Takeshi Asai's Japanese Newsletter - Travel Tips

As you continue to study Japanese, at some point you will have an urge to go to Japan to try your Japanese. If you know the people and the country where the language is spoken, I am sure you will acquire a clearer understanding of the culture behind the language. When is the best season to explore Japan? Well, some people say it's April. Cherry blossoms, the Japanese national flower, are beautiful then. Other people say it's autumn because of the magnificent foliage; but if you are interested in seeing some of the best festivals in Japan, summer is the season for that.

For most tourists, Tokyo is the first destination. Huge, chaotic, cosmopolitan, dense, Tokyo is the place to encounter modern Japan's prosperity. For most Edokko (Tokyoites), summer begins with a festival. The Sanja Festival, the most exciting one in Tokyo, is held every year in mid-July at the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, where the flavor of the Edo period, the era of samurai, still remains. The main event is the parade of mikoshi (portable shrines); it attracts two million people!

You should not forget to include Kyoto on your itinerary. As most of you know, Kyoto is the ancient capital where hundreds of temples and shrines-most of them designated as national treasures-were beautifully preserved. The Aoi Festival is the one that tells everyone in Kyoto of the coming of summer. In contrast to the Sanja Festival, the Aoi Festival is elegant, tranquil, and perhaps the most picturesque pageant in Kyoto, home to emperors and noble people for more than 1,000 years. Started in the sixth century, this festival is the oldest and the best example of Heian culture--a period of courtly love, art, and poetry, which was eventually usurped by the samurai warriors in the 12th century.

There is one thing you have to keep in mind: Japan has a notorious rainy season called tsuyu when a light rain occurs for at least a part of each day. Every year it starts in mid-June and continues for a whole month. Since it gets so humid, you should avoid traveling in Japan during this season. The good news is that Hokkaido is exempt from the rainy season, so you could enjoy Japan's dairy land during this time. In fact, the open space and beautiful scenery of Hokkaido are unlike anything else in Japan.

Once tsuyu is over, Japan's hot and humid summer starts with the Gion festival in Kyoto. Gion is probably one of the best festivals in all Japan. It starts on July 1st and continues for about a month. The highlight is a parade of 32 festival floats that are decorated spectacularly. Some of them are 50 feet high. The parade usually takes place on July 17th. Some people, however, prefer yoiyama (the eve) or yoiyoiyama (the eve of the eve), or even yoiyoiyoiyama (the eve of the eve of the eve) to the parade. Old Kyoto houses display their household treasures. Young women, usually wearing yukata, (casual cotton kimono for summer) get together to play music, whose rhythm, kon-chiki-chin, is known nationwide. These are fantastic nights.

Hanabi (literally "flower fire" or fireworks) are also an essential part of Japan's summer. Among hundreds of hanabi festivals held on riverbanks or beaches, perhaps the one at the Sumida River in Tokyo is the most famous. Of course, you can buy sparklers for your personal fireworks. They are available everywhere.

What if your itinerary doesn't accommodate these dates? Don't worry. August in Japan is full of festivals, too. You may well come across some small festivals at local shrines. If you are traveling in August, check the local tourist board.

One more piece of advice: If you want to experience really authentic accommodations, you should try a ryokan instead of a western style hotel. It can be as expensive as some high-class hotels, but it's worth the experience. You can enjoy the great feeling of tatami (straw mats), authentic cuisine, and the traditional hospitality that ryokan have preserved for years. You may even be induced to meditate. . .

published as Japanese Monthly, February 1999 issue
edited by Marcia Allen

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