Kumamoto is a city of balance. As both a regional city and a 400-year-old castle town, Kumamoto is home to a variety of events that showcase both its modernity and its ancient traditions. Unlike the concrete jungles we associate most urban areas with, Kumamoto’s natural environment pervades its cityscape, making the seasons as integral to city life as the traffic and train tracks that serve as its heartbeat. In this way, Kumamoto has an especially unique and broad array of events for travelers and locals to enjoy.
A Brief Overview:
Seasonal Celebrations
In Japan, the changing of the seasons is an important part of cultural life (all ancient haiku were required to contain seasonal words!). Family, friends, and coworkers sit together and make merry under the blooming cherry blossom trees to celebrate a new spring. Flocks of people donning yukata and kimono head to festivals to see fireworks every summer. Anywhere with enough Japanese maples becomes packed in the fall with visitors wanting to view the flaming orange and red foliage. Lines of people appear from the frozen early hours of the first days of the year before shrines across the country with the hopes of getting good blessings for the year to come.
Plum Blossoms (梅)
Cherry Blossoms (桜)
Autumn Leaves (紅葉)
Summer Fireworks (花火)
Lake Ezu Firework Display
Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition
Christmas
Kumamoto Station Christmas Market
Sakuramachi Christmas Market
New Year’s (お正月)
Joya no Kane: Ringing Temple Bells at Midnight
Hastumode: First Shrine Visit of the Year
Matsuri (祭り)
Matsuri are usually traditional Japanese festivals that reference a historical event or culturally significant theme to the local community. For example, the Seishoko Festival is focused around a procession carrying a Mikoshi, or a sacred object containing the deified Kato Kiyomasa, founder of Kumamoto Castle. However, some matsuri are so old that no one remembers what it was that people were celebrating in the first place. Regardless, Matsuri are community oriented events that bring together people to have a good time, eat delicious street food, and celebrate what makes the community unique.
Kumamoto City
Seishoko Matsuri (清正公まつり) – 4th Sunday of April
Location: Kumamoto City
Hi-no-Kuni Festival (火の国祭り)
Location: Kumamoto City
Fujisaki Hachimangu Festival Parade (藤崎八旛宮例大祭)
Location: Kumamoto City
North Kumamoto
Yamaga Lantern Festival (山鹿灯籠祭り)
Location: Yamaga, Kumamoto Pref.
Kikuchi Summer Festival (きくち夏まつり)
Location: Kikuchi, Kumamoto Pref.
Aso
ヒゴタイ祭
Location: Ubuyama (Aso), Kumamoto Pref.
South Kumamoto
Uto Jizo Matsuri (うと地蔵まつり)
Location: Uto, Kumamoto Pref.
Misumi Port Festival (海の日協賛・みすみ港祭り)
Location: Misumi Port (Uki), Kumamoto Pref.
Yatsushiro Kuma River Festival (八代くま川祭り)
Location: Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref.
Hinagu Ushinoyu Festival (日奈久温泉丑の湯祭り)
Location: Hinagu Onsen (Yatsushiro), Kumamoto Pref.
Amakusa
Reihoku Jatto Fesival (苓北じゃっと祭)
Location: Reihoku (Amakusa), Kumamoto Pref.
Sazanami Fest (さざなみフェスタ)
Location: Amakusa City, Kumamoto Pref.
Ushibuka Haiya Festival (牛深ハイヤ祭り)
Location: Ushibuka (Amakusa City), Kumamoto Pref.
Amakusa Hondo Haiya Festival (天草ほんどハイヤ祭り)
Location: Hondo (Amakusa City), Kumamoto Pref.
