3 Free Summer Festivals in Miyagi

Looking for some free fun this summer in Miyagi? Mark your calendars! Each of these festivals is free to experience!

Aoba Matsuri
May 20-21, Sendai

    The weekend of May 20th and 21st of this year is special for the people of Sendai, where the streets will be filled with colorful floats and suzume dance performance groups on Sunday, following group dance contests performed the evening before. Lots of dancing and floats in Sendai can only mean one thing: It's time for the annual Aoba Matsuri. Always held on the third weekend in May, this festival maintains a centuries old tradition celebrating practitioners of Sendai Suzume or the sparrow dance. The dance itself is usually performed in large groups with fans to the tune of a few large drums and occasionally a flute or two. For more information on the general festival activities, there is an English website. For more detailed descriptions, including a route map, please visit the Japanese website.

While attendance is free, concessions are available. If you do go out, it is nice to go early and grab a nice seating area close to one of the main streets, which may be packed during the normal parade times. My personal recommendation here is either in the shopping arcade, where the roof blocks the sun, or on Jozenji Douri, where trees provide shade. The festival lasts a good long time, but the best spots to watch from usually don't.

By far, my favorite part of this festival is the people. I have usually found the dancers to be excited, happy people, who also usually spoil my daughter with interaction. I don't know if you can say the same about similar festivals in other, larger cities.

Shiogama Marine Day
July 16-17, Shiogama

    In Shiogama, the big festival of the year is Marine Day which is celebrated with a number of exciting things, including a parade. The costumed groups from schools in the city as well as civic and hobby groups take to the streets to perform a rendition of a (usually traditional) dance down the entire length of the main street, from the library at Ichibankan to the main entrance to Shiogama Shrine.

Being from Texas myself, I saw this group last year and knew I needed a picture. Proof that *some* of the dances are less traditional to the region...

    If you do come for this one, keep an eye out for the Shiogama International Friendship Organization and you might see me as well as my tiny adorable daughter. If you have time on the national holiday, come out and see us. Hopefully this year my kid won't be asleep on me the whole way.

    Again, attendance is free and concessions are available. There are actually a slew of events to consider, including fireworks. For more information (in English even!) check out the website.

Sendai Tanabata Festival

August 6-8, Sendai

    This one is the least time consuming of the festivals on this list as the decorations are set up for viewing at your own speed. The decorations themselves are massive creations, usually of tissue or origami paper and glue, occasionally utilizing paint, plastics, or string. Viewing is free though many of the shops on the arcade offer concessions from midday through evening. The best day to go is the first day, before troves of visitors to Sendai's most popular festival have damaged the decorations. You can also ready my take on last year's decorations here or read about this year's upcoming festivities here.

    If you're in the Tohoku region and looking for some free fun during the summer, come to a festival or three!