Chichibu — Mountain Town & Shrine
A mountain basin town set among the Oku-Chichibu ranges, home to one of Japan's three great night festivals — the Chichibu Yomatsuri (December 3) where six ornate floats and two mikoshi parade through freezing winter streets with fireworks overhead. The Chichibu Shrine (2,100 years old) is a National Important Cultural Property.
1 day
Free (shrine)
Shrine grounds: 6:00–17:00; inner shrine open during daylight
December (festival), May–November (outdoors)
Seibu Chichibu Line from Ikebukuro (70 min)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
Chichibu Night Festival (December 3) — one of Japan's three great festivals, fireworks over mountain snow
- 2
The 34 Kannon temples of the Chichibu Pilgrimage form a 100km mountain circuit
- 3
Nagatoro white-water rafting on the Arakawa River runs May–November in the mountain gorge
Local Tips
Chichibu's Yo-matsuri Night Festival (December 3) is one of Japan's three great float festivals — dramatic and far less crowded than Kyoto equivalents. The mountain-town setting an hour from Tokyo makes Chichibu excellent for a day or weekend escape. Look out for Ichiro's Malt whisky from the local Chichibu Distillery.
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