Pull a Traditional Japanese Float at One of Japan’s Three Great Float Festivals

At the Chichibu Night Festival, you can experience many aspects of Japanese culture in one place

Every neighborhood in Japan has its own festival, but the Chichibu Night Festival, which takes place in Chichibu City in western Saitama Prefecture, has a deeper history that makes it particularly special. Over 300 years old, it’s one of Japan’s three grand float festivals (where people pull wheeled floats rather than carry portable shrines) and was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. 

Join in with the locals as they drag six floats, ornately decorated with tapestries and wood carvings, through the streets of Chichibu. Afterwards, you’ll have a chance to chat with some of the festival organizers. 
 Then it’s time to explore the local sites with your guide. The itinerary includes Chichibu Shrine, where the festival deities normally reside, and a special silk market held only during the festival. 

When the sun goes down, the festival floats are combined and transformed into a stage for a local kabuki performance, providing you with an opportunity to observe this traditional form of Japanese theater in a picturesque setting. You’ll be given an audio guide that explains the ins and outs of the plot. This part of the festival is only held once every four years, making it even more special. The Chichibu Night Festival is held every year on December 2 and 3.

Access: Take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line from Tokyo Station to Ikebukuro Station (about 20 minutes). From Ikebukuro Station, take the Seibu Railway Limited Express Laview to Seibu Chichibu Station (about one hour 20 minutes). Meet in front of the ticket gate of Seibu Chichibu Station.

Chichibu Area Tourism Organization