Today and tomorrow the 8th and 9th of September see one of the biggest and best festivals on in the village of Nozawa. It is the Autumn Lantern Festival and sees all the village out on the streets to celebrate in style.
It is not the famous Nozawa Fire Festival we have on the 15th of January but there will be fire! Along with music, dancing, pantomime like shows, parades and lots of Sake! So if you are nearby stongly suggest coming to check it out and soak in the amazing atmosphere of our historic little town.
Festivities get under way tonight from 18:00pm and go all the way until midnight ending up on the top of the stairs at the Shrine for those that have the stamina! It is a long night but lots of fun and really impressive. Wear your Yukata or summer Kimono down if want to blend in with the Nozawa Locals!
Tomorrow the loud bangs from the fireworks will wake you up nice and early to do it all again! The villagers will drag the shrine thru the streets from 9:30am and also end the day up at the shrine with a massive lift of the heavy shrine up the steep stairs at around 17:30pm. Pretty spectacular to see so hope you can make it up to Nozawa.
The other big one is of course the Nozawa Fire Festival in 15th of January every year. It is one of the most famous festivals in Japan and people from all over the country and the world for that matter come to Nozawa to witness the spectacular festival. Just dont get too close to the flames!
Here is some info on that Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival
