Nihonmatsu Chouchin Matsuri 2024

Overview and Highlights of “Yoi Matsuri” (Evening Festival)

The highlight of the lantern festival is undoubtedly the first day’s evening festival. On this day, seven drum floats adorned with lanterns from each neighborhood parade through the city, transferring the sacred fire from the Nihonmatsu Shrine to the red lanterns.

The drum floats, accompanied by the spirited chants of the youth groups and festival music, march boldly through the city. The sight of 3,000 lanterns moving through the night sky, glowing with a fiery red hue, creates an electrifying atmosphere for onlookers. This is the only day when all neighborhoods are united in the nighttime procession.

The evening festival concludes with a gathering in front of the Nihonmatsu Station.

 

Overview and Highlights of the “Hon Matsuri” (Main Festival) Lantern Festival

This day features the most significant event of the grand festival, the “Mikoshi Yudomi” (Portable Shrine Procession). The second day welcomes the collaborative procession of all seven neighborhoods, starting around 8:30 in the morning from the station and lasting until around 3:00 in the afternoon. Following this, the mikoshi is ceremoniously returned to the shrine. In the evening, the drum floats return to their respective neighborhoods, relighting the lanterns and parading through the streets once again.

 

Overview and Highlights of the “Ato Matsuri” (Closing Festival) Lantern Festival

The third day marks the final day of the festival. During the day, each neighborhood conducts a closing procession, and in the evening, the neighborhoods split into two groups, each participating in a collaborative closing procession. Even after the procession is complete, the festival music continues into the night, resonating under the starry sky until the late hours.

 

 

 

 

Outline of the event

Year 2024

Yoimatsuri: Saturday, October 5
Main Festival: October 6 (Sun.)
Post Festival：October 7 (Monday)

Venue：Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

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