festivals of india, uk china , japan

1. FESTIVALS
INDIA, CHINA, UK, JAPAN

2. Festivals of india
India has Hindu’s, Muslims, Sikh’s, Christian’s and various other religions, and each religion has i
ts own festival to celebrate.
Holi – Holi is the festival of colours and celebrated all over India where people throw colour or
gulal at each other.
Diwali – The festivals of Lights. People decorate the houses and light with beautiful diya’s and p
eople burn crackers and have traditional food.
Navratri – Navratri is the festival of worship of Goddess Durga and her nine manifestations for
nine nights. It is one of the most auspicious occasions of the Hindu community.
Ganesh Chathurthi – Ganesh Chathurthi is the celebration of birth of Lord of Prosperity Lord G
anesha; elaborate celebrations take place as Chariot processions take place.

3. Raksha Bandhan – Raksha Bandhan is a festival to celebrate t
he bond of love between a brother and a sister, where a broth
er promises his sister that he will always protect her.
Onam – is a popular harvest festival of Kerela, and is celebrate
d to welcome the great King Mahabali. Onam is also famous f
or the snake boat race which is a great tourist attraction.
Id-ul-Fitr – one of the most important Muslim festival, where
people celebrate Id after observing fasts for the complete mo
nth of Ramadan.
Christmas – the festival of the Christians, that celebrates birth
of Jesus Christ on the 25th of December every year.

4. Spring Festival : The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people
and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the
West.
The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one
month later than the Gregorian calendar.
Lantern Festival : The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, usually in
February or March in the Gregorian calendar.
Qingming Festival :
The Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival is one of the 24 seasonal division
points in China, falling on April 4-6 each year.
The Qingming Festival sees a combination of sadness and happiness.This is the
most important day of sacrifice. Both the Han and minority ethnic groups at
this time offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the
deceased. Also, they will not cook on this day and only cold food is served.

5. Double Seventh Festival : The Double Seventh Festival, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month,
is a traditional festival full of romance
This festival is in mid-summer when the weather is warm and the grass and
trees reveal their luxurious greens
Mid-Autumn Festival : The festival has a long history. In ancient China, emperors followed the
rite of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autu
mn.
The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival,
or Double Ninth Festival. It usually falls in October in the Gregorian calen
dar.
Double Ninth Festival:
After the Winter Solstice, days will become longer and longer. As anci
ent Chinese thought, the yang, or muscular, positive things will beco
me stronger and stronger after this day, so it should be celebrated
Winter Solstice Festival:

6. Festivals of japan
One week in early February
Sapporo Snow Festival
Large snow and ice sculptures are built in the city's centrally located Odori Park during
the Sapporo Sno
Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri).
February 15 and 16
Yokote Kamakura Festival
Many igloo-like snow houses, called kamakura, and hundreds of mini kamakura are b
uilt at various locations across the city during this Yokote Kamakura Festival in one of
Japan's snow-richest regions.
March 1-14
Omizutori
Omizutori is a Buddhist religious service rather than a festival, held every year at the Nigats
udo Hall of Todaiji Temple. The most spectacular among its many ceremonies, is the nightly
burning of torches on the balcony of the wooden temple hall.

7. April 14-15 and October 9-10
Takayama Matsuri
Large and elaborately decorated floats are pulled through the old town ofTakayama. Held in
spring and autumn.
May 15
Aoi Matsuri
The Aoi Masturi's main attraction is a large parade of over 500 people dressed in the aristocr
atic style of the Heian Period (794-1185) that leads from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to the Ka
mo Shrines, the festival's host shrines.
Weekend closest to May 15 in odd numberd years
Kanda Matsuri
The Kanda Masturi in Tokyo consists of numerous events held over an entire week, but the mai
n action happens over the weekend closest to May 15. Highlights of the festival are a daylong
procession through central Tokyo on Saturday, and parades of portable shrines (mikoshi) by th
e various local neighborhoods on Sunday.
Third full weekend in mid May
Sanja Matsuri
The festival of Asakusa Shrine, the Sanja Matsuri is one of Tokyo's three big festivals. Mikoshi ar
e carried through the streets of Asakusa.

8. July 1-15
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
The Hakata Gion Yamakasa in Fukuoka's Hakata district takes place from July 1 to 15 and climax
es with a spectacular time trial race of festival floats in the early morning hours of July 15.
July
Gion Matsuri
The festival of Yasaka Shrine, Gion Matsuri is ranked as one of Japan's three best festivals, featu
ring over 20 meter tall festival floats. The highlight of the festival is the parade of floats on July
17, and the festivities in the evenings before the parade.
July 25
Tenjin Matsuri
The festival of Osaka's Tenmangu Shrine, the Tenjin Matsuri is ranked as one of Japan's three gr
eatest festivals, featuring a lavish procession not only through the streets of Osaka, but also on
boats on the river that is accompanied by a firework display.
August 2-7
Nebuta Matsuri
The Nebuta Matsuri features festival floats with huge lanterns, some measuring more than 10 m
eters. The festival attracts several million visitors every year.

9. August 3-6
Kanto Matsuri
Over two hundred long bamboo poles with up to 46 lanterns attached to each are balanced by
the members of this popular festival's nightly parades.
August 12-15
Awa Odori
This is the most famous of many traditional dancing festivals held across Japan during the obo
n season in mid August.
October 7-9
Nagasaki Kunchi
The festival of Nagasaki's Suwa Shrine, the Nagasaki Kunchi features Chinese style dragons and fl
oats shaped like ships.
October 22
Jidai Matsuri (more details)
Kyoto
A spectacular historical parade which covers the over 1000 years during which Kyoto served as
Japan's capital. The procession leads from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine

10. Festivals of UK
Beatherder Festival, Lancashire / 29th June – 1st July
Lounge On the Farm, Kent / 6th–8th July
NASS Festival, Somerset / 6th-8th July
Bestival, Isle Of Wight / 6th – 9th September
Parklife, Manchester / 9th+10th June
Standon Calling, Hertfordshire / 3rd – 5th August
Beacons, Skipton, Yorkshire Dales / 17th-19th August
South West Four, Clapham Common, London
Lovebox, Victoria Park, London / 15th-17th June
Kendal Calling, Lake District / 27th-29th July
Natural Rhythm Festival, East Anglia / 6th-7th July
Detonate Indoor Festival, Nottingham / 6th May

11. BLOC, London Pleasure Gardens / 6th-7th July
Glade, Houghton Hall, Norfolk / 14th-17th June
Global Gathering, Stratford Upon Avon / 27th-28th July
Evolution Festival, Newcastle / 3rd-4th June
Love Saves The Day, Bristol / 3rd June
BoomTown, Winchester / 9th-12th August
Secret Garden Party, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire / 19th – 22nd July
Camp Bestival, Lulworth Castle, Dorset / 26th-29th July