Chichibu Night Festival
Seasonal EventsWhat Is the Chichibu Night Festival?
December 3rd is the main day of the Chichibu Night Festival. It is the grand annual festival of Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, and is counted among Japan's three great float festivals alongside Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and Takayama Matsuri in Hida. December 2nd is the eve festival and December 3rd the main day.
Floats Moving Through a Winter Night
Two kasaboko and four yatai floats are hauled through the town. The sight of lantern-lit floats moving on a cold December night is the festival's signature image.
- Location: Chichibu Shrine, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
- Schedule: December 2nd is the eve festival, December 3rd the main day
- Floats: two kasaboko and four yatai
- Standing: one of Japan's three great float festivals, with Gion and Takayama
- UNESCO: inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016
Records Going Back More Than Three Centuries
Records show the festival already existed during the Kanbun era (1661-72) of the Edo period, giving it a history of over 300 years. In 2016 it was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list as part of Japan's float festivals. Because it falls in midwinter, anyone going to watch should dress warmly.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Look up the festival's floats and schedule
- Compare it with the other two great float festivals, Gion and Takayama
- Find out whether your own area holds a winter festival
- Check your cold-weather gear before heading to a winter festival
One of the Few Great Festivals Held in Winter
Most major festivals cluster in spring and summer, but Chichibu's falls in December. Floats moving through the cold are something only this season offers.