Be transported to 15th century Japan at ‘one of its most beautiful’ festivals

Posted 09 Sep 2010

People teaching English in Japan may like to attend one of "its most beautiful festivals" this October.

The Takayama festival takes place from October 9th to 10th in this mountainous region of the country.

It is a bi-annual festival, which is held to celebrate the medieval origins of the area and it takes place within the old town of Takayama.

Both the spring and autumn events attract a large number of visitors from Japan and the rest of the world, so it may be worth looking for accommodation in advance.

One of the main features of the festival is the display of floats in the streets. These are usually decorated with dolls, thick woven curtains and bamboo blinds.

People teaching English in Japan may feel like they have been transported to the 15th century as locals dress in traditional costumes.

There is also music, dancing and a religious aspect to the occasion as solemn ceremonies are held at the shrines and marionette performances occur in honour of the gods.

As the town is fairly isolated in the mountains, it has developed its own culture over the last few centuries so this is an ideal opportunity to witness it first-hand.
 

Category: Asia