Spring and autumn are when peak festivities happen in Gifu, and we’ll be covering the ones happening next month! So, mark your calendars and join in the celebrations to come!

For starters, look out for the exciting (and at times explosive) Dosan/Gifu Festival and Tejikara Fire Festival!

＊＊＊ Dosan/Gifu Festival ＊＊＊
The festival celebrates Saito Dosan: a fierce samurai from the Warring States era (1467－1603) whose rule created a healthy economic environment in Gifu (known as Inokuchi at the time). Throughout the festival you can enjoy parades, marching bands, flea markets, and much more in the downtown area of Gifu City.

On Saturday evening of the festival weekend, at Inaba Shrine, is the Gifu Festival where you can see a procession of festival floats decorated with paper lanterns that light up the night. You might just see some unexpected characters featured on the festival floats like from last year!
【Date】April 6th and 7th (Sat and Sun)***
【Venue】Downtown Gifu City and Inaba Shrine
【Directions】Inaba Shrine: Gifu Station Bus Stop [10min \230] >>> Get off at the Inaba Dori Bus Stop

More info:
https://visitgifu.com/see-do/dosan-festival/
https://gifunomatsuri.jp/ (Japanese)
https://gifunomatsuri.jp/2023/12/15/dousan52th/ (Japanese)
*** downtown parade and festival float procession are on the 6th (Sat) only

＊＊＊ Tejikara Fire Festival ＊＊＊
The Tejikara Fire festival is a 300-year-old festival that celebrates explosive sounds and fire, featuring fireworks and gun-powder-rigged mikoshi (portable shrines carried around during festivals) that are carried by groups of bare-chested men.
【Date】April 13th (Sat)
【Venue】Tejikarao Shrine
【Directions】Tejikarao Shrine: Meitetsu Gifu Station [Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line 9min \230] >>> Get off at Tejikara Station, walk for 4 minutes
(Fireworks should start at 7:25pm)

More info:
https://visitgifu.com/see-do/tejikara-fire-festival/
https://www.gifucvb.or.jp/event/detail_spring.php?eid=00004&calendar_keisai=1 (Japanese)