OTAIKO Hibike is a big Japanese drum festival known as a mid-summer traditional festival in Fukui Prefecture. Many Japanese drum groups and professional drum performers get together from various places in Japan for this festival. Centering on a big Japanese drum called “Myojin” with the diameter of 1.8 meters, powerful drum performances are held one after another on the stage.

Awara Hot Spring Water Splashing Festival is held every year on August 8 & 9 in front of Echizen Railway Awarayunomachi Station and Awara hot spring resort area. People splash hot spring water on Mikoshi, or a portable shrine, carried by a group of people clad in festival costume who go around Japanese inns and shopping areas near the train station. Now everyone, have you changed into clothes in which you don’t mind getting soaking wet? OK, let’s splash hot spring water on Mikoshi to your heart’s content!

Procession in samurai costumes on the battlefield is held re-enacting the allied forces of the Asakura Clan and the Azai Clan. Asakura Clan Ruins, where this event is held, is the site of a castle town where the Asakura clan, a clan of feudal lord during the Sengoku Period, the Age of Civil Wars, used to live in splendor. Another highlight is Echizen Asakura Candle Night Festival in which about 15,000 candles illuminate Asakura Clan Ruins fantastically at night.

Female dancers in kimono dance in a graceful manner along the old town streets of Mikuni-cho to the music performed by shamisens and bamboo fifes in the evening twilight time in early fall illuminated by the light of tasteful Japanese paper lanterns.