Various festivals are held throughout the year in Chiba.
Japanese people get excited when they hear the festival music. You are strongly recommended to participate in various festivals and experience this feeling unique to the Japanese. In addition to the festivals described below, many more festivals are held at various places within the prefecture throughout the year.
June
Tomisato Watermelon Festival (Tomisato City) Middle of JuneThis event is peculiar to Tomisato City, the second largest producing center of watermelons in Japan. Watermelon tasting, competitive eating, and display with the exhibits in sale are held.
July
Sawara Big Festival (Katori City) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday consecutively during the period from July 9 to 18This is a festival of Yasaka Shrine in Honjuku, and the highlights are Japan’s best festival car sculptured gorgeously and a big doll, as well as “Sawara-bayashi,” one of the best three musical accompaniments in Japan.
Narita Gion Festival (Narita City) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the beginning of July/Approach to Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple“Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple” with a history of about 300 years and nine neighborhood associations take part in this large-scale festival. A portable shrine in which Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana) is immanent, as well as ten decorated festival cars and floats, is drawn through primarily along the front approach to Naritasan.
Shirahama Ama Festival (Minami-Boso City/former Shirahama-cho) July,18-19,2011/18:00-20:30/Park around Nojimazaki LighthouseAt the fantastic event of “Ama-no Yaei,” 100 women divers in white gown with a torch in their hands swim in the seat at night. Bon festival dance, Ryujin-no-mai (dragon dance), fireworks show, and many other events are held, as well.
Mobara Star Festival (Mobara City) July, 22 - 24, 2011One of the best star festivals in Kanto, during which Mobara Dance and YOSAKOI Dance are performed under vividly and colorfully decorated bamboos.
August
Tateyama Bay Fireworks Show (Tateyama City) August, 8 (Monday), 2011 / 19:30 to 20:45This is the main summer event of the City of Tateyama. The show is highlighted by more than 100 large and small fireworks set off all together, which is called Imperial-Scale Starmine, and underwater fireworks that are set off directly from the surface of the sea.
Choshi Port Festival (Choshi City) August, 6 (Saturday), 2011 / 19:30 to 20:45“Yappe Odori (dance)” and fireworks show are held on Saturday, and on Sunday children’s and adults’ portable shrines get together to hold Mikoshi (portable shrine) Festival. “Yappe Odori” permits anyone without prior application to join.
Chiba Citizens’ Fireworks Show (Chiba City) Discontinuance in 2011 Early in August/Chiba Port Park1,500 fireworks with Nishiki Kamurogiku as a main type of fireworks are set off during the ending three minutes.
Teganuma Fireworks Show (Kashiwa City) Discontinuance in 2011 Saturday at the beginning of AugustThe fireworks show is held by the Lake Teganuma. 14,000 fireworks are set off at the sites in Kashiwa and Abiko.
Kisarazu Port Festival (Kisarazu City) Discontinuance in 2011 August 14 and 15“Yassai Mossai Dance” is performed on August 14, and a fireworks show is held on August 15.
