JAPAN · EVENT — Chosen by our editors
Festivals, nightlife, tech meetups and international parties — hand-picked across Japan, each linking straight to where you book.
Hand-picked, don’t-miss shows — book ahead.
Upcoming© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0Ryukyu Kaiensai Fireworks Festival 2027One of Japan's earliest big fireworks of the year — around 10,000 shells choreographed to live music over the East China Sea off Ginowan.2027/04/10 18:30Ticketed reserved seating in tiers; a free viewing area is also available. Exact 2027 date confirmed in winter.View details →OfficialUpcoming© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0The Yaeyama Islands' biggest festival fills central Ishigaki with a citizens' parade, island music and a closing fireworks display over the harbour town.
2026/11/07 OkinawaFree
OfficialUpcoming© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0Hakata Okunchi 2026 (Oct 23–24) is Kushida Shrine's free autumn festival in Fukuoka — a 1,200-year harvest rite, famous for the Oct 24 ox-cart procession. Dates, schedule, access.
2026/10/23 10:00 FukuokaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Osaka Marathon 2027 runs on Sunday 28 February 2027. General entry closes at 17:00 on 28 August 2026 and lottery results are emailed on 28 September. The ¥16,000 fee is not the final bill — an admin charge and a compulsory charity donation take it to about ¥18,000. Caps, eligibility and race-number collection, straight from the race guidelines.
2027/02/28 09:00 OsakaAn individual general entry costs ¥16,000 in Japan / US$145 from overseas. On top of the entry fee you must also pay an administration charge (6.0% of the settled amount for domestic entries) and a compulsory charity donation of at least two units (¥500 each in Japan), so a domestic individual entry actually comes to roughly ¥18,000. Watching from the roadside is free. (Race guidelines, as of 16 August 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 runs 17 April to 16 May 2027, its 15th edition. The dates are confirmed on the official site; the theme, artist line-up, venue list and 2027 ticket prices are not yet announced. For reference, the 2026 all-venue Passport was ¥5,500 in advance (¥3,000 for students) and single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500, with under-15s free.
2027/04/17 10:00 Kyoto2027 prices are not yet announced (as of September 2026). For reference, the 2026 edition priced the all-venue Passport at ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online / ¥6,000 paper during the festival, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), an Express Passport was ¥15,000, and children under 15 entered free. Some programmes are free.
OfficialUpcoming© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0Around 100 fishing boats escort three deities' mikoshi across the sea at this World Heritage shrine's grand autumn festival.
2026/10/01 09:00 FukuokaFree
Spring, summer, autumn, winter — a year in Japan, told through its events.
Featured Festivals
A 1,300-year-old torchlit tradition: Gifu's Imperial cormorant masters work leashed birds on the Nagara River nightly, May 11-October 15, 2026.
The next dates worth planning around.
FireworksFIREWORKS — 5 eventsThe sky, on fire.
Cherry blossomsCHERRY BLOSSOM — 6 eventsCatch the pink wave.Autumn leavesAUTUMN LEAVES — 16 eventsRed, gold, gone too soon.
Winter illuminationsILLUMINATIONS — 9 eventsLight up the cold.
Snow & winterWINTER SNOW — 16 eventsInto the white.Grand SumoSUMO — 11 eventsWatch the giants clash.
OfficialUpcoming© Nesnad · CC BY 4.0Japan's largest Indian festival fills Yoyogi Park with curry stalls, chai, sari shops, Bollywood dance and classical music — a two-day plunge into India in the heart of Tokyo.
2026/09/26 10:00 TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© tenaciousme from Toronto, Canada · CC BY 2.0The beachside successor to TAICOCLUB — a genre-spanning electronic festival in front of Izu's Shirahama Beach.
2026/09/26 11:00 Across JapanTickets ¥16,000–22,000; Under-23 ¥13,000 (accommodation separate)
OfficialUpcoming© 663highland · CC BY 2.5Matsue's castle and canals glow with lanterns every weekend from Sept 26-Oct 18, 2026, 18:00-21:00 -- a quiet, romantic alternative to Japan's big-city illuminations.
2026/09/26 18:00 Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Ben P L from Provo, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0The Ueno Park edition of the free Caribbean-Latin street fair — Latin food, mojitos, salsa and reggae beside the fountain plaza in one of Tokyo's most famous parks.
2026/10/03 10:00 TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Nihonmatsuri · CC BY 4.0Seven towering floats, each carrying 300+ glowing red lanterns, parade through Fukushima nights to the beat of taiko in one of Japan's three great lantern festivals.
2026/10/03 18:00 Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Marine-Blue · CC BY-SA 3.0A 380-year-old shrine festival blending Japanese, Chinese and Dutch flair — spinning dragon dances, whirling umbrella floats and roaring 'Motte-koi' chants.
2026/10/07 07:00 FukuokaFree
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