Fireworks coloring the nights and rows of night stalls can be said as the Japanese summer traditions. During July and August, summer festivals take place around the country. In Shimane, like other areas in Japan, many people get together to enjoy traditional Japanese-style dancing, singing, fireworks, and delicious festival foods. Some festivals are enjoyed mainly by locals, so they are recommended for those who like to join the local people and feel the traditional Japan in the countryside.
Tamatsukuri Onsen Area is well known for its long history and highly qualified onsen water. During the summer, while lanterns illuminate the riverside, visitors can enjoy night stalls and various stage events every night. Please stay a night here and take a walk along the riverside. Stage events differ every day, and some traditional performances can be seen from around 9 pm.
Venue: Tamatsukuri Onsen Area [map]
Date: Every night from July 18 (Sat.) to August 31st (Sat.) 2015
One of the most biggest festivals in the west Japan Matsue Suigo-sai Festival takes place for two nights in Matsue. Total of 13 thousand fireworks are to be set off above a lake. Matsue is known as the water city and The Lake Shinji represents it.
Venue: Lake Shinji, near the Matsue City Office (Matsue City) [map]
Date: August 1st (Sat.) & 2nd (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm on both date.
*Please notice that traffic is banned around the main area on both dates.
All the fireworks are set off on August 2nd if it rains on 1st, and it will be postponed to August 8th (Sat) if it rains on 2nd.
Sagimai Ritual in Tsuwano, a ritual that is designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property, has 400 years of history. Wearing costumes that evoke herons, ritual dancers perform to music and drums at several spots around Tsuwano.
Date: July 20th (Mon.) & 27th (Mon.) 2015, from 3 pm
Venue: Yasaka Shrine and other spots around central Tsuwano [map]
One of the three biggest festivals in Shimane, the Gion Matsuri takes place every year on July 21st. A Mikoshi (portable shrine) and Kanto (lantern pole with a lot of lanterns) are paraded through the town during the night.
Venue: Main Street in Hirose-chō (Yasugi) [map]
Date: July 21th (Tue.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm
Fireworks Display: Approximately 1,600 fireworks are to be set off at the Inashi Riverside.
Boasting over two hundred years of history, the festival is host to street stalls that line the main street while Kagura (a traditional dance ritual) is performed. Visitors can enjoy about 2,000 fireworks from a distance of just 120m.
Venue: Hi-River riverbed (Unnan City) [map]
Date : July 20th (Mon.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm
Fireworks Display: Approximately 2,000 fireworks are to be set off at the Hi Riverside.
Night stalls stands on the both sides of the main streets that leads to Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine. Group of locals bring portable shrines called mikoshi through the main street.
Date: July 24th (Fri.) and 25th (Sat.) 2015
Venue: Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine (Matsue City) [map]
Date : July 25th (Sat.) 2105 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm
Venue: Mitoya River Bank (Unnan City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 2,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : July 18th (Sat.)2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:30 pm
Venue: Around the Nima Sand Museum (Oda City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 2,000 fireworks are to be set off.
*Fireworks display will be set off on 19th if the weather is bad on 18th.
Date : July 25th (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm
Venue: Kawamoto Main Street (Kawamoto Town) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 2,000 firework are to be set off.
This event takes place on the beautiful beach so it is recommended to enjoy fireworks and night events after the beach fun. The sunset seen from the beach cannot be missed.
Date : July 26th (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:30 pm
Venue: Kirara Beach at Kitata Taki Roadside Station (Izumo City) [map]
This festival allows guests to experience fireworks, traditional drumming performances, and Soran Bushi.
Date : August 1st (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are expected to set off from 8 pm
Venue: Roadside Station Nagomi-no-Sato (Tsuwano) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 3,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : August 1st (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8 pm
Venue: Takatsu River Bank (Masuda City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 4,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : August 1st (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:30 pm
Venue: Hamada Port (Hamada City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 5,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : August 2nd (Sun.), 4th (Tue.) 2015
Venue: Kute Port (Oda City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 10,000 fireworks are to be set off from 8 pm on 4th.
Date : August 8th (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 7:50 pm.
Venue: Yunotsu Port (Oda City) [map]
Display of Fireworks: Approximately 2,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : August 6th (Thu.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:30 pm
Venue : Akagawa-riverbank Daito-cho, Unnan City [map]
Display of Fireworks: 1,500 of fireworks to be set off
Date : August 8th (Sat.) & 9th (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off on 9th from 8:00 pm
Venue: Kandachi River Bank Park (Otsu, Izumo City) [map]
Display of Fireworks: Approximately 8,000 fireworks are to be set off on 9th.
*Fireworks display will be set off on 10th if the weather is bad on 9th.
Date: August 14th (Fri.) ~ 17th (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off on 14th from 8:00 pm
Venue: Yasugi Port (Yasugi City) [map]
Fireworks Display: Approximately 5,000 fireworks are to be set off on 14th from 8 pm .
Date: August 15th (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:00 pm
Venue: Nichihara, Tsuwano-cho [map]
Display of Fireworks: Approximately 3,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date : August 16th (Sun.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 8:10 pm
Venue: Around JR Gotsu Sta, Gonokawa River (Gotsu City) [map]
Display of Fireworks: Approximately 6,000 fireworks are to be set off.
Date: August 22nd (Sat.) 2015 *Fireworks are set off from 7:30 pm
Venue: Hishiura Port (Ama-cho, Oki)
Display of Fireworks: Approximately 2,500 fireworks are to be set off.