rice-planting dances and Shinto ritual ceremonial dances that attract lots of people every year.

SEP 15: Ukai Cormorant Fishing

Fishermen recreate a traditional fishing method by using trained cormorants to catch fish in Arashiyama river located in Kyoto.

SEP 15-17: Seiryu-e Festival

According to one of the legends of Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto that a blue dragon flies into the temple to drink water from the waterfall, there will be a 18-meter long blue dragon float dance in front of the temple.

SEP 21: Respect for the Aged Day (national holiday)

A national holiday honoring elder citizens.

SEP 22: Autumnal Equinox Day

The day of the Southward equinox where daytime gets shorter than night-time.

SEP 22: Comb Festival

A parade of women with traditional hairstyles and clothings from various periods of time in front of Yasui Konpira shrine in Kyoto.