Lanterns Akita Kanto Matsuri Photo and Feature Photo: Rosino

Photo montage from Gion Matsuri: MShades

Where else can you find (environmental issues aside) an entire mountainside lit on fire for the entertainment of locals or a giant wooden penis carried through the center of town as though it were a mystical totem? Here are some of the best and craziest matsuri in the land of the rising sun.

Arguably the best of the best, the Gion Matsuri is held in Kyoto during the month of July, emanating from the small neighborhoods and eventually spreading Downtown. On the 17th, there is a massive parade in which specially designed floats (Yamaboko Junko) are carried from Yasaka Shrine to the Otabisho.

Photo of a monumental sculpture at Snow Festival: m3lty

Come for the re-creations of famous buildings around the world, stay for Ishiya hot chocolate and singing in an ice karaoke bar, not to mention grabbing a day at the slopes before or after the main event. The Snow Festival on the northern island of Hokkaido is divided into three parts: the massive sculptures in Odori Park downtown, the ice art in Susukino, and the kids’ area, Satoland, featuring a maze, slide, and obstacle course.

Photo from Aomori: jenniferphoon

Nearly every city in Japan has its own Tanabata festival to honor the time when the stars Altair and Vega are closest together (August 7th). In Aomori, the farthest north one can get on the main island, the people celebrate with huge lantern floats featuring characters from Japanese and Chinese culture.

Not enough tourists are willing to make the trek down to this southern capital for a city-wide dance festival, but I say if the awesome hot springs aren’t enough for you, enjoy entire streets full of eight-year-olds spinning in specially-designed kimono to the beat of the Taiko. This festival starts with a dance procession from the central train station and finishes with small performances in the central park.

Many sakura enthusiasts start their journey northward as the first flowers bloom on the island of Okinawa. In January or February, the first cherry blossom festival of the year is celebrated with food and drink under the flowering trees. Nothing too spectacular, but plenty to draw crowds and give spectators bragging rights as being among the first to see these beautiful pink pedals, the subject of so many haiku.

Photo of a Yabusame: maggie loves hopey

Another under-appreciated festival in rural Japan, the Tono Matsuri is the best place to see yabusame, or horseback archery. Trained riders will go at top speed alongside the crowd and perform pinpoint-accurate targeting with a traditional bow.

Three thousand men in loincloths jumping into a freezing river, fighting for the honor of receiving another splash of cold water.

Photo of Hadaka Matsuri CC Wikipedia

There are quite a few of these “naked festivals” in Japan, but the most famous of them is held in Okayama, where the festival originated. In case you were curious, the struggle of these men to reach the shrine is symbolic of a time when a man was unwilling to play the role of the head priest. As a result he was mobbed. Why this particular ritual has to be performed in loincloths is anyone’s guess.

So many choices when it comes to Japanese setting their landscapes and air ablaze. The Sagicho Matsuri in Omahachiman is well known for its fire dancers. The umbrella-burning festivals in Kagoshima and Kanagawa are certainly unique. Perhaps the most prominent in the country is the fire festival of Mount Aso, culminating with the burning of the field down the slope of this super volcano to form the largest Chinese character in existence.

Photo Hounen Matsuri: Krista & Rob

Ah, yes: what list would be complete without a festival featuring a giant wooden phallus? Despite the obvious sexual implications, most of these Japanese matsuri are intended to celebrate fertility and a rich harvest. In Kanamara, people can enjoy souvenirs, flags, banners, even food with a phallic theme.

Why choose to travel for any particular festival when you can get a taste for all of them in the heart of Tokyo? At the Furusato Matsuri, regional representatives showcase their matsuri. There will be floats, portable shrines, food stalls, insanely long poles supporting lanterns (courtesy of the Akita Kanto Matsuri), and plenty dressed as samurai. You don’t need to go far to get it all.

Community Connection

Meet MatadorTravel community’s Japan experts, read about destinations in the country and find ideas to help you plan your trip on Matador’s Japan Focus Page.

Want to order and eat sushi like a pro? You’ll want to read more Turner Wright, then. How to Order Sushi Like a Ninja might surprise you if you thought you knew all there was to know about sushi.

Above photo by EdenandJosh .

To anyone who’s ever gone camping while traveling, the alluring effect of a fire is all too familiar.

People gathered around its flames, taking turns dropping a tiny amount of water (or liquor) into its path, stretching their legs ever closer in attempts to seize the heat and capture its awesome energy.

It provides a sense of community. Swapping travel stories. Sharing drinks. Making smores (how internationally known are those, by the way?).

From dragon tales, to rites of purification, to a prominent mention in the 4th book of Harry Potter, fire plays a larger role in world culture and history than most would believe. Even in this modern age, with bonfires replaced by central heating and its light by alternating current, this common chemical reaction is literally larger than life.

In Japan, for example, one can bear witness to the…

1. Umbrella Burning Festival

Photo by Turner Wright.

By far the most unusual expression of fire I’ve ever had the chance to observe.

Once upon a time, nearly 900 years ago, two brothers by the name of Soga led an attack in the middle of the night against their adversary. Apparently unable to secure torches for the journey, they took to using the closest objects available, paper umbrellas, to light their path of vengeance.

This festival, the Soga Don No Kasayaki (そがどんの傘焼き), is celebrated in the southern city of Kagoshima (and Odawara, closer to Tokyo), the Naples of Japan, a city blessed with a beautiful landscape and some legendary hot springs.

In late July, residents gather along the riverbank to bear witness as a large stack of paper umbrellas is burned to the ground, accompanied by dancing, shouting, history lessons, and demonstrations of strength.

2. Fire Foods

Yakitori (焼き鳥)

Grilled chicken on a stick, available at many supermarkets and most festivals and open-air markets.

Takoyaki (たこ焼き)

Fried pieces of dough filled with mayonnaise and a piece of octopus… isn’t it helpful to read Japanese?

Yakiniku (焼き肉)

The cream of the crop, Japanese BBQ. A variety of meat grilled over an open flame and served on a bed of rice. Quite sweet and savory.

3. Flower Fire

Photo by Turner Wright.

Shigeru Miyamoto wasn’t too far off giving a mustachioed plumber from Brooklyn the power to shoot fire from his hands upon contact with a very special flower.

Fire flowers.

Flower fires, from the Chinese characters 花火, or, in layman’s terms: fireworks.

The 4th of July celebrations on American soil would be put to shame by many of the festivals across Japan in the month of August. Each prefecture, each city, strives to be the best, boast the biggest number of explosions in the sky, the loudest cracks, the most intense flames….

Try walking anywhere in Japan at the end of the Obon holiday (honoring the dead) and not see Japanese in their light summer yukata or kimono, wearing geta (wooden shoes), and on their way to an all-day celebration of food and drink before twilight sets in and the sky is ablaze.

Of all the locations I’ve seen firework celebrations in Japan, I prefer the island of Miyajima with the famous floating shrine. Be careful to escape quickly, though, because you could easily miss the last train to Hiroshima in the back of a 300,000+ crowd.

4. The Volcano is Lit… On Purpose

Photo by EdenandJosh.

Mt. Aso, or Aso-san as it is read in Japanese, was once one of the largest volcanoes in the world.

If you’d have glimpsed it thousands of years ago, it would have been a vision to make even Dante nostalgic for the 9th circle: dozens of smaller eruptions, venting the pressure from the larger magma source, yellow sulfur scattered across the landscape, burning blue just at the edge of the tree line… these explosions eventually occurred too quickly and frequently, causing the entire mountain to collapse in on itself, creating the largest caldera in history.

Locals see the peaks of Aso as resembling a sleeping Buddha, with the active peak, Nakadake, his navel.

An image of such harmony, belying the essence of the mountains, explains much of the culture: fire festivals are held every year to pay homage to this awesome force, fields burned to form one of the largest kanji (Chinese characters) on the planet, nearly 350 meters in length: 火.

Have you guessed it?

FIRE.

The Hifuri Shinji festival, held around the same time of year, is just as impressive, though on a smaller scale.

Participants, professionals, and tourists light torches in front of the Ichinomiya Aso Shrine and set them spinning in circles, creating literally what Johnny Cash meant figuratively: a burning, burning, burning ring of fire.

The act of setting the fire loose, or flinging the fire, as it were, is meant to ensure a good harvest in the coming months and to celebrate the union of the gods.

5. Firewalking

Photo by forward.

Purification by fire is a common belief amongst certain sects of Buddhism. On the island of Miyajima in mid-November, one can watch in angst as priests shuck their sandals and brave a river of hot coals, cleansing the body as well as the soul through pure flames.

Walking on coals isn’t as painful as some would have you believe; unless you’re standing in one place on them for more than a few seconds, it’s unlikely you’ll feel anything more than a warm tingling sensation… coal is not particularly conductive.

6. In Your Own Neighborhood

If you happen to be spending time in Japan in early-mid January, be sure to take advantage of the Tondo Festival. At the lunar new year, neighbors gather to light a huge bonfire and share stories, sake, and mochi (Japanese rice cakes, traditionally eaten at the new year).

Although the Tondo is more commonly attended by residents, I seriously doubt there would be any hesitation over letting a friendly visitor partake in the festivities. All in good fun, in the spirit of celebration.

How have you observed other cultures using fire? Share your stories.

Feature photo by stereogab. Photo above by rob-sinclair

Before I started living abroad, I was never much of a partier. I was the guy you’d more than likely trust to see someone home safely rather than the one doing kegstands with the night sky beginning to wane.

But Japanese culture just has a way of sucking you in. All-you-can-drink (nomihoudai) deals across the country, salarymen setting the example of a work-hard, play-hard schedule, and the women… well, where else can you dance with them so freely?

During my time in Hiroshima, there was a club I had discovered on a recent excursion to the island of Kyushu, in the Tenjin district of Fukuoka. It was and is my favorite place for nightlife in Japan (yes, even considering the clubs in Tokyo, which are great, but usually just way too crowded).

But how to get there? Fukuoka is 210 kilometers from Hiroshima city, not exactly the easiest commute without a car… or is it?

With Japan’s extensive transportation system, I had absolutely no problems taking one of the last shinkansen Kodama trains at 10 PM Saturday, arriving at my desired nightlife spot just before midnight. Perfect time to hit the clubs, and relax with some late night ramen slurping at one of the many yatai.

. Hating it. Photo by perfectoinsecto

Around five in the morning–festivities dying down, telephone numbers secured in my pocket, skull moments away from feeling like it would split open and remind me of those numerous Mexicolas (tequila and Coke)–I had a problem: no hotel, no plans.

Kyushu, despite not being at the top of many tourists’ lists of places to go in Japan, is just an amazing place. Excellent hot springs, history (the bombing of Nagasaki, the last samurai in Kagoshima, a great reconstructed castle in Kumamoto ), and small towns l wanted to explore…

But the pain, the pain…the throbbing pain.

By using some of the techniques explained below, I was able to enjoy a full night of fun in Fukuoka, then catch the early train to various places for sightseeing the next morning, sans sleep and headache bearing down…

Which brings us to the point: How can you best take control of your hangover and enjoy what the road has to offer?

1. The Spiritual Approach

Pray your way through the pain? Hardly, or I would have said religious approach, and we’d probably see a plethora of barflies at confession Sunday morning, begging for relief.

No, in fact I’d recommend a type of meditation technique, one that will calm your pounding heart, compensate for sleep, and relax the part of your brain still functioning properly.

Use hot springs. Although a cold shower might be the standard remedy in many countries, I find that an hour or two in near-scalding water usually does the trick, by eliminating any physical discomfort, leaving your mind to meditate (perhaps enlightening yourself with a different use of your Saturday nights).

2. Playing on your Desire

Let’s assume for a moment that you enjoy spending time with a fair member of the opposite sex. Let’s also assume you are willing to make concessions for them, change your behavior, alter your habits, and especially stop complaining as much.

Whether you’ve been traveling and drinking with a companion for months, met him or her during your night of debauchery, or separated to explore the nightlife on your own terms but must reunite in the morning, he or she is the only excuse you need.

If you know, even in the back of that endorphin-filled brain, that there will be someone waiting for you refreshed or not, you’re that much more likely to crawl out of bed, lean your head against the shower wall as the water cascades across your face, then give that special someone a decent travel experience.

Photo by oskarlin

3. Universal Quickfix

We’ve all heard of those special home remedies for curing the effects of late nights. Aspirin, lots of water, coffee, eating certain foods before or after, certain fruit juices, sleep, exercise, B12 shots…

The consumer market has no shortage of “guaranteed” solutions either, but most of these remedies are not universal and don’t really eliminate all the side effects.

In Poland, I hear drinking pickle juice works rather well. It’s also not too bad if you like to win football games on a hot day.

In Ireland, I believe they used to bury people up to their necks in sand.

I propose an international method: Red Bull from Thailand, Coca Cola from America, and Ibuprofen. Works every time for a quickfix, but I’d only recommend it if you need to be up and about for a few hours; after that, you’ll come down rather hard.

4. The Medical Front

Photo by hangovercure

On the rare occasions med students can crawl away from their residencies and bounce around the globe, I wonder if they’re allowed to bring an IV (intravenous) kit through customs…

Most people are aware of the physiological changes that occur after a night of hard drinking: dehydration, lack of energy, headache, etc. And although some are left to the tried-and-sometimes-true methods stated in #4, those with medical training can hope for a better solution: an intravenous solution of dextrose, coupled with saline.

This rehydrates the body much faster than gulping glass after glass of water, and gives you the energy boost in your blood sugar.

Yet even this method is open to interpretation, the exact IV cocktail a matter of opinion and still subject to what the “patient” thinks is best. Here are some variations:

No matter what the formula, I think we can all agree: those with IV bags getting stopped at the border would be an interesting and embarrassing explanation.

5. No Money Back

Photo by vagabondish

Make a reservation with a non-refundable deposit for the next day. Naturally, I would usually avoid these kinds of bookings at all costs, whether you’re doing an organized tour, checking into a hotel, getting a massage, or catching the early flight, but throw cash into the equation, and the rules change.

Although making any plans for the day following a night of drinking is still a good idea to get you up and about, it doesn’t quite have the same effect as that when money is involved.

Even if you’re meeting other people, there’s always that part of your mind saying “well, I can always do it later, meet up with them later, reschedule, must sleep now…” as opposed to “damn, I already paid $100, better get moving!”

The pain is still there, but you clever people have found a way to work through it. As a famous American once said:

“…it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how [traveling] is done!”