Nagoya: Events

The festival Atsuta Matsuri, held in early June at Atsuta-jingū, features displays of martial arts, sumō matches and fireworks. Street vendors peddle their wares by the light of thousands of lanterns. On the first Saturday and Sunday in June, the Tennō Matsuri takes place in Deki-machi. Large karakuri (mechanical puppets) are paraded on floats in the precincts of Susano-o-jinja Shrine. The Nagoya Basho sumō tournament takes place at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium from the first to the third Sunday of July. Nonreserved seats are available from the box office on the day of the bout from 08:30 . Arrive early in the afternoon and you can walk unchallenged to the very front of the arena to watch the lower-ranked wrestlers up close. It's a great photo opportunity. The gymnasium is in the grounds of Nagoya-jō. The Minato Matsuri, held around 20 July at Nagoya port, features a street parade with more than 1500 dancers, and a water-logging contest that dates back to the Edo period (1600-1867). Nagoya Matsuri, held in mid-October in Hisaya-ōdōri-kōen (aka Central Park, north of the TV Tower), is the big event of the year. It includes costume parades, processions of floats with karakuri puppets, folk dancing, music and a parade of decorated cars. In late October to late November, the Kiku-no-hana Taikai (Chrysanthemum Exhibition) sets the grounds of Nagoya-jō awash in colour; a separate ningyō (doll) exhibit incorporates the flowers into scenes from Japanese history and legend.