Best 6 Traditional Festivals “Matsuri” Guide in Hokkaido, July 2017 (w/Photos)
Shoto Hachiya -
Traditional festivals held in Hokkaido for July, 2017 brought to you by MagicalTrip staff. Guaranteed to experience the local atmosphere and lifestyle to its fullest! Might end up being the highlight of your Hokkaido sightseeing trip.Wondering what to do? Besides festivals, we also cover various other must-see events in Hokkaido , July 2017! There are also lots of interesting festivals and events held in well known cities of Japan. Check it out!
Must-see! Sapporo Summer Festival – 20 to 31 July
[http://www.sapporo.travel/event/summer/sapporo_summer_festival/](http://www.sapporo.travel/event/summer/sapporo_summer_festival/)The Sapporo Summer Festival is held at Hokkaido’s main city Sapporo. This year is the 64th anniversary, and within the 1 month of the festival, they hold many different events. At the Main Street Park, they hold Beer Gardens, Hokkaido Bon Dance, at the Toyohira River is held the Firework festival which is very representative of the festival. Especially the Beer Garden, it is the longest event they hold in the Summer Festival, where you can enjoy Japanese Beers like the Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi, and also beers from worldwide. You can also enjoy the Hokkaido Bon Dance at the pillar which is held for a week. Since the festival is held in town, of course the locals but tourists love this festival. It is a great tradition they hold at Sapporo where the summer is short.
Schedule
20th to 31st July :
5 chome venue (Suntory Beer) AM12:00-PM9:00 (Last Order PM8:45)
6 chome venue (Asahi Beer) AM12:00-PM9:00 (Last Order PM8:30)
7 chome venue (Kirin Beer) AM12:00-PM9:00 (Last Order PM8:45)
8 chome venue (Sapporo Beer) AM12:00-PM9:00 (Last Order PM8:45)
10 chome venue (World Beer Plaza) PM5:00-9:00 (Last Order PM8:45)
11 chome venue (Sapporo German Village) AM12:00-9:00 (Last Order PM8:45)
Access & Address
1 min by walk from Odori Station
10 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around Odorinishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido
[http://blog.goo.ne.jp/yotuti_2010/e/3471a90d62bbc8e9f025cf69cb7acf58](http://blog.goo.ne.jp/yotuti_2010/e/3471a90d62bbc8e9f025cf69cb7acf58)This festival is know to be Otaru’s largest festival and is held for 3 consecutive days. The first day is the firework festival, the second day is where amazingly beautiful dance is shown, the Shio Nerikomi,a nd the last day is the God Parade and the firework festival once again. The second day is said to be a must-see, it’s where groups and companies join to dance around the town. Additionally, the first and last day shoot a total of 5000 fireworks.
Schedule
28th July : PM8:00-8:30
30th July : PM8:00-8:40
Access & Address
10 min by walk from Otaru Station
45 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around Otaru Port, Minatomachi, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido
1. 71st Abashiri Okhotsk Summer Festival – 22 July
[http://festivaly.jp/fes/abashiri-summer-festival-2017/](http://festivaly.jp/fes/abashiri-summer-festival-2017/)This festival is to enjoy Abashiri’s summer, the Abashiri Okhotsk Summer Festival is held at the Central Shopping District filled with thousands of people dancing the Ryuuhyou Dance. You can enjoy the Okhotsk sea and sky with the blooming fireworks. They have many of their own unique fireworks such as the Wide Star Mine, or the 2-scale ball. All of these are famous for being fireworks only shown at Abashiri.
Schedule
22nd July : PM7:30-8:30
Access & Address
10 min by walk from Abashiri Bus Terminal
6 hour 30 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around 4 Minami 3 Johigashi, Abashiri-shi, Hokkaido
[HOKKAIDO LIKERS ](http://www.hokkaidolikers.com/articles/617)This festival is good to see and good to dance! They gladly welcome people who are willing to suddenly join. Participants draw faces on their stomach and walk around town. With a funny look, tourist join and just dance through the night ensuring a great time! This is a traditional festival since the 1969, Furano’s specialty beer party and other events are held.
Schedule
28th to 29th July : PM7:00-8:00
Access & Address
1 min by walk from Furano Station
2 hour 40 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around Motomachi, Furano-shi, Hokkaido
Price / Charge & Reservation
For free & don’t need to reserve.
Drop in dancing : from 500 yen to 2,000 yen
[http://abashiri.jp/tabinavi/picture/event/](http://abashiri.jp/tabinavi/picture/event/)At the Abashiri River estuary is where there were evidence of indigenous people living there and they were called the Okhotsk people. The Orochon Fire Festival is celebrated for those indigenous people’s feelings, freeing the spirits, and the local area to flourish. A shaman who can communicate with God appears, where by tradition, the shaman lights fire, and with a solemn mood, he frees the spirits of the indigenous people and wish for flourishment as locals dance in traditional outfits. Orochon originally meant to specify the Russian people who were Tungusic people, but in Japan, it meant those who lived in the northern area.
Schedule
24th July : PM7:00-7:30
Access & Address
10 min by walk from Abashiri Bus Terminal
6 hour 30 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around 4 Minami 3 Johigashi, Abashiri-shi, Hokkaido
4. Jigoku no Tani no Oni Firework – Every Thursday & Friday July
[るるぶ ](http://www.rurubu.com/news/detail.aspx?ArticleID=1835)At Hokkaido’s Noribetsu town exists a hot springs area called the Jigoku Valley, and around June and July, every Thursday and Friday is held a firework festival. Jigoku in English means “hell”, and just like the name, this hot springs has an excessively thick steam with a smell of sulfur giving off a feeling that it isn’t Earth. For those locals living in the Jigoku Valley has a guardian deity, “Yukijin” or in English, the “Hot Springs Ogre God”. These people worship the god for their well-being by dedicating hand fireworks. In the gloomy sunset, the white smoke, and the mysterious feeling of the mountains, the firework artisans where Ogre masks and shoot out fireworks. It really is a mysterious festival where you feel like you left Earth. If you ever visit Hokkaido, please try to go to this.
Schedule
Every Thursday & Friday July : PM8:30-
Access & Address
15 min by bus from Noboribetsu Station
2 hour 40 min by train from Sapporo Station
Held around Noboribetsuonsencho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido