| Admission | Free |
| Dates | Mid August around the 13th - 15th 3 days |
| Contact | - |
| Starting times | All day |
| Location / Getting There | Various locations throughout every city. |
Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of ancestors. It has been celebrated in Japan for over 500 years and is known as a time for family. It is a time of family reunion, where the graves of ancestors are visited and cleaned. It also includes a celebration involving a Bon dance (Bon Odori). This festive dance was originally a folk dance to welcome the spirits of the dead. The dance takes place around a high wooden scaffold called a ‘yagura’. Musicians, playing a Japanese drum (taiko), and singers sit at the top of this yagura to perform for the line of dancers below.
These small festivals are held throughout each city in various places and districts. If you are in Sapporo, the main Bon Festival is held in Odori Park. Plus, there is another in front of the Park Hotel. At these Bon dances, there are stalls selling food and drink and this goes all day. In the evening the lanterns come to life and the music starts. Anybody is welcome to join the line dance that circles the yagura. This is a great way to get involved with centuries of Japanese culture and make for a great spot to get some video or photos.
| Dates | First weekend of August (3 days) |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 22:00 |
| Contact | 011-518-2005 |
| Location / Getting There | In Sapporo, get off at Susukino subway station and the festival is directly in front, on the main straight. 〒064-0804 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Minami 4 Jōnishi, 4 Chome |
Shrines carried down the main street
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Beer flowing and BBQ sizzling
The final day sees a fitting end to the festival with portable shrines (Mikoshi) being carried down the main street by hundreds of locals. The traditional music and the chanting is a true spectacle and is a great opportunity to get some great photos. While all this is going on, the local bars and restaurants open up stall on the side streets. It is here you can enjoy some beer and some grilled food cooked up by the local owners. It does get crowded here and along the main street, so an early start is advised!
| Dates | First weekend of August (3 days) |
| Opening Hours | 18:00 - 22:00 |
| Contact | 011-518-2005 |
| Location / Getting There | In Sapporo, get off at Susukino subway station and the festival is directly in front, on the main straight. 〒064-0804 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, Minami 4 Jōnishi, 4 Chome |
Shrines carried down the main street
During the summer at the start of August, the annual Susukino Festival can be seen. Starting in the late afternoon and continuing through until late evening, the festival runs for three days. The streets are closed off for parades, and for (of course) eating and drinking. On the first day of the festival you can see the Taiko drums which gets the festival underway. The second day you can enjoy local and international dance performances that move down the main street and really livens things up.
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Beer flowing and BBQ sizzling
The final day sees a fitting end to the festival with portable shrines (Mikoshi) being carried down the main street by hundreds of locals. The traditional music and the chanting is a true spectacle and is a great opportunity to get some great photos. While all this is going on, the local bars and restaurants open up stall on the side streets. It is here you can enjoy some beer and some grilled food cooked up by the local owners. It does get crowded here and along the main street, so an early start is advised!
| Dates | Last weekend of August |
| Contact | phone 0143-84-3311 |
| Notes | Free parking available Demon floats Taiko performance Demon costume parade Fireworks To stay overnight at Noboribetsu onsen , book early. |
| Location / Getting There | 15 minute bus ride from JR Noboribetsu station 1 hour 30 minute drive from Sapporo |
“Yukijin” masked demon
The town of Noboribetsu is famous for its hot spring waters. These waters spring from a rocky, barren, volcanic valley known as “Hell Valley” (Jigokudani) located just north of the onsens. This valley is said to be the gateway to hell and is inhabited by demons. Every summer the door to “hell” is opened with the Jigoku Festival. This festival was first held in 1964 and has continued annually ever since. This lively event, has a fantastic atmosphere and runs over the last weekend of August. At the Jigoku Festival witness the numerous demon floats, dances, the taiko drum performance, the fireworks and the array of costumes worn by locals and tourists alike. The festival sees Enma or Yama (the King of Hell), a giant blue and red ogre, and “yukijin”, masked demons who are the protective guardians of the hot springs, emerge to prowl the streets of Noboribetsu for one weekend.
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The iconic center piece of this festival is the giant Demon Mikoshi Gokuraku (shrine) which is a giant demon face upon which stands the demon king. As it proceeds down the street, smoke pours from its mouth and the eyes light up, as it spews forth golden ribbons. A truly impressive sight! Ogre shrines of ‘Enma’ precede the demon shrine and are carried by school kids. Masked ogres dance in groups in honour of the demon king’s visit and local folks perform for the crowds. A colorful fireworks show on the final night, bids the demon king’s farewell until the following year.
The locals really get involved with this festival. There is a huge dance parade in the evening, not only for the locals but for the spectators to join in as well! If you can’t make it, you can still have a demonic encounter at the Demon’s Fireworks ceremony, which is held at Jigokudani Observatory every Thursday and Friday from 20:30. Masked demons carry handheld fireworks – 10-metre high erupting columns of fire reminiscent of Hell Valley’s erupting steam vents and geysers – along the town’s demon footpath.
To get to the festival, you can take the JR train to Noboribetsu. From there it’s a short bus ride to Noboribetsu hot spring. It’s about a 15 minute ride and costs ￥340. Buses run every 15 to 20 minutes, starting at 6:10 and run until 21:15. Trains from Sapporo to Noboribetsu take just over an hour and cost ￥4160 for a round trip. Trains from Sapporo run from 6:36 to 22:00. Trains from Noboribetsu to Sapporo run from 7:26 to 21:47. If you have access to transport, then it’s about a one and a half hour drive. Free parking is available.
