Aizu Festival

About this event

Aizu's largest festival, the Aizu Festival, is held annually in late September, carrying on the remembrance and gratitude for ancestors as well as the celebration and joy of the restoration of the Aizu Domain. Opening with a lantern procession by children, a wide variety of events are held, including the Aizu Bandaisan Dance, the Ancestor Thanksgiving Festival, the Aizu Clan Lord Procession, the Nisshinkan Children's Procession, and a fife and drum band parade. In particular, the sight of people dressed as samurai parading through the city and the impressive scene of swaying lanterns carrying wishes through the streets are highlights not to be missed. The lantern procession begins on September 19, the Aizu Bandaisan Dance is held on September 19 and 20, the Ancestor Thanksgiving Festival and Aizu Clan Lord Procession on September 20, and the Nisshinkan Children's Procession and fife and drum band parade on September 21. The origin of the festival traces back to a lantern procession held in 1928 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Chichibu Yasuhito and Matsudaira Setsuko, granddaughter of Matsudaira Katamori. Later, it also came to carry the meaning of comforting the spirits of the Aizu samurai and others who lost their lives in the Boshin War and expressing gratitude to ancestors.

Venue

Aizu Tsuruga Castle

1-1 Otemachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0873