Top free festivals in the first 3 months in Japan (2023)

Making sure you see one or two festivals, called Matsuri in Japanese, is a good way to save money. Most are based on city streets or in temples, so entry is free and there are lots of stalls selling cheap snacks and more.

6th: Dezome-shiki, Tokyo (Edo Period Acrobatic Firefighters): Firemen show off their machines and do various stunts perform acrobatic stunts on top of bamboo ladders. The ladder stunts were the main event of Japanese New Year celebrations. The demonstration was preceded with the firemen praying at a shrine for their safety during the coming year. Most of the houses in this era were only two stories high, so anything taller would give you a view over the city.
.
Location: Higashi Parking Lot of Tokyo Big Sight, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Time: All Day

Fourth Saturday, Wakakusa Yamayak (Mountain fire), Nara: Large grass burning ceremony on Mount Wakakusayama. Every year, on the last Saturday of January, Nara celebrates the Wakakusa Yamayaki festival. The festival have cheap food vendors stall and traditional culture musical (Japaneses drum and Shamisen) to celebrate the arrival of early spring.
Time: 6PM - Midnight

Sunday closest to 15th Toshiya, Sanjusangendo Temple, Kyoto: Japanese archery contest. Many young man and woman, who had they're "Coming of Age" ceremony and who had a black belt in Kyudo, came from all over Japan to participate. Outside of the archery contest, the main attraction is the beautiful kimonos worn by even more beautiful woman. Only new adults who will turn 20 years old this year can participate in this tournament, which is a once in a lifetime stage for them. If you go Toshiya at Sanjusangendo Temple, Tokyo - You'll can feel the wonderful Japanese tradition and the beauty, strength, and gracefulness of Japanese women.
Location: Sanjusangendo Temple
Time: During a day

3rd Setsubun Mantoro, Nara: More than 3,000 lanterns are lit up in Kasuga Taisha Shrine. There are stone lanterns in the gardens and hanging lanterns in the corridors. The garden lanterns are decorated with strips of Japanese paper inscribed with people's wishes, and are lit by the participants. The hanging lanterns in the corridors come in a variety of designs. It appears that the number of lanterns corresponds to the number of wishes. Formerly, these numerous lanterns were lit up every night, which is quite amazing.
Location: Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Time: All day - Midnight

Third Saturday Saidai-ji Eyo Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man Festival), Okayama: About 10,000 almost naked men running through the streets, competing for good luck charms!
Participants will purify their body and spirit by cold ice water bath in the freezing pool water, and then run around the temple again and again, then the finally participants they get to the actual temple platform itself. Which the platform could be described as a human washing machine because everything is just moist and wet in there from the body heat - It's quite a surreal situation to find yourself in. The priests up there on the temple platform use like throwing water into the crowd and with body heat, the water just instantly like turns into steam. It's really cool and unique cultural event!.
Location: Kannon-in Temple
Time: 7PM - Midnight
Cost: Vary (¥500 - ¥5000)

1st-14th Omizutori, Nara: In these ceremonies, Buddhist monks carry large flaming torches around Nigatsu-do Hall and then wave them over the side, raining embers down on the surrounding crowds below. The horns are blown, bells are rung and priests swing around burning torches inside the wooden building. This ceremony is to cleanse the people of their sins as well as to usher in the spring of the new year. Once the Omizutori is completed, the cherry blossoms have started blooming and spring has arrived.
Location: Todaiji Temple.
Time: 7PM - 3.30AM