Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri has been celebrated without interruption since 1136, making it one of Japan's oldest and most complete festival traditions. Held December 15–18, the centrepiece is the Otabisho outdoor stage programme on December 17th, where Noh, Kagura, Bugaku court dance, and Sarugaku are performed as offerings to the deity. The Shinto procession at dawn on December 17th recreates a Heian-period parade with participants dressed in 800-year-old costume styles. The torchlit atmosphere of Nara Park transforms the winter night into a scene from classical Japan.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Winter
- Month
- December
- Region
- Kansai
- Prefecture
- Nara
- City
- Nara
Highlights
- ◆Unbroken 900-year festival lineage at Kasuga Taisha
- ◆Dawn torchlit procession in authentic Heian-period costumes
- ◆Open-air Noh, Bugaku, and Kagura performances as deity offerings
- ◆Spectacular night atmosphere in torch-illuminated Nara Park
- ◆Designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage associated art forms