Kusatsu Onsen Yumomi Performance
At one of Japan's top hot-spring towns, kimono-clad locals cool the scalding spring water with long wooden paddles in time to folk songs — a centuries-old daily ritual at Netsunoyu.
The Japan Event Desk
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Kuromon Ichiba Market
Known as 'Osaka's Kitchen,' this 580-metre covered arcade packs around 150 stalls of fresh seafood, grilled crab, sea urchin, wagyu skewers and street snacks.
Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Matsuri 2027
Kanazawa's grandest festival reenacts feudal lord Maeda Toshiie's triumphant entry into the castle, with a costumed warrior procession, tea ceremonies and lantern-lit dances.
Hiroshima Food Festival
Hiroshima's biggest autumn food fair fills the grounds of Hiroshima Castle with okonomiyaki, oysters, lemons and gourmet stalls from every corner of the prefecture.
Wonder Festival 2027 [Winter]
The world's biggest garage-kit and figure fair fills Makuhari Messe with thousands of hand-built model figures sold for one day only by amateur and pro sculptors.
Roppongi Art Night 2026
An all-night art festival turns Roppongi into an open-air gallery, with installations, performances and museums glowing from dusk till dawn.
Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival 2026
Japan's largest cosplay event transforms Ikebukuro's Sunshine City into a sea of 20,000+ costumed fans, with stages, parades and city-wide photo spots.
Nipponbashi Street Festa 2027
Osaka's Den Den Town shuts its main street for one of Japan's largest cosplay parades, where thousands of costumed fans flood the otaku district.
Jump Festa 2027
Shueisha's free mega anime-and-manga festival packs Makuhari Messe with Shonen Jump stages, exclusive reveals, voice-actor events and rare merch.
Tokyo Marathon 2027
One of the world's six Marathon Majors, the 20th-anniversary Tokyo Marathon sends 38,000 runners surging past the city's landmarks on a flat, fast course.
Grand Sumo Tournament Tokyo (Hatsu Basho) 2027
Japan's first sumo tournament of the year roars to life over 15 days at Ryogoku Kokugikan, as top rikishi clash to set the tone for the season.
Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival / Girls' Day)
On March 3 across Japan, families display tiered hina dolls of the Heian court to wish for girls' health, amid peach blossoms and sweet hishi-mochi.
Hakata Dontaku Port Festival
One of Japan's biggest festivals: around 2 million people watch 750-plus troupes parade with shamoji clappers, flower floats and stage shows over May 3–4.
Takayama Spring Festival (Sanno Matsuri)
Twelve ornate Edo-era yatai floats with karakuri puppets parade through old Takayama, glowing with around 100 lanterns each at the night festival.
Himeji Castle Cherry Blossoms
Over 1,000 cherry trees frame the brilliant white 'White Heron' castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in one of Japan's most picture-perfect hanami scenes.
Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossoms
A 700m 'sakura tunnel' of 260-plus cherry trees arches over the Imperial Palace moat, best seen by rowboat or under evening illumination.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
Around 2,600 cherry trees encircle Hirosaki Castle's moats, famous for petal-carpeted 'flower rafts' and dazzling nighttime illuminations.
Mount Yoshino Cherry Blossoms (Yoshinoyama)
Around 30,000 cherry trees in 200 varieties blanket a sacred mountainside, blooming in waves up four zones from Shimo to Oku Senbon.
Atami Plum Garden Festival (Atami Bairin)
Famous as Japan's earliest-blooming plum grove, Atami Bairin opens its winter ume from early January with taiko, geisha dances and hot-spring charm.
Mito Plum Blossom Festival (Kairakuen)
Roughly 3,000 plum trees in over 60 varieties scent one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, drawing crowds for taiko, tea ceremony and geisha dances.