festival · worship

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 祭 has 11 strokes and concerns rituals or festivals.
• Basic usage: 祭り is read まつり, and 学園祭 is read がくえんさい.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Kinds of festivals and their readings
  • 町の祭り means a town festival.
  • 収穫への感謝を表す祭り means a ritual expressing thanks for the harvest.
  • The 祭 in 学園祭 is read さい.
  • 今年の学園祭 means this year's school festival. Events whose names contain 祭 are not all religious ceremonies.