Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival
August 6 (Wed) and 7 (Thu), 2025
It is an about 600-yearl old festival held on August 6 and 7 in Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Moriharu Ōuchi, a feudal lord ruling Yamaguchi during the Muromachi period, conducted a memorial ceremony for his ancestors, lighting a fire on bamboo-made lanterns on the Obon night. This was the beginning of the lantern festival. Chochin lanterns hung from bamboo trees illuminate the streets of Yamaguchi with warm redish light.
Yamaguchi Gion Festival
"July 20(Mon), 2025, Gojinko July 24(Thu), 2025 City residents’ dance July 27(Sun), 2025 Gokanko"
"During the Muromachi period, Lord Hiroyo Ōuchi built and developed Yamaguchi, modeling it after Kyoto. In 1369, Ōuchi requested Gion Shrine in Kyoto (currently known as Yasaka Shrine) for the transfer of a divided tutelary deity to Tatekoji in Yamaguchi. Later in 1459, the first festival was held in Yamaguchi with the incorporation of unique features of Gion Festival in Kyoto. On the first day of the festival, “Dance of the Heron Ritual” is performed, in which dancers wear a head cap and wings to imitate the figure and motion of heron. On the last day, the deity in the sacred palanquin is returned from the temporal shrine to Yasaka Shrine. During the days of festival, a folk dance parade by locals is also presented. This is a 600-year old traditional festival of Yamaguchi."
Access here to make reservations or to find out more information from March 2025.
