Takayama Sanno Matsuri
Twice a year, the old town part of Takayama hosts Takayama Matsuri. With majestic floats parading, it is known as one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan and the spring edition is going on right now!
On the occasion of both the spring and automn Takayama festivals, hundreds of thousands people, some coming from all over Japan and even from abroad, get together to admire the Takayama Matsuri floats.
The spring festival at Hie Shrine is held on April 14-15. It’s also the season of sakura and Takayama festival mingles with Hanami. The autumn festival, on October 9-10, is held at Hachiman Shrine. The kami of each shrine is paraded all across the old town on a portable shrine.
During the impressive procession of the first night, a dozen tall and heavily decorated floats (yatai) parade across town. During the day, they are exhibited in Tayama’s streets to allow visitors to enjoy them. Several of them carry karakuri ningyo, big mechanic dolls dancing on the floats.
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