Summer Festivals = Protective Charm 

In Japanese summer, there are countless local festivals (Matsuri) in Japan because almost every shrine holds one of its own for the motive of an incantation to drive away a plague. Most festivals are held annually and celebrate the shrine's deity or a seasonal or historical event. Followings are one of the most famous summer festivals.

Gion Festival 

Place : Kyoto

Since : 869 (9th century)

Best known for :

Parade of sacred floats, the Yamaboko Jungyo which is listed as one of an Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity by UNESCO

Tenjin Festival 

Place: Osaka

Since : 951 (10th century)

Best know for :

100 units of Funatogyo sacred boats in the river and tens of thousands fireworks launched in an urban site

Awa-Odori Festival

Place: Tokushima

Since : 1185 (12th century)

Best know for :

4 days term dance festival in AWA style which attracts over 1 million tourist every year

Nebuta Festival

Place: Aomori

Since : 1716 (18th century)

Best know for :

20 units of 5 meter-height Samurai Shogun floats parade 

Amusement & Foods

During the festivals, there are a lot of peculiar food and amusement stands which are another attractiveness of the Japanese summer

-Amusement-

Shateki

 a kind of gun-shooting game using bullets made of cork, and all you have to do is just target the prize you want and shoot at it. If you hit it and it falls down, you can get the prize.

Wanage

 this is also one of popular summer festival games between kinds in which rings are thrown at a stake or a prize in the ground in the hope of encircling it.

-Foods-

Yakitori

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A grilled chicken savory dish made by charcoal grilling bite-sized pieces of chicken on a bamboo skewer. One of the most popular snack in festival's stand.

Takoyaki

 "octopus balls", a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. Takoyaki is brushed with takoyaki sauce (tastes like Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and then sprinkled with green laver, Aonori, and shavings of dried bonito, Katsuobushi.

Kakigori

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cup of shaved ice dessert flavored with syrup and a sweetener, often condensed milk.