Chichibu's Weaving Story: A Journey of Tradition and Festival

4.8 (6 reviews) Saitama Prefecture, Japan
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Duration3h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 5 travelers

Overview

Experience Chichibu’s Silk Heritage and Night Festival

Chichibu, historically a center of sericulture and silk weaving, hosted grand yatai float parades during the Night Festival to attract silk merchants, earning it the affectionate nickname "The Silkworm Festival." Held annually on December 2nd and 3rd for over 300 years, this festival celebrates the region's rich traditions.

This tour offers a visit to the Chichibu Meisen Museum, where you can enjoy live silk-spinning demonstrations and participate in a coaster-making workshop. You will also explore the Chichibu Matsuri Kaikan, where lavish yatai floats and kasaboko are displayed year-round, capturing the spirit of the Night Festival.

Additionally, the tour includes a stop at Chichibu Shrine, one of Japan’s oldest shrines with over 2,100 years of history, renowned for its stunning architecture and intricate carvings.

What's included

  • Chichibu Festival Hall Admission Fee
  • Coaster-making Experience Fee
  • Chichibu Meisen Museum Admission Fee
  • Guide Fee
  • Fortune Slip Fee

What to expect

  1. Chichibu Meisen Silk Center
    1h · Admission ticket included
    We will visit the Chichibu Meisen Museum, which showcases kimono that became popular in Japan as casual and stylish clothing about 100 to 130 years ago. Participants will also experience making coasters.
  2. Pass by
    We will guide you to the slope where the floats are pulled up during the climax of the Chichibu Night Festival.
  3. Bamba Street
    Pass by
    We will guide you along 'Banba Street,' the stone-paved approach to Chichibu Shrine. This street is lined with numerous modern buildings constructed during the late Taisho to early Showa period, about 100 years ago.
  4. 30m · Admission ticket included
    The Chichibu Night Festival is known as one of Japan's three great float festivals, alongside the Gion Festival in Kyoto and the Takayama Festival in Hida. It is a representative Japanese festival with a history spanning over 300 years.

    Held every December, the Chichibu Night Festival is a magnificent and dynamic event featuring splendidly adorned floats and fireworks as its highlights. It is also registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

    The 'Chichibu Festival Hall' is a place where you can experience the charm of the Chichibu Night Festival at any time. You can view the elaborately crafted kasahoko floats and decorative floats on display.

    Additionally, projection mapping provides a virtual experience of the float procession and the lively atmosphere of the festival, immersing you in its sights and sounds.
  5. Pass by
    We will guide you along a street that once housed numerous wholesalers of Chichibu Meisen. Retaining the atmosphere of the early Showa period, this street is lined with valuable commercial buildings designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties by the Japanese government.
  6. Pass by
    Like Kuromon Street, we will guide you through Kaitsuisho Street, which is also lined with buildings related to Chichibu Meisen.
  7. 10m
    We will explore buildings and storehouses of Meisen wholesalers that thrived 100 to 120 years ago.
  8. Chichibu Shrine
    30m
    Believed to have been founded over 2,100 years ago, this shrine is renowned for its sacred atmosphere and exquisite carvings. It serves as the focal point of the Chichibu Night Festival and symbolizes the region's culture and faith.
    The carvings adorning the main hall were created by Hidari Jingorō, a renowned craftsman of the Edo period. Visitors can admire unique and auspicious carvings such as the 'Linked Dragon,' the 'Tigers of Fertility and Marital Harmony,' and the 'Energetic Three Monkeys,' which are engraved on various sides of the shrine.
    You can also enjoy drawing fortune slips (omikuji) made of silk cocoons or using water for a special experience.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Please look for a guide holding a board that says "Chichibu Meisen Museum and Chichibu Festival Hall" at the ticket gate exit of Seibu-Chichibu Station.

End point

The tour will conclude with the final stop at Chichibu Shrine, where we will part ways.
After disbanding, you are free to enjoy strolling around the town at your leisure.

Additional information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

4.8 (6)
From
15,500.00 JPY per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by 秩父地域おもてなし観光公社 · Booked through Viator
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