Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri 春日若宮おん祭
The elegance of tradition
For four days, the festivities take participants on a journey into ancient times. From December 15th to 18th, music and dance are the stars, in addition to other activities related to the past of Nara .
The highlight of the event is held on the seventeenth, called Hon-matsuri, where the most elegant performances are concentrated. There are kagura, songs and dances dedicated to the kami (deities) and bugaku of court music accompanied by traditional dances.
Commenced in the 12th century, this festival is a reminder of the noble periods in the history of the archipelago and, always on the third day, a historical parade, like the famous Jidai-matsuri in Kyoto, is organized. This Jidai Gyoretsu (procession of different eras) brings together more than five hundred people parading in costumes dating from the Heian period (794-1185) to the Edo period (1603-1868).
After four days, everyone returns to reality, as if the festival had made time stand still or rather had turned or shaken it to form a precious time bubble, which the Japanese government has qualified as a folk cultural property.