When: Late March to Early April
Dates: 1 - 7 April (2019), 31 March - 3 April (2017)
City: Beppu
Website: Beppu Events (Japanese), Visit Oita (Japanese)
Description:
This festival takes place over the course of about a week, and during this period, many of Beppu's onsen (hot springs) are free to enter, so if you want to try an onsen experience, this is a good chance! The main event early on in the week is the Ogiyama Fire Festival, in which they set fire to a large section of Mt Ogi, behind Beppu. The fire crawls slowly across the field, creating a striking sight for anyone watching either from nearby or from down in the city. Later on in the week there are various folk dances, parades, and, on the last day, the famous Yu-Bukkake Matsuri, in which the festival crowds and local mikoshi (shrine boxes) get sprayed with water by the mayor himself, using a large pipe full of onsen water! Feel the community spirit as you dance in the street with the locals!