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| festivals and events |
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There’s always an event or matsuri (festival) taking place somewhere! This list is NOT complete...
For more information contact a local CIR or tourism department.
AUGUSTMiyazaki Fireworks Exhibition (Miyazaki City) - 1st Sat
Nishimera Fireworks Festival (Nishimera) - some say it’s the best display around
Kitago Hot Springs Festival (Kitago)
Kobayashi Summer Festival (Kobayashi)
Summer Festival in Hitotsuse (Sadowara)
Kitaura Port Festival (Kitaura)
Hyuga Hyotoko Natsu Matsuri (Hyuga) - famed for the pelvic thrust dance
Miyakonojo Bonchi Festival (Miyakonojo) - meet new JETs and dance in the parade
Miyakonojo Hanabi Matsuri (Miyakonojo) - hundreds or fireworks bursting over the riverside.
Miyazaki Summer Night Festival (Miyazaki City) - your students cruising for love in yukata
Suwa Jinja Barataiko Dance Festival (Kunitomi)
Nango Kuroshio Festival (Nango Town)
Japanese Rain Drums Festival (Tano)
Takaharu (Takaharu) - Fireworks Festival in early August.
SEPTEMBER
Toi Misaki Hi-Matsuri (Kushima) - mystical fire festival, see it to believe it.
Usadaiko Dance Festival (Saito)
Sports Day (everywhere) - hope for typhoon-free weather while local schools celebrate sports
Bokusai Festival (Togo)
Traditional Puppet Play Joruri (Yamanoguchi) - see this cultural tradition on 3rd Sunday
Noborizaru Festival (Nobeoka) - don’t miss the monkey festival!
OCTOBER
Cosmos Flowers in bloom (Ikoma Plateau, Kobayashi)
Ohito Kabuki (Hinogake) - 9th, folk-Kabuki performance
Aya Castle Festival (Aya)
Obi Joka Matsuri (Nichinan) - begins with a galloping horse event, see traditional costumes
Aki-no Taisai Matsuri (Miyazaki City) - women in wedding kimonos ride “shan shan horses”
Aya Shoyo Jurin Marathon (Aya)
NOVEMBER
Kofun Fire Matsuri (Saito) - people travel from all over Japan for this spectacular nighttime event (ask the local ALT about participating!
Aya Horse Racing (Aya)
Shiiba Heike Matsuri (Shiiba)
School Culture Festivals (everywhere) - find out which students aren’t as shy as you thought!
Dunlop Phoenix Golf Tournament (Miyazaki City) - volunteer to help out or just watch
Takanabe Surfing Competition (Takanabe)
Aya Folkcraft Festival (Aya)
Shagasho Jinja Yokagura
Dance (Gokase)
Kobayashi Autumn Festival (Kobayashi)
Traditional Puppet Play Joruri (Yamanoguchi) - see this cultural tradition on 3rd Sunday
Takachiho Jinga Yokagura Matsuri (Takachiho) - Kagura dances last till dawn
Mimata Rice Pull, (Mimata Town) - Pull a sled loaded with rice and compete for 100,000 yen
Takachiho Kagura (Takachiho) - Kagura every night at the shrine for 500 yen.
DECEMBERInternational Aoshima Pacific Marathon (Aoshima) - attracts athletes from all over Japan
Kagura Dancing (Nishimera) - all-night Kagura ritual at a different location each weekend
Shiromi Kagura Dance (Saito) - the heads of hunted wild boars watch over a night of dancing
Haraigawa Yokagura Dance (Takaharu)
Takachiho Kagura (Takachiho) - Kagura every night at the shrine for 500 yen.
Takaharu Kagura Festival (Takaharu) - First two Saturdays in December.
JANUARY
Fire Festival (north of Nobeoka)
Aoshima Jinja Hadakamairi Festival (Aoshima) - 15th, people jump in the frigid ocean
Funahiki Kagura Dance (Kiyotake) - second Sat.
Hurutono Jinja Yokagura Dance (Gokase) - 14th-15th
Mikado Jinja Shiwasu Matsuri (Nango Village) - celebrates ancient arrival of Koreans in that area
Kagura Dancing (Morotsuka) – 24-hour masked dancing
Kase-dauri (Miyakonojo, Yamada-cho) - people paint their faces black and visit houses demanding ridiculous prices for strawberries and other goods, in a twisted version of trick-or-treat.
Takachiho Kagura (Takachiho) - Kagura every night at the shrine for 500 yen.
FEBRUARY
Kyomachi Futsuka Ichi Market (Ebino) - for the past 300 years+, largest market in S. Kyushu
Toka Ebisu Matsuri (Nobeoka) - 10th
Shinwa No Takachiho Kenkoku Parade (Takachiho) - 11th, celebrates founding of Japan
Ikime Jinja Matsuri (Miyazaki City) - where you go to pray for good eyes
Gecchibai Plum Tree Festival (Takaoka)
Professional Baseball Spring Camp (various locations) - see practice or exhibition games
Hokedake Yukushiji Temple Festival (Kunitomi)
Unama Temple Festival (Kitago)
Wellness Festival (Miyakonojo)
Unamajizon (Kitago-son) - Walk up 365 steps to ask the Gods to protect you from fire.
Takachiho Kagura (Takachiho) - Kagura every night at the shrine for 500 yen.
MARCH
Cherry Blossom Festival (Shiroyama) - lights stay on till 9 p.m.
Bokusui Singing Festival (Nobeoka)
Traditional Puppet Play Joruri (Yamanoguchi) - see this cultural tradition on the 3rd Sunday
Flower Festa (Miyazaki City) - till late May, feast your eyes on countless flowers
Mochio Cheery Blossom Festival (Miyakonojo) - in Mochio Park till
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early April
Saitobaru Flower Festival (Saito) - famous for yellow nanohana and pink cherry blossoms
Karaoke Contest (Ebino) - contestants sing in foreign languages and compete for prizes
Cherry Blossom Festival (Takajo)- till mid-April
Chikko Park Cherry Blossom Festival (Nichinan) - till early April
APRILMiyazaki Shrine Yabusame (Miyazaki City) - 7 horsemen in ancient attire shoot arrows
Imayama Daishi Matsuri (Nobeoka) - HUGE!
Iceland Poppies in bloom (Ikoma Plateau, Kobayashi)
Miyazaki Furusato Matsuri (Miyazaki City) - dancing parade with 10,000 participants
Skyline Cross Country Marathon (Morotsuka)
Tsuno Jazz Fest (Tsuno Winery) – Sip wine and listen to top Jazz bands play in the vineyard
MAY
Golden Week - Isn’t that enough ?
Balloonpia (Miyakonojo) – From the 3rd-5th, hot-air balloons soar into the sky, go for a ride!
Miyazaki Music Festival (Miyazaki City) - international classical and chamber music concerts
Kitagawa Firefly Festival (Kitagawa) - see the hotaru light up, runs to early June
Idenoyama Firefly Festival (Kobayashi) - Wow! till early June
JUNE
Sea Turtles (Takanabe) - nesting season lasts until early August
Flying Fish (Cape Toi) - see some amazing fish as large schools pass through this part of the sea
Shiroyama Kane Matsuri (Nobeoka) - 10th, temple festival
Traditional Puppet Play Joruri (Yamanoguchi) - see this cultural tradition on 3rd Sunday
All Kyushu Tamaire Tournament (Morotsuka) - teams try to get 100 beanbags in a basket
JULY
Ondasai Matsuri (Saigo Village) - tradition that goes back about 970 years
Matsuri Nobeoka (Nobeoka)
UMK Phoenix Jazz Inn (Miyazaki City) - outdoor jazz festival
