Matsuri (祭) is the Japanese word for a festival or holiday. In Japan, festivals are usually sponsored by a local shrine or temple, though they can be secular. There are countless local festivals in Japan because almost every shrine celebrates one of its own. Most festivals are held annually and celebrate the shrine’s deity or a seasonal or historical event. Some festivals are held over several days.

An important element of Japanese festivals are processions, in which the local shrine’s kami (Shinto deity) is carried through the town in mikoshi (palanquins). It is the only time of the year when the kami leaves the shrine to be carried around town. Many festivals also feature decorated floats (dashi), which are pulled through the town, accompanied by drum and flute music played by the people sitting on the floats. Every festival has its own characteristics. While some festivals are calm and meditative, many are energetic and noisy.

There is no specific matsuri day for all of Japan–dates vary from area to area, and even within a specific area, but festival days do tend to cluster around traditional holidays, such as Setsubun (February 3rd or 4th marks the beginning of spring. The word literally means “the spliting of the seasons”) or Obon (traditionally in July, the souls of the dead are said to return and so people visit and clean the family grave and light a path to the house). Almost every locale has at least one matsuri in late summer or early autumn, usually related to the rice harvest season. Gion Matsuri, Tenjin Matsuri, and Kanda Matsuri are the three most famous Matsuri in Japan.

Festivals are often based around one or two main events, with food stalls (selling street foods such as yakisoba and takoyaki), entertainment (such as drinking beer and karaoke), and games (such as goldfish scooping). Some are based around temples or shrines, others hanabi (Fireworks).

Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fry Noodles)

Yakisoba is a kind of Japanese fried noodle. There are various kinds of yakisoba noodles. This is a recipe to make the most common type of yakisoba in Japan. Packages of yakisoba kits are often available at Asian grocery stores.

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 packages steamed chuka noodles (150g/package)

1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 lb. boneless pork rib, thinly sliced

1/4 cup peeled and thinly sliced carrots

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 green head cabbage leaves, chopped

4-6 Tbsps. yakisoba sauce, or 2 packages of yakisoba seasoning in yakisoba kits, or 4-6 Tbsps Worcestershire sauce

Beni-shoga (pickled red ginger) for garnish*

Ao-nori (dried green seaweed) for garnish*

Salt and pepper

*These are available in packages at Asian grocery stores

Preparation:

Lightly loosen pre-steamed chuka noodles and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in medium skillet on medium heat. Stir-fry the pork until almost cooked. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Add carrots, onion, and green bell pepper in the skillet and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add cabbage in the skillet and stir-fry for a minute. Add noodles in skillet. Pour 1/4 cup of water over the noodles and cover the skillet. Turn down the heat to low and steam for a few minutes. Remove the lid and add yakisoba seasoning powder or sauce. (*Adjust the amount of sauce as you taste.) Stir the noodles quickly. Divide yakisoba among two plates. Sprinkle with aonori and beni-shoga just before serving.

Takoyaki (Octopus Dumplings)

Tako means octopus in Japanese, and takoyaki are known as octopus balls. Takoyaki venders are very popular in Japan. To make takoyaki, a grill pan for takoyaki is used. The pan has many small cups to pour the batter.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 2/3 cup flour

2 1/2 cup dashi soup

2 eggs

1/2 lb. boiled octopus, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup dried sakura ebi (red shrimp)

1/4 cup chopped pickled red ginger

For toppings:

katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

aonori (green seaweed powder)

Worcestershire sauce or takoyaki sauce

mayonnaise

PREPARATION:

Mix flour, dashi soup, and eggs in a bowl to make batter. Thickness of the batter should be like potage soup. Put oil inside cups of a takoyaki grill pan. Pour batter into the cups to the full. Put octopus, red ginger, and green onion in each hole. Grill takoyaki balls, turning with a pick. When takoyaki become rounds and brown, remove them from the pan and place in a plate. Put sauce and mayonnaise on takoyaki and sprinkle bonito flakes and aonori on the top.

How to make Takoyaki video

Sources:

Matsuri guide and photos, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2063.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_festivals

Yakisoba recipe, http://japanesefood.about.com/od/yakisoba/r/yakisoba.htm

Yakisoba photo, http://www.automaticheidi.com/blog/?p=25

Takoyaki recipe, http://japanesefood.about.com/od/seafoodfish/r/takoyaki.htm

Takoyaki photo, http://vanillacherryice.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/takoyaki1.jpg

Takoyaki recipe video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHDmVhShE80&feature=channel