The summer season is a grand time for Japanese festivals. For example the Uwajima Ushioni Festival (うわじま牛鬼祭り) or Ox Demon Festival in Uwajima City (宇和島市) of Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県) is known for its large ox demon effigies. There are two large teams that maneuver the two ox demons. This Festival is also known for its Ushizumo (牛スも相撲) or ‘bull sumo’. Ushizumo is a competition where two bulls fight until one bull pushes the other bull out of the ring.

The Kuromatsu Festival (黒松祭り) is a festival where the kami (神) or spirits are brought by a boat from a sacred island. During the boat ride, the boat drivers must be careful not to disturb the portable shrines in which the kami are held. Otherwise a disturbed spirit may become an angry spirit and bring bad luck to the local residents. When the portable shrine reaches the gates of a sacred shrine, the men start to sway back and forth as if a force is holding them back. The locals say that this is the kami’s doing.

The Nachi no Hi Matsuri (那智の火祭り) or the Nachi Fire Festival, takes place at Nachi Falls (那智滝). For this Festival, priests dressed in white robes carry giant torches made out of cypress wood. These torches are carried up and down the steps of Nachi Falls, which is a sacred, as well as a famous waterfall in Japan. This fire ritual is held because it is believed that it will purify the area and get rid of any bad spirits.