January

1st Gunma Symphony Orchestra "New Year Concert"

The Gunma Symphony Orchestra is a well-known local orchestra. It became famous because of the movie "Kokoni Izumi Ari". A New Year Concert is held every year.

3rd Oogoma Syugyo (Gansan Daishi) at Tenryu Gokoku Temple (Kaminamie-machi)

6th, 7th Daruma Market at Shorinzan Temple (Hanadaka-machi)

Shorinzan Daruma Temple is said to be the birthplace of the auspicious daruma. Hundreds of street stalls sell the darumas and invite fortunes according to the theory of "Falling down seven times, getting up eight times". The buyers and sellers negotiate the price, which makes the street very lively.

10th Daruma Market at Kotohira Shrine (Shingokan-machi)

Kotohira Shrine in Gokan-machi, known as "Tanaka no Konpirasama", holds a festival on the 10th of every month. The first of which is the Daruma market held on Jan 10th. The "Konpira", plant fair is held on April 10th as the spring festival and the autumn festival is on October 10th. Each festival attracts many people from nearby cities.

2nd Sunday "Coming of Age Day" - Torioi Festival (Yawata-machi)

15th Kitamuki-Dosojin-Taisha Festival at Kuragano Shrine (Kuragano-machi)

15th Dondon-Yaki (each town)

This event used to be held at the same time as the Dosojin Matsuri, one of Lunar New Year festivals on January 13th and 14th in each town. Currently this event is held on a Saturday or Sunday morning around January 15th when schools are closed. Participants, (mostly children) burn the old Darumas and New Year's ornaments to pray for a perfect state of health.

18th Daruma Festival at Yanagihara-Kannon (Minamioorui-machi)
4th Saturday Takasaki Festival- Downtown Takasaki

February

3rd (Sunday before Setsubun) Setsubun at Koutokuji Temple (Narita-cho)

3rd Setsubun at Yamana-Hachimangu Shrine (Yamana-machi)

11th Kan-Inari-Hatsuuma at Kuragano Shrine (Kuragano-machi)

March

15th Daidai-Kagura at Sunaigo Shrine (Kamikobana-machi)

18th Yosan-Zaru Market at Yakuyoke-Kannon (Shimano-machi)

18th BatoKannon Festival-Yanagi Kannon (Minami Orui Machi)

19th Hiwatari at Gorei Shrine (Kaizawa-machi)

25th Shishimai, Daidai-kagura at Kitano Shrine (Shimokobana-machi)

Shishimai is a performing art. One style is performed by a person with a lion's head,
and the other is performed by numerous people dressed in lion attire from head to tail.

27th Shishimai - Suwa Shrine (Oyagi Machi)

Late March - Early April - Hizakura-festival at Kappapia

Late March - Early April - Takasaki Spring Festival- Motenashi Hiroba

Late March - Early April  Takasaki Film Festival

Hosted by local movie-lovers who wanted to see movies rarely screened at local cinemas. The festival has become famous. More than 80 films are shown each year.

April

2nd-3rd Spring Festival at Takasaki Shrine (Akasaka-machi)

3rd Shishimai - Shinmeigu Shrine (Namie Machi)

5th Daidai-Kagura at Yawata Hachimangu (Yawata-machi)

Many people attend the performance of Daidai-Kagura (Municipally-designated significant intangible folk cultural asset).

8th Flower Festival at Anraku Temple (Kuragano-machi)

8th Fufuyakushi and Bentensama Spring Festival- Shishimai- Iidama Shrine     (Iizuka-machi)

9th Daidai-Kagura, Chigo-Gyoretsu at Akagi Shrine (Iwahana-machi)

9th Daidai-Kagura at Susanoo Shrine(Shibazaki-cho)

10th Kotohira Shrine Reisai at Kotohira Shrine(Shingokan-machi)

14th Sunaigo Inari Shrine Reitaisai at Sunaigo Inari Shrine (Kobana-machi)

15th Spring Festival at Yamana Hachimangu Shrine (Yamana-machi)

19th Urayasu no Mai, Daidai Kagura at Kuragano Shrine (Kuragano-machi)

19th Daidai Kagura- Ogori Shrine (Ishihara-machi)

29th Spring Festival at The Gunma Music Center & Takasaki City Gallery

A festival of flower and light held at the height of cherry blossom season. People enjoy concerts, poem recitals, flea markets, and lit up cherry trees in the evening.

Late April  Spring Concerts

LateApril Takasaki City Traditional Performing Arts Festival

May

5th Koushinsama Children's Festival - Shiromine Shrine (Sumiyoshi-cho)

26th Kobudo, Ginei - Yorimasa Shrine (Miyamoto-cho)

June

24th Atago Shrine Taisai (Minami-cho)

July

15th Fujizuka Hyakuman Hen at Fujizuka Community Center (Fujizuka-cho)

Children walk through town starting at the community center, rolling a large beadroll in hope of exorcising evil spirits and having a good harvest.

17th Gyoriki Hyakumanhen at Yakushido (Gyoriki-machi)

Children walk through town, ringing bells and pounding doors with a beadroll in hope of the safety of their families and a good harvest of silk.

24th Shukuhidake no Jizoubon (Hidakaka-machi)

4th Tuesday     Hi Matsuri - Kannon-yama

Hi Matsuri (Fire Festival) is held at Jigan Temple which is located to the east of Byakui-Daikannon. The large scale of flames overwhelm the spectators.

29th Hachimangu Omisogi     Mikoshi-togyo (Yawata-machi)

Omisogi-Mikoshi-Watari and dolls are thrown into the Usui river.

August

7th Kashima no Shichibi     (Negoya-machi)

Four couples of Ujiko raise the four sets of Mandou (a bunch of lights), and fireworks are set off. Fireworks are given to the visitors.

1st Saturday:   The Takasaki Festival & Large City Fireworks Show

The Takasaki Festival is vitalized by Mikoshi, Dashi, Ohayashi and is the event that everyone looks forward to. Portable shrines and floats are drawn throughout the city with encouraging shouts.in encouraging shouts. In the evening, one of the largest fireworks shows in the Northern Kanto area is held on the shores of the Karasu River.

10th 48,000 Days Festival - Keitoku Temple (Akasaka-machi)

Portable shrines for children are drawn, women living nearby dance show and sing folk songs.

16th Enmado-Reisai (Kuragano-machi)

This festival enshrines Enma-sama and Amida-sama in hope of a rich harvest and a perfect state of health. A small gift and flag are given to visitors.

17th &18th Shimano-Yakuyoke-Kannonsai (Shimano-machi)

Open-air shops are open in the temple grounds and on the nearby roads. A holy fire is lit in the temple, and talismans for family safety and for traffic safety are sold.

20th Kosodate-Kanzenon-Reitaisai, Nagashibi, Fireworks (Iwahana-machi)

Events held are Mandou contest, Kanzeon holy fire ascetic training, portable shrine for children, Togyo, Kagari-bi, Toro-nagashi ( Karasu riverbank) and open-air shops.

22nd & 23rd Idohachimangu-reisai     Idohachimangu Shrine (Kuragano-machi)

Enshrines Idohachimangu Shrine and pray for a rich harvest and a perfect state of health. An apotropaic small flag is distributed to a worshipper.

24th Gokoku Shrine Mitama Festival, Mandou-Kai, Daidai-Kagura (Notsuke-machi)

2,500 lanterns and 2,000 paper lamps are lit in memorial of those who died in war. Dramatic performances such as a Kagura dancing are held in front of the altar.

26th Suwa Shrine Reitaisya (Kuragano-machi)

This festival enshrines Suwa-sama and prays for a rich harvest and a perfect state of health. Two arrows holding Japanese paper are given to visitors. Also, the Sumo wrestling tournament is held by age.

Fourth Saturday     Kannon-yama Mandou-kai at Kannon-yama

Many lamps are lit to pray for a perfect state of health. After performing Doyo-Goma and Enko-Kuguri, ten thousand candles are arranged on the road from the entrance to the Hibiki bridge to worship the ancestors, and to pray for a perfect state of health, family safety, goof business and realizing ones dreams. Also, some amusing events such such as lotteries and drawings are held.

3rd, 4th, 13th, 14th, 23rd, 24th  Yamanoue-Tensui-Jizoson (Yamana-machi)

September

16th Kagura Festival at Gokoku Shrine (Notsuke-machi)

October

Early Oct. Takasaki Makino -Park in Front of City Hall (Rain: Music Center)

Makino began in 1986 in memory of the 50th anniversary of Byakui-Daikannon, and has become one of the charming sights of Takasaki city in late Autumn.Currently it is held at the Gunma Music Center, so people can feel closer to it. The subtle and profound dancing and the sound of flutes and drums fascinate spectators.

Early Oct. Takasaki Autumn Festival

8th Kamakura-Kaido-Budo-Gyoretsu at Jonan Area

9th Shishimai -Kitano Shrine (Shiokobana-machi), Kagaminomiya Shrine     (Koyagi-machi), Suwa Shrine (Oyagi-machi),Goryo Shrine (Kaizawa-machi)

15th Shishimai Event, Mikoshi-Togyo, Yatai-Chinretsu - Yamana-Hachimangu     (Yamana-machi)

16th-17th Daidai Kagura, Shishimai, Budo Event - Gokoku Shrine (Notsuke-machi)

19th Daidai Kagura - Obori Shrine (Ishihawa-machi)

19th Shishimai at Iidama Shrine (Iizuka-machi)

Sunday Before/After the 25th Kitano Shrine Shishimai -Kitano Shrine     (Shimokobana Machi)

October to November   Takasaki Music Festival

This event decorates Takasaki as the city of music. Many original concerts and performances by amateur musicians are held.

November

3rd Daidai Kagura, Shishimai at Yawata-Hachimangu (Yawata-machi)

Mid-November Ebisuko at Mihoookuni Shrine (Akasaka-machi)

To recover from the recession at the beginning of Showa period, one of the souls of Ebisu-Daikokuten in Shimane prefecture was moved to the Ookuni Shrine, and the market called Ebisuko has been held ever since. During the Ebisuko market, the city flourishes with a large sale and lot of drawings.

December

Early Dec. Light Pageant - Takasaki City Gallery Area

The Light Pageant has been held since 1994 to decorate the winter of Takasaki city. The Symphony Road from the station to the City Gallery is decorated and illuminated. Some concerts and Night Shop Festivals are also held.

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