祭(まつ)り

まつり

noun

festival, celebration

leisure

1. festival, feast

A traditional celebration, often religious in origin, featuring ceremonies, processions, and entertainment.

夏(なつ)の祭(まつ)りで花火(はなび)を見(み)た。

I watched fireworks at the summer festival.

神社(じんじゃ)で祭(まつ)りが行(おこな)われる。

A festival is held at the shrine.

祭(まつ)りの日(ひ)は屋台(やたい)がたくさん出(で)る。

On festival days, many food stalls appear.

2. celebration, festivity

Any festive event or gathering.

町(まち)の祭(まつ)りで神輿(みこし)を担(かつ)いだ。

I carried a portable shrine at the town festival.

今年(ことし)のビール祭(まつ)りはとても盛(も)り上(あ)がった。

This year's beer festival was really exciting.

Can be written as 祭(まつり) or お祭(まつ)り (polite form).

Famous japanese festivals

祇園祭(ぎおんまつり) (Gion Festival - Kyoto)
天神祭(てんじんまつり) (Tenjin Festival - Osaka)
神田祭(かんだまつり) (Kanda Festival - Tokyo)
ねぶた祭(まつり) (Nebuta Festival - Aomori)

Common collocations

祭(まつ)りに行(い)く (to go to a festival)
祭(まつ)りを楽(たの)しむ (to enjoy a festival)
夏祭(なつまつ)り (summer festival)
秋祭(あきまつ)り (autumn festival)
学園祭(がくえんさい) (school festival)

Cultural note

Many Japanese festivals (matsuri) have Shinto origins and involve carrying portable shrines (神輿(みこし)) through the streets. Festival-goers often wear 浴衣(ゆかた).

Related Words

Related: 祭(まつ)る (verb: to enshrine, to worship)

Compare: フェスティバル (festival)

Related: 年中行事(ねんじゅうぎょうじ) (annual event)

Compare: 祭礼(さいれい) (religious festival)

Compare: 季節行事(きせつぎょうじ) (seasonal event)

Compare: 祝祭(しゅくさい) (celebration)

Compare: 音楽祭(おんがくさい) (music festival)

general

Added 2026.1.12 21:48 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02

03500/03735_matsuri