About Sawara Festival

The only thing better than attending an authentic Japanese village festival is actively joining in the dancing, songs and celebrations with the residents, and that’s what our lucky participants will do! Each traveler will become a Matsuri-festival performer in the annual Sawara Grand Festival, which is one of the UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural assets of Japan.

■What is SAWARA

SAWARA, an old wealthy merchant town is in Eastern Chiba Prefecture. Sometimes called a “Little Edo” because of the many attractive, historic stone, timber and tile-roofed shops and fireproof storehouses; known as “kura”, dating from the Edo-Period (1603 to 1868) which line the beautiful willow tree-lined Ono River. This river flows through the center of town beneath picturesque bridges before joining the Tone River which flows eastward to the Pacific Ocean. Sawara was also the home of the famed polymath, Ino Tadataka, a former merchant, village leader and astronomer who created Japan’s first accurate modern map which was completed in 1827.

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