Chichibu Yomatsuri

Name: Chichibu Yomatsuri
Start: 2025-12-01
End: 2025-12-02
Location: Chichibu

The Grand Finale of Light, Sound, and Tradition in Winter

2025/12/01 - 2025/12/02

Every December, the mountain town of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture is transformed by the Chichibu Night Festival. This spectacular event, with over 300 years of tradition, is renowned for its breathtaking scale: massive floats, the thunder of taiko drums, and fireworks that light up the winter night sky, casting a magical glow over the city. For two days, locals and visitors alike are swept up in the excitement and warmth of this winter tradition, forgetting the cold as they share in the festival’s energy and emotion.

The festival takes place every year on December 2 and 3 in central Chichibu. It attracts more than 280,000 people over two days, making it one of Japan’s most lively and dazzling winter festivals. For anyone wanting to experience the passion of Japanese matsuri and traditional culture, this is an unmissable event.

Main Attractions

Floats and Fireworks

The festival’s highlight is the grand parade of four ornate yatai (festival floats) and two kasaboko (flower parasol floats), each illuminated by hundreds of lanterns as they make their way through the night streets. Adorned with carvings, gold leaf, and intricate woodwork, the floats are pulled by teams of locals chanting “wasshoi!” At night, the floats are dramatically hauled up the steep Dangozaka slope—a breathtaking display of teamwork and power. The climax comes as brilliant fireworks burst in the clear winter sky, filling the air with the scent of gunpowder and the cheers of the crowd.

Key Events

Beyond the parade, the festival features kagura (Shinto ritual dance), festival music, and performances by local children that echo through the town. On the floats themselves, there are live music and even kabuki performances, turning the whole town into a giant open-air theater. Stories based on Chichibu Shrine’s mythology are reenacted, adding romance and mystique to the festivities.

Costumes and Decorations

Participants wear traditional happi coats, headbands, and tabi socks. The floats are decorated with elaborate carvings, gold leaf, and lanterns, all crafted using traditional joinery without nails. The streets are lined with food stalls and banners, and the lanterns’ glow creates a magical scene against the winter darkness.

Traditional Food and Drink

Festival food stalls serve up Chichibu specialties like miso potatoes, pork miso rice bowls, steaming udon and oden, yakitori, amazake (sweet hot rice drink), and dango—perfect for the winter chill. The aromas of charcoal, miso, and sweet soy sauce mingle in the cold air, warming both hands and hearts.

Cultural and Historical Background

The Chichibu Night Festival is said to have begun over 300 years ago as the annual grand festival of Chichibu Shrine. Originally a prayer for harvest and mountain deities, it grew into a major event during the Edo period alongside the rise of Chichibu’s silk industry. The floats are symbols of each district’s pride and unity, and the tradition has survived even government bans in the Meiji era. In 2016, the festival was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and it is counted among Japan’s three great float festivals.

For locals, the festival is a cherished event that celebrates their history, craftsmanship, and community ties—a living tradition that colors the end of the year.

Participant Voices

I came from Tokyo for the first time, and the sight of the lantern-lit floats floating in the night sky is unforgettable. Sharing amazake with a local family and hearing about the history of their float made me feel like I was touching living history.

Fun Facts

The Chichibu Night Festival is one of Japan’s three great float festivals, along with Kyoto’s Gion Festival and Takayama Festival.
Some floats weigh over 10 tons and are constructed entirely without nails, using traditional joinery techniques.