The Jidai Matsuri is a festival that celebrates the foundation of Kyoto. It consists of a large parade where the participants are dressed in accurate costumes from almost every period of Japanese history.
The Taimatsu Akashi Fire Festival is a historical Japanese fire festival, rooted in a 420-year-old tradition honoring fallen soldiers. The main attraction is the dramatic sight of approximately 30 massive torches (Ohtaimatsu), some reaching 10 meters tall and 3 tons in weight, being set ablaze on a mountainside as the powerful beat of Taimatsu Taiko drums echoes, creating a breathtaking, fiery spectacle.
The Whirling Dervishes festival is a 10 day event during which the members (dervishes) of the Mevlevi order commemorate the death of their spiritual leader Mevlana Jelaleddin Rumi through their famous Whirling Dervishes Dance. This tradition comes from Rumi himself who believed that it is possible to get an intimate contact with God by joyfully dancing on the streets.
Bikaner Camel Festival is an event solely designed to glorify the camels – the animals which helped people sail easier around the harsh deserts of Rajasthan. It features camel safaris, camel rides, camel dances and acrobatics, camel beauty contests, folk dances and sportive competitions.
Gangasagar Pilgrimage is a Hindu celebration during which thousands of devotees come to Sagar island for a holy dip in the Ganges (Ganga) river. Its mystic mood is enriched by the sound of collective prayers, the sight of innumerable oil lamps floating in the river, and the exotic appearance of ash-smeared Naga Sadhus (naked ascetics) performing their exquisite rituals.
