page_title: Yasukuni Shrine
section_title: Annual celebrations
hierarchical_section_title: Yasukuni Shrine / Annual celebrations
caption_attribution_description: English: Lanterns at the Mitama festival, Yasukuni Shrine
context_page_description: Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan from the Boshin War of 1868–1869 through the First Indochina War of 1946–1954. The shrine's purpose has been expanded over the years to include those who died in the wars involving Japan spanning from the entire Meiji and Taishō periods, and the lesser part of the Shōwa period.
  The shrine lists the names, origins, birthdates, and places of death of 2,466,532 men, women and children, including various pet animals. Among those are 1,068 convicted war criminals, 14 of whom are A-Class. This has led to many controversies surrounding the shrine. Another memorial at the Honden building commemorates anyone who died on behalf of Japan, but includes Koreans and Taiwanese who served Japan at the time. In addition, the Chinreisha building is a shrine built to inter the souls of all the people who died during WWII, regardless of their nationality. It is located directly south of the Yasukuni Honden.
context_section_description: January 1:
  0 a.m. Wakamizu Hōten (若水奉奠)
  8 a.m. Shinnensai (新年祭, New Year's festival)
  January 2: Futsukasai (二日祭)
  January 7: Shōwa-tennō Musashino no Misasagi Yōhai-shiki (昭和天皇 武蔵野陵 遙拝式) (Service of worshipping toward Musashi Imperial Graveyard's Musashino no Misasagi, which is the Imperial mausoleum of the Shōwa Emperor)
  January 30: Kōmei-tennō Nochi no Tsukinowa no Higashi no Misasagi Yōhai-shiki (孝明天皇 後月輪東山陵 遙拝式) (Service of worshipping toward Nochi no Tsukinowa no Higashi no Misasagi, which is the mausoleum of Emperor Kōmei)
  February 11: Kenkoku Kinensai (建國記念祭) (National Foundation Day)—Anniversary of the day on which Japan's first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu, is said to have founded the Japanese nation.
  February 17: Kinensai (祈年祭, spring festival for harvest)
  April 21–23: Shunki Reitaisai (春季例大祭, annual spring festival)
  April 21: Kiyoharai (清祓, Purifying ceremony)
  April 22: Tojitsusai (当日祭)
  April 19: Daifutsukasai (第二日祭), Naorai (直会, feast)
  April 29: Showasai (昭和祭, Showa Festival) — Emperor Showa's birthday
  June 29:
  10 a.m. Gosoritsu Kinenbisai (御創立記念日祭) (Founding Day) Commemoration of the founding of Yasukuni Jinja
  2 p.m. Kenei Hikō-shiki (献詠披講式)
  June 30: Ooharaeshiki (大祓式, Grand Purification Ceremony)
  July 13–16: Mitama Matsuri (みたままつり) (Mitama Festival)— A mid-summer celebration of the spirits of the ancestors. The entry walk is decorated with 40 foot high walls of more than 30,000 lanterns, and thousands of visitors come to pay respects to their lost relatives and friends.
  July 13: Zenyasai (前夜祭)
  July 14: Daiichi-yasai (第一夜祭)
  July 15: Daini-yasai (第二夜祭)
  July 16: Daisan-yasai (第三夜祭)
  July 30: Meiji Tennō Fushimi Momoyama no Misasagi Yoōhai-shiki (明治天皇 伏見桃山陵 遙拝式) (Service of worshipping toward Fushimi Momoyama no Misasagi, which is the mausoleum of Emperor Meiji)
  October 17: Jingu Kannamesai Yoōhai-shiki (神宮神嘗祭遙拝式) (Service of worshipping toward Ise Jingū Kannamesai)
  October 17–20: Shuki Reitaisai (秋季例大祭) (annual autumn festival)
  October 17: Kiyoharai (清祓) (Purifying ceremony), Rinjitaisai (臨時大祭)
  October 18: Tōjitsusai (当日祭)
  October 19: Daifutsukasai (第二日祭)
  October 20: Daimikkasai (第三日祭),Naorai (直会) (feast)
  November 3: Meijisai (明治祭) (Emperor Meiji's birthday)
  November 23: Niinamesai (新嘗祭) (Festival of First Fruits)
  December 23: Tenno Gotanshin Hoshukusai (天皇御誕辰奉祝祭) (birthday of the current emperor)
  December 25: Taishō-tennō Tama-no-Misasagi Yōohai-shiki (大正天皇 多摩陵 遙拝式) (Worship of Tama-no-misasagi for Emperor Taishō), Susuharaishiki (Sweeping soot ceremony)
  December 31: Ooharaeshiki (大祓式) (Grand Purification Ceremony), Joyasai (除夜祭) (Year-End Ritual)
  The first, 11th and 21st day of each month: Tukinamisai (月次祭)
  Every day: Asa Mikesai, (朝御饌祭), Yu Mikesai (夕御饌祭), Eitai Kagurasai (永代神楽祭) (Perpetual Kagura festival), Meinichisai, (命日祭)
caption: Yasukuni Mitama Lanterns
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