Festivals Come in Threes

Japan is said to be the site of some 300,000 festivals and other celebratory events each year. These come in all forms and sizes, offering worship to the countless kami of Shintō, Buddhist deities, and spirits of people’s ancestors. With chanting, dancing, horseback riding, festival floats, mikoshi palanquins, and much more, the Japanese have marked these annual events for centuries. In this series we take a look at the “three greatest” festivals of various types that make up the celebratory landscape of Japan.