Held on 14–15 April at Hie Shrine, the spring Takayama Matsuri (Sanno Festival) is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Eleven elaborately lacquered and gilded yatai floats are drawn through the preserved merchant-town streets, each equipped with karakuri mechanical puppets that perform for crowds. The evening procession, lit by hundreds of red lanterns, transforms the old town into a glowing spectacle that draws visitors from around the world.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Spring
- Month
- Mid-April
- Region
- Chubu
- Prefecture
- Gifu
- City
- Takayama
Highlights
- ◆Eleven UNESCO-listed lacquered yatai floats
- ◆Live karakuri puppet performances on the floats
- ◆Lantern-lit evening (yomatsuri) procession
- ◆Set against Takayama's intact Edo-period townscape
- ◆Sake breweries open for tasting along the route