Location: Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine, Kawasaki-Ward, Kawasaki-City
Kanagawa This Month - Latest Kanagawa Tourist Information
April 2009
Kanamara Festival : April 5 (Sun)
This festival, popular even among foreigners, is to pray for fertility and protection from AIDS. After a “fire carrying festival” ceremony where a bonfire is lit by striking flint, an annual ceremony will be held, and the deity will be put into the mikoshi (portable shrine). Then, Kanamara group volunteers will carve daikon radishes into male and female forms and offer them to the gods, followed by a masked procession. Three mikoshi will be brought out, around which costumed participants parade in the street.
For details, contact Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine (Kanayama-jinja Shrine) (Tel: 044-222-3206)
From Keikyu Kawasaki Station on the Keihin Kyuko Line, take the Keikyu Daishi Line and get off at Kawasaki Daichi Station. The temple is a 3-minute walk.
> Kanamara Festival
Doi Festival and Warrior Parade : April 5 (Sun)
Location: Gosho-jinja Shrine to Yugawara Station and other locations, Yugawara-Town
In this historically inspired event, approximately 70 people costumed in handmade armor as historical personages including Jiro Sanehira Doi, Minamoto no Yoritomo, lords, and other characters will parade about Yugawara from Gosho-jinja Shrine to Yugawara Station. Calling of the names of the warriors going into battle and a departure ceremony will take place at Gosho-jinja Shrine, and calling of the names of the warriors going into battle, “jomo no mai” dance, and a departure ceremony will take place in front of Yugawara Station. A Jiro Sanehira Doi and Minamoto no Yoritomo memorial service, “jomo no mai” dance, grave visits, etc. will also be held at Jogan-ji Temple.
For details, contact the Yugawara-Town Tourist Association (Tel: 0465-63-2111)
Kamakura Festival : April 12 (Sun) to April 19 (Sun)
Location: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and other locations, Yukinoshita, Kamakura-City
A magnificent festival heralding the arrival of spring in the old capital of Kamakura. Events include kyudo (Japanese archery), bands, mikoshi (portable shrines), “shizuka no mai” dance, a festival in front of Minamoto no Yoritomo’s grave, open-air tea ceremony, lighting up the old capital military family houses, special shrine and temple visits, yabusame-daiko drums, and horseback archery.
For details, contact the Kamakura City Tourist Association (Tel: 0467-23-3050)
Get off at Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line
> Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine
> Kamakura Festival
Ooka Echizen Festival : April 18 (Sat) to April 19 (Sun)
Location: Around Chigasaki-City
A festival held in honor of Ooka Echizen no Kami Tadasuke, a famous magistrate from the Edo period. Events include a tea ceremony, graveside Buddhist memorial service, mikoshi parade, and a photo exhibition at the Echizen no Kami ruins.
For details, contact the Chigasaki Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Tel: 0467-58-1111)
Hadano Tanzawa Festival : April 18 (Sat) to April 19 (Sun)
Location: Hadano Tokawa Prefectural Park, Hadano-City
A festival celebrating the start of the mountain climbing season in Tanzawa. A Zenyasai festival featuring “yosakai odori” dance and wadaiko drumming will be held at Nishi Middle School on Saturday the 18th. The festival’s main event will take place on Sunday the 19th at Hadano Tokawa Prefectural Park. Against the backdrop of the beautiful mountains, wadaiko performances, 100-person chorus performances, and alphorn performances will be held, as well as a ceremony where yamabushi (mountain priests) bless and “open” the mountain.
For details, contact the Hadano-City Tourist Association (Tel: 0463-82-5111)
Free bus from the North Exit of Shibusawa Station on the Odakyu Line (only on the 19th). Nishi Middle School is an approximately 5-minute walk from the North Exit of Shibusawa Station.
Yokohama Street Performance 2009
: April 18 (Sat) to April 19 (Sun)
Location: Isezaki Mall 1-3 chome, Yoshida-machi Street, Kannai Bashamichi Street, Naka-ward, Yokohama-City
Street performers from within and without Japan will gather and perform in the street. Performances will take place at Isezaki Mall (7 stages), Yoshida-machi (jazz performances/art exhibitions and sales), and at Kannai Bashamichi (5 stages).
For details, contact the Yokohama Street Performance Committee (Tel: 045-662-0931)
Get off at Sakuragi-cho Station, Kannai Station, Hinode-cho Station on the Keihin Kyuko Line, or Bashamichi Station on the Minato Mirai Line
> Yokohama Landmark Tower and Queen's Square Yokohama
> Yokohama Minato Mirai Manyo Club
> Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse and Red Brick Park
> Noge Street Performance Festival
Kanrin Maru Festival : April 25 (Sat)
Location: Uraga Harbor Area, Yokosuka-City/Within the Suitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Uraga Plant
咸An event celebrating the Kanrin Maru, the ship that departed from Uraga carrying the Japanese envoy to America at the end of the Edo period and accomplished Japan’s first trans-Pacific crossing. Events include “mizu koi-koi” water carrying races, Japanese dance, shamisen performances, country dances, rides on the cruiser Yamayuri and the steamship Miura, egg grabbing contest, visits to Uraga historical sites, and “banana no tataki-uri" (banana vendor side shows).
For details, contact the Yokosuka-City Uraga Public Administration Center (Tel: 046-841-4155)
Approximately 5-minute walk from Uraga Station on the Keihin Kyuko Line
Flying Carp Streams at the Sagami-gawa River
: April 29 (holiday) to May 5 (holiday)
Location: Suigotana, Sagamihara-City/Upstream from the Takadabashi Bridge
An exhilarating event where 5 wires are strung across the Sagami-gawa river, and approximately 1,200 carp streamers are strung from them and flown above the river. While the carp streamers are hanging, various shops and refreshment booths will also be open.
For details, contact the Sagamihara Tourism Association (Tel: 042-769-8236) or the Tana Branch Office (Carp Streamer Executive Committee) (Tel: 042-761-0056)
ake the Suigotana-bound bus from Fuchinobe Station on the JR Yokohama Line or JR Sagamihara Station and get off at the last stop (approximately 30 minutes)
> Sagamigawa River
> Carp Streamers Koinobori Sagami River
http://www.e-sagamihara.com/index.html (Japanese)