Takayama Festival
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Information: Japan Travel Guide | Japan Map | Exotic Festivals | Japanese bath etiquette
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Takayama Matsuri or Spring Festival is a bi-annual event and reckoned to be one of the three most colourful and historically interesting events in Japan. It's located a train ride from Nagoya.
Celebrating spring on April 14 -15 [also known as the Sanno festival, originating in a shrine in the south of the town] and autumn on October 9-10 [also known as the Hachiman festival due to its northern town connection]. The floats [yatai] do NOT travel around if rain falls due to potential damage of the dozen or so spectacular, ancient artifacts, so if you're going just to see the floats check the accurate local Japanese weather forecast a few days before jumping on a train, though Takayama does offer several other attractive tourist options.
A monster crush at the opening mechanical doll-dancing ceremony, aka Karakuri.
This is the most crowded time at the Takayama Matsuri as people wait for performances by each of the three dolls topping the shrine [see below]. Musicians or singers providing the voices or backing of the dolls lurk in the rectangular body of the float, with the puppet-master above them. Shows happen on both days of the festival at around midday.
In the event of precipitation performances still take place, but inside the yatai storage areas which are extremely small so chances of seeing the action are miniscule.
A doll-master straightening out his aged mate after the dancethon.
After the initial show the yatai - along with others waiting nearby - are dragged around the old town. This is an excellent time to see the floats in action as the crowds disperse and dynamic close-up photos are easy to get. Wide-angle lenses are useful in this context!
One of several traditional Japanese costumes used by float draggers.
These portable shrines not only carry a Shinto deity around but often half a dozen musicians or kids too so they travel slowly, often only a few yards at a time. Going around corners requires particular care.
Kids along for the ride
Like most towns in Japan Takayama has no shortage of dull, modern structures before a tourist gets anywhere near the few gems of ancient vernacular architecture - apart from temples and shrines of course, which are almost always well-preserved.
Needless to say, with many thousands of visitors packing into the town for these festivities, both Japanese and foreign tourists find accommodation hard to find so many get hotels in nearby towns. Trains run late and hotels often run shuttle buses to the station so evening events are still do-able. The Bugcrew stayed up the line in Furukawa while other travellers were in Gero, a famous onsen [hot spring baths] town.
Takayama Festival sights are not limited to portable shrines. Locals also process around in traditional Japanese costumes, representing all walks of life, from farmer to samurai to daimyo and even one lucky shogun figure who travels around in a rickshaw.
Processional music is surprisingly attractive and haunting, though can become repetitive. The evening procession is especially melodic and inspiring so long as you don't get trapped at a crush-point. Stay loose!
Photos © bugbog.com