Japanese Fairy Story Festival

Japanese Fairy Story Festival is a festival for children in Oita that takes place on May 5th, Children's Day. The festival is said to have started in 1949 as a ceremony to unveil a monument in the town on Children's Day. During the course of May 4th to May 5th, the city of Mori in Oita hosts a variety of fairy tale themed events and activities. A large parade is held with participants and townspeople dressed as characters from fairy tales and childhood stories. Some popular figures include Momotaro, Kintaro, to more modern characters.

The festival is filled with fun events for children and adults to enjoy. Along the river are massive koinobori carp streamers for kids to run through inside. These giant koinobori extend as far as 55 meters and weigh up to 100kg each. At the Mishima area, tourists can watch the costume parade, play traditional matsuri games, and watch puppet shows at some of the city's temples.

Celebrate Children's Day with your family in Oita at the Japanese Fairy Story Festival during your next vacation with Japan Deluxe Tours. We can customize your trip to include the festival with our flexible and affordable pre/post stay options, or add the matsuri to your itinerary with our custom tour packages!