Chichibu Yomatsuri, held on 2–3 December at Chichibu Shrine, is one of Japan's three great float festivals and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Six enormous kasaboko and yatai floats draped in Nishijin silk tapestries and lit by lanterns are hauled through the town to a grand stage at city hall. The climax features fireworks bursting behind the floats — a rare pairing of traditional matsuri and pyrotechnics that draws around 200,000 visitors on the main night.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Winter
- Month
- 2–3 December
- Region
- Kanto
- Prefecture
- Saitama
- City
- Chichibu
Highlights
- ◆Six giant silk-draped kasaboko floats lit by warm lanterns
- ◆Fireworks display synchronised with float procession
- ◆UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition
- ◆Winter mountain atmosphere in the Japanese Alps foothills
- ◆Chichibu Shrine ceremonies dating back 2,000 years