Hatsu-kompira Festival (January 10 at Yumoto)
This is a festival held for the sea patron god since 1500. There will be crowds of people who pray for safe sea travel, good business and good fortune for their families.
Numano-uchi Mizukake Festival (January 15 at Taira)
The secondary name of this festival is "Mizu-shugi" (celebrating their safe life with water). The festival has a very unique and traditional attraction which takes newly married men to the festival site which is surrounded by bamboo leaves. The area is decorated with straw festoons, and those men who are brought to this place are splashed with water for good family fortune, blessing babies and protecting them from misfortunes.
Sakura Festival (from April to May)
There are many Cherry blossom festivals held in the Iwaki districts. Not only during the day time, but people are also able to enjoy the beautiful scenery at night since the walkways are lit by decorative lights on the both sides of the roads.
Nakoso-no-seki (Nakoso district)
3,200 of cherry trees are decorated with paper lanterns.
Matsugaoka-koen Park (Taira district)
Children's mikoshi (carrying a portable shrine) will take place.
Tomigaura-koen Park (Onahama district)
There will be held a grand festival of Japanese humorous poetry, senryu.
Miyukiyama-koen Park and Kannon-yama-koen Park (Yumoto district)
After enjoying at Cherry blossom festivals, visitors can relax at the hot springs.
Kumano-jinja Shrine - Chigo-dengaku Dance (July 31 and August 1 at Nakoso)
This is a harvest festival which children dance with flutes and drums. The dance expresses how farmers plant rice in fields. Since this children's dance performance is rare in Japan, the dance was designated as an important intangible cultural treasure.
Fireworks Festival (the first Saturday of August at Onahama)
Many artists of fireworks gather together in Onahama to compete their skills. In 1997, 350,000 people came to see their fire art and enjoy 15,000 shooting fireworks to the sounds of music.
Jyangara-nembutsu-odori Dance (middle of August at many places)
This is a very traditional Iwaki summer event. Young men who wear a light cotton kimono, with their sleeves tucked up, tabi socks and headbands dance while chanting with bells and drums in front of the houses who are celebrating their first Bon Festival.
Ryuto-e Celemony (August 20 at Taira)
While some people are having the Jyangara-nembutsu-odori dance, others send dedication lanterns floating on the water for serving the dead.
Yabusame Rites (September 14 and 15 at Iinohachiman-gu Shrine)
This is a 400 year old traditional Shinto ceremony. Shooters who wear a suite of armor ride galloping horses while shooting at three targets. This event is also held on October 10 at Suwa-jinja Shrine in Izumi and Sumiyoshi-jinja Shrine in Onahama.
Iwaki Tourism Association, Uchigo branch / 0246-27-2871
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