Events

Event Schedule

Event Schedule 2010-2011 March is here.

Event Calender

Events held in Matsumoto Castle

See here.

Sports

See Matsumoto Yamaga Football Club's season 2009.

Major Events

Spring

Shiga Fukujuso Festival (March)

Fukujuso (Far East Amur adonis) is the earliest wildflower to bloom in Matsumoto. It's a sign that the long winter is coming to an end, and that spring is just around the corner. So, I feel happy when I see the flowers for the first time in a year.

Date	Early-late March
Place	Shiga Akanuta Fukujuso Park
Charge	Free

Nighttime Cherry Blossom Viewing (April)

Every day while the cherry blossoms (sakura) are in bloom around Matsumoto Castle, guests who visit the castle in the evening will be treated to the sight of illuminated cherry trees.  Entry into the interior garden of the castle is free for this event, and hot miso soup with pork (tonjiru) and sweet rice dumplings will be available for purchase.  There's also Japanese tea and seating available for 500 yen, making it easy to sit and relax and enjoy an unusual flower viewing experience.  Perfomances of the Japanese koto, the flute, and classical gagaku music will also be held each night.
See also "Cherry Blossom Live Camera" page.

Date	Three days after cherries begin blooming - 8 days (2010: April 9 - April 16)
Hours	Around 5:30pm - 9:00pm
Place	Matsumoto Castle
Charge	Free, 500 yen for tea

Ofune Festival (May)

One of the odder local festivals is the Yamabe "Ofune Matsuri" It is also one of the oldest, and in need of a decent historical explanation. Maybe a more native resident can do the honours?. See Anchors aweigh in our blog page.

Date	May 4th and 5th
Place	Bus/taxi to Satoyamabe & walk (10 - 15 mins)

Harquebuses Shooting Event (May, October)

Harquebus collectors wearing 16-17th century samurai style dress carried their harquebuses and were shooting in the garden of the castle. See Harquebuses Shooting Event in our blog page.

Date	May 1st & Sun in Oct 17th (2010)
Place	Matsumoto castle

Craft Fair Matsumoto (May)

This is one of the biggest craft fairs in Japan.
You can enjoy many kinds of craft arts; woodwork, celamic work, glass-working, smithing, and so on.
See also a report of 2007 and a report of 2008 in "What's New" Blog.

Date	Last Sat - Sun in May
Place	Agatanomori Park

Summer

Tour de Utsugushigahara (June)

An annual bicycle race to the top of Utsugushigahara from Asama Onsen - starts at the car park by the baseball stadium. A masochistic 21km climb up to nearly 2,000m.
NB Road up the mountain is closed from early morning for the duration of the race. Access on foot/by bike possible, or get there early & park at the top, or Misuzuko (lake).

Date	Last Sun in June
Place	Asama Hot Spring to Utsugushigahara
Entry fee	Y5,000
Web page (Japanese only, sorry)	http://www.mspo.jp/jca/

Heavenly Marathon in Norikura (June)

A marathon event that is getting popular among runners all over Japan since it is a unique summer marathon. Runners run up to an altitude of 2,700m halfway up Mt. Norikura. 1,200 runners entered in 2008.
It is a good and beautiful season to sightsee in Norikura if the weather is not bad. Norikura is famous for snow remaining in summer. There are 3-5 meter high snow walls on both sides of the road even in June.
See also a report of 2008 in "What's New" Blog.

Date	Sun in late June (20th, 2010)
Place	Norikura Highlands
Entry fee	Y3,500

Yasaka-sama Festival (July 14th)

July 14th and 15th is a day to celebrate ”Yasaka-sama(Yasaka God)" at Fukashi - Shrine, Okanomiya - Shrine and Shiogama - Shrine in downtown Matsumoto. The night of July 14th, local kids in downtown area visit their neighborhood shrines to pray for their happiness by offering banners made of reed and paper. On the banner, each child writes with calligraphic brush strokes, ”To Mighty Yasaka God" along with name and age. The special banners and reeds for this event are sold at local super markets only for this day.

Date	July 14th
Place	Fukashi, Okanomiya, Shiogama Shrine

Taiko Drumming Festival (July)

Part of Matsumoto's exciting group of summer festivals (see also Bon-Bon and Takigi Noh below), the summer Taiko festival at Matsumoto Castle features some of the best taiko groups in Japan. Come early to get a seat, and see and hear the traditional Taiko drummers in the postcard-perfect setting of the castle. As the sky darkens and night approaches, watching and feeling the power of the taiko drums with the silhouette backdrop of the castle is truly one of Matsumoto's finest summer moments.
See also report 1, 2, 3 of 2007, 1, 2 of 2009 and 2010 in "What's New" Blog.

Date	Last Sat - Sun in July
Hours	1:30pm - 4:30; 3:50 - 9pm
Place	Flower Clock Park in front of Parco (- 16:30); Matsumoto castle (15:50-)
Charge	Free
Details	here

Tenjin Festival (July)

The night of 24th, the local people visit Fukashi-Shirine to pray for Tenjin-God.
Within the precinct of the shrine,18 floats from every neighborhood around the shrine are displayed under the bright light. Food stalls with various Japanese fast food are everywhere in the shrine.
From 2:00 p.m. on the 25th, Mikoshi (a symbol of the shrine which people carry around the town to celebrate) and floats parade in down town area.
See also a report in "What's New" Blog.

Date	July 24th - 25th
Place	Fukashi Shirine, Matsumoto Downtown
Charge	Free

Takigi Noh (August)

Noh, one of the traditional dramatic arts of Japan, is famous for its masks and its lavish costumes.  Usually a Noh performance is given in a Noh theatre, on a Noh stage specially designed for the performance

But every August in Matsumoto a special outdoor performance is given right in the inner garden of Matsumoto castle, starting in the early evening and continuing by lanternlight after the sun sets.  Noh plays are hundreds of years old and sung in their own peculiar way, and most Japanese audience members are just as lost as the foreigners in attendance as far as the dialogue goes.  But the nighttime staging of the Takigi Noh gives the symbol-heavy and supernatural dramas back a bit of the atmosphere that they once had, and the kyogen ("crazy talk") comedies in between the two short Noh plays help relieve the tension with lots of physical comedy about drinking and getting the best of your feudal lord.

Date	August 8th
Hours	5pm - 8pm
Place	Matsumoto castle
Charge	Free

Matsumoto Bon-Bon (August)

What's 'bon-bon' and why's the whole city dancing in the street ... ?? You need to see it to believe it! Feel the heat in the street, as Matsumoto's unique Bon-Bon Festival captures the town for one exciting evening every summer. It's part parade, part dance, part party and part carnival as each group sports its own costume, and parades through the downtown streets while dancing to the catchy Matsumoto Bon-Bon tune. This event will surely put a smile on your face and bond you with Matsumoto and its lively residents. Come on down around 6pm, and its best to come on foot as the downtown area streets are closed to cars for this annual summer event.
See also "Bon Bon 2008" in "What's New" Blog.

Date	First Sat in August
Hours	5pm - 10pm
Place	Streets in the downtown
Charge	Free

Saito Kinen Festival (August - September)

Every year from late August to early September since 1992, the Saito Kinen Orchestra has performed in a special musical festival dedicated to its namesake, the late Hideo Saito. Saito was born in 1902 and throughout his life he was a driving force in the development of Western classical music, its appreciation, and its performance in Japan. The orchestra that now carries on his name is world-renowned and is conducted by Seiji Ozawa with the Saito Kinen Festival as its annual showcase. Further information on the festival, including past years' programs and a detailed biography of Mr. Saito are available at the Saito Kinen Festival homepage.
See also a report in "What's New" Blog.

Date	In 2010, August 10 - September 9 (17 performances) Ticket sales begin June 27, 2010
Place	Matsumoto Performing Arts Center, Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan, Agatanomori Hall, Harmony Hall

All Japan Norikura Mountain Cycling Race (August)

This is the most popular bike hill climb race in Japan and more than 3,000 cyclists will climb up Norikura Highlands.

Date	Late August (In 2009, August 30)
Place	Norikura Highlands
Entry fee	Y6,000

Autumn Events

Autumn Moon Viewing Festival (September)

Date	Few days before and after full moon in September or October
Hours	17:30am - 20:30pm
Place	Matsumoto Castle
Charge	Free
Details	here

Banff Mountain Film Festival in Norikura (September)

The world-renowned outdoor short movie contest. About 200,000 people watches the films about mountain, nature, adventure, and environment, in the world tour of the festival every year. The festival is getting popular and popular among people who love the outdoors and nature.

Date	September 11th, 2010
Hours	19:00pm -
Place	Norikura Outdoor Theater at Igaya Ski Resort
Charge	Y 1200 (in 2008)

Dosojin Festival (September)

Date	The Fourth Sat in September
Hours	Evening
Place	Utsukushigahara Hot Spring
Charge	Free

 

Tryjin Festival (September)

"Tryjin Festival" (Toraijin Festival) is an international music, food, and cultural exchange festival hosted by the Shinshu Toraijin Club to celebrate people of all cultures who cross over (torai suru) to Japan. The event looks like fun and Asama Onsen should be a great place to have a party. It's also a cool chance to learn about and experience Korean-Japanese culture and its history and to participate in the blending of old-fashioned Japanese culture with newcomer cultures here in the Matsumoto region.

Date	Sat - Sun in September
Place	Asama Hot Spring

Yohashira Shrine Festival (October)

Yohashira Shrine's annual festival. There will be tons of food booths around the shrine for 3days.

Date	Oct 1-3
Hours	Evening
Place	Yohashira Shrine and Nawate Street
Charge	Free

Asama Hot Spring Fire Festival (October)

Very exciting, very hot annual event in Asama Hot Spring area. Numbers of groups carry a giant torch on their back and march toward the local shrine. The biggest toarch's diameter is 3 meters.

Date	Oct 3
Hours	19:00-21:30
Place	Asama Hot Spring
Charge	Free

Soba Festival (October)

Date	Three days in mid-October
Hours	10am-16pm
Place	Matsumoto Castle, etc.

 

Winter

Matsumoto Ice Sculpture Festival (January)

This is one of Matsumoto's warmest moments of the winter, and usually takes place in late January. Ice sculptors from around Japan and around the world bring their carving paraphernalia to the castle grounds on Saturday. The carving starts in earnest on Saturday evening after dark and continues until the wee hours of Sunday morning. Come Saturday evening and watch the artists perform their craft, while warming up with some snacks or Japanese rice wine (sake).

Bring the family on Sunday morning -- get there early to avoid the photographers and crowds -- and view the finished sculptures with the magnificent backdrop of Matsumoto Castle and the Northern Alps. Music, food and kids activities make this a special time for the whole family

Date & Hours	Sat 10am - Sun 16pm in mid-January
Place	Matsumoto castle
Charge	Free

Ameichi "Candy Festival" (January)

Hey, it's a street party in the middle of winter!! And, it's really a lot of fun. Come into the downtown area around 10:30am and watch the community groups carry their portable shrines (Japanese: O-mikoshi) around the streets. The tradition of this festival comes from a time when rival warlords, in a gesture of respect and sympathy, provided valuable salt to the Matsumoto area. Food, excitement and fun will keep you warm at this traditional street festival.

Date	Sat - Sun in mid- or late January
Hours	Around 10:30am - 5pm
Place	Streets in the downtown
Charge	Free