祭り

• Reading: まつり
• Romaji: matsuri
• Kanji breakdown: 祭 (sai/matsuri) — festival, worship
• Pronunciation: /ma.tsɯ.ɾi/

Meaning

Festival; feast; matsuri. Traditional Japanese celebrations often centred around shrines.

Festivals are a central part of Japanese culture, held throughout the year at shrines and temples across the country. Famous examples include 祇園祭 (Gion Matsuri) and 天神祭 (Tenjin Matsuri). Features typically include food stalls (屋台), traditional music, and portable shrines (神輿).

Examples

1. 夏の祭りで花火を見ました。 I watched fireworks at the summer festival.
2. 今週の土曜日に町の祭りがあります。 There's a town festival this Saturday.
3. 祭りの屋台でたこ焼きを食べた。 I ate takoyaki at a festival food stall.

Usage Guide

Context: culture, events, seasons

Tone: festive

Origin & History

From the verb 祭る (matsuru, to worship/enshrine). The kanji 祭 combines 示 (altar) with a hand offering meat, depicting a religious offering ceremony.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal