Events in Across Japan

Seasonal

Nabana no Sato Illumination 2026–2027: Dates, Tickets & Christmas Days

The 2026–27 season runs 17 October 2026 – 31 May 2027 (closed 6–7 Jan). Advance tickets cost ¥2,500–3,000 with a ¥1,000 voucher; 23–25 December needs a date-specific ticket (checked 2026-10-14).

Until Mon, May 31, 2027 23:59 JST Across JapanConvenience-store advance ¥2,500 (17 Oct–20 Nov, 1 Mar–31 May) / ¥3,000 (21 Nov–22 Dec, 26 Dec–28 Feb); at the gate ¥2,700 / ¥3,200 (¥2,500 from 1 Mar). Includes a ¥1,000 voucher and Begonia Garden entry. Free under elementary-school age. 23–25 Dec: date-specific ticket (same-day ¥5,500 if any remain) (checked 2026-10-14)

Seasonal

Tokyo German Village Illumination 2026–2027: Dates, Hours, Prices & "Why USA!?" Theme

Tokyo German Village Winter Illumination 2026–2027 runs 31 Oct 2026 – 4 Apr 2027, from sunset to 8 pm. Admission is ¥1,500 for adults and ¥800 for children; this year's theme is "Why USA!?".

Until Sun, Apr 4, 2027 20:00 JST Across JapanPaid. Illumination period (31 Oct 2026 – 4 Apr 2027): adults ¥1,500, children (age 4–elementary) ¥800; visitors with a disability ¥1,000 adult / ¥600 child. Parking ¥1,500 per car until 31 Dec 2026, ¥1,000 from 1 Jan 2027. Official fee table, checked 2026-10-13.

Festivals

Kagoshima Ohara Matsuri 2026 (75th) | Nov 2 Night Festival & Nov 3 Main Festival Times, Tenmonkan Route

Kagoshima's 75th Ohara Matsuri runs Nov 2, 2026 (Mon) from 18:50 (night festival) and Nov 3 (Tue, national holiday) 10:20–15:25 (main festival) on a 1,480 m stretch of the Tenmonkan tram street. It is the original festival — not the May event in Tokyo's Shibuya.

Until Tue, Nov 3, 2026 15:25 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Karatsu Kunchi 2026: Nov 2–4 Times, Beach Float Pull & Parking

Karatsu Kunchi 2026 runs Mon 2 – Wed 4 November. The highlight is the Nov 3 Otabisho Shinko, when 14 floats are hauled onto the sand at Nishinohama. Free to watch; two floats turn 180 this year.

Until Wed, Nov 4, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Huis Ten Bosch Illumination 2026–2027 "The Starlight Million": Dates, Tickets & Highlights

Huis Ten Bosch's 2026 winter illumination, The Starlight Million, runs 6 Nov 2026 – 25 Feb 2027 — renewed for the first time in 16 years. A park ticket is required (checked 2026-10-13).

Fri, Nov 6, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanPark ticket required (1 DAY Passport, After 3 Passport, etc.). Price varies by date — see the official ticket page

Seasonal

Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Competition 2026 (95th, Nov 7)

The 95th Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Competition is on Saturday 7 November 2026, 17:30–20:00 (scheduled), on the Sakuragawa riverbank near Gakuen Bridge, with about 20,000 shells. Bad-weather date: 14 November. All organiser seating is paid; there are no free seats.

Sat, Nov 7, 2026 17:30 JST Across JapanAll organiser seating is paid (no free seats). Sajiki box full ¥26,000 (5 people), half ¥13,000 (2), sajiki chair seat ¥12,000, sajiki table seat ¥80,000 (4); chair seats A ¥6,000 / B ¥5,000 / C ¥4,000 (tax incl., plus a ¥990 delivery charge). The lottery and the resale lottery have both closed (checked 2026-10-13).

Festivals

Shiritsumi Matsuri 2026 — Ito's 'bottom-bumping' festival at Otonashi Shrine (Nov 10)

Every 10 November, Otonashi Shrine in Ito (Shizuoka) hosts a famously odd festival: a 'bottom sumo' contest where contestants bump hips to festival music. 2026: Tue 10 Nov, 18:30–21:00.

Tue, Nov 10, 2026 18:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Izumo Taisha Kamiari-sai 2026: Dates, Rites and Times

Izumo Taisha's Kamiari-sai 2026 runs from the Kamimukae welcoming rite at 19:00 on Wednesday, November 18 to the Karasade send-off rite at 16:00 on Wednesday, November 25.

Wed, Nov 18, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanFree

Izu Shaboten Zoo Capybara Onsen 2026-27: Dates & Bath Times

The Capybara Outdoor Bath at Izu Shaboten Zoo (Ito, Shizuoka) runs from 21 November 2026 to 4 April 2027. Bath time is 13:30-14:30 on weekdays, and 10:30-11:30 plus 13:30-14:30 at weekends, on public holidays and in set periods (official site, checked 2026-09-23). No yuzu-bath dates yet.

Sat, Nov 21, 2026 10:30 JST Across JapanAdmission is 2,800 yen for adults (junior-high age and over), 1,400 yen for elementary-school children and 700 yen for children aged 4 and over on weekdays; 3,000 / 1,500 / 800 yen at weekends, on public holidays and during school breaks (official site, checked 2026-09-23). The official pages do not say whether the bath is included in admission or charged separately.

Festivals

Takachiho Yokagura 2026-27: Nov 22-23 Matsuri, Nightly Show, Village Status

The 2026 Takachiho Yokagura Matsuri is free: Nov 22 (Sun) from 6 PM and Nov 23 (Mon, holiday) from 10 AM, all 33 dances in Takachiho Shrine's kagura hall. The nightly kagura runs 8-9 PM for ¥1,000. The 2026-27 village schedule was not yet posted as of Oct 13 (last season ran Nov 15, 2025 to Feb 7, 2026).

Sun, Nov 22, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Hakodate Christmas Fantasy 2026: Dec 1–25, Daily 18:00 Fireworks at the Red Brick Warehouses

Hakodate Christmas Fantasy 2026 runs December 1–25 on the harbour in front of Hakodate's Red Brick Warehouses, free to enter, with fireworks every evening at 18:00. The 2026 lighting hours are not announced yet (as of 2026-10-13); in 2025 the tree was lit 16:30–17:45 and 18:00–22:00.

Tue, Dec 1, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight 2026: Dates (Not Yet Announced), Lighting Hours, Starlight Wink & Access

The SENDAI Pageant of Starlight 2026 dates are not announced yet (checked 2026-10-13). It is held on Jozenji-dori Avenue, one minute from Kotodai-koen Station. In 2025 it ran 5–28 December and was free to view, with about 480,000 LEDs on 127 zelkova trees.

Tue, Dec 1, 2026 09:00 JST Across Japan2026 details not announced (checked 2026-10-13). The 2025 edition was free to view; the glowing "Hikaring" ring was a thank-you gift for donations of 300 yen or more.

Outdoor

Jigokudani Snow Monkeys (Yaen-koen) Winter Season

Wild Japanese macaques bathe in a steaming mountain hot spring as snow falls around them — the world-famous 'snow monkeys' of Nagano, most iconic in winter.

Tue, Dec 1, 2026 08:30 JST Across JapanPark admission around ¥800; the 'Snow Monkey Pass' (~¥3,500) bundles transport and entry.

Arts & Culture

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.

Tue, Dec 1, 2026 09:30 JST Across JapanAdults ¥700, elementary children ¥350

Festivals

Chichibu Night Festival (Chichibu Yomatsuri)

Six lantern-lit floats are hauled up steep Dango-zaka as winter fireworks burst overhead — one of Japan's three great float festivals and a UNESCO heritage event.

Thu, Dec 3, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Ito Onsen Winter Fireworks 2026 — Sat 19 Dec, Nagisa Park, 20:30 (with Winter Yosakoi Sozura Festival)

Ito's winter fireworks over the seafront: Sat 19 Dec 2026, 20:30–21:00 at Nagisa Park, paired with the Winter Yosakoi Sozura dance festival and the ITO MARCHE stalls. 10 min walk from JR Ito Station.

Sat, Dec 19, 2026 16:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Zao Snow Monsters Light-Up 2026-2027: 31 Nights, Dec 26–Feb 23, 5–9 pm

The 2026-2027 Zao Snow Monsters light-up runs on 31 nights between Dec 26, 2026 and Feb 23, 2027, 17:00–21:00 (last ride up 19:45 from Zao Sanroku Station). Ropeway round trip: ¥4,600 adults, ¥2,300 children (Zao Ropeway, checked 2026-10-13).

Sat, Dec 26, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanRound trip Zao Sanroku Station ⇔ Jizo Sancho Station: ¥4,600 adults, ¥2,300 children (6–11), 2026-2027 season (Zao Ropeway, checked 2026-10-13). Groups of 20 or more need a reservation.

Seasonal

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.

Sat, Jan 9, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanModest garden admission during the festival (recent years a few hundred yen).

Festivals

Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival 2027: Friday, January 15 — Times, Who Can Watch, Access

Every January 15 — a Friday night in 2027. In 2026 the fire battle around the shrine began at about 8:30 pm and ran to about 10 pm, and entry was by admission ticket, issued only to residents and guests staying in the village (checked 2026-10-13).

Fri, Jan 15, 2027 19:00 JST Across JapanIn 2026, admission was restricted to admission ticket holders, and tickets were issued only to residents of Nozawa Onsen Village and guests staying in the village (ask your lodging). No price is stated by the organisers. 2027 viewing rules not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).

Outdoor

Ito Orange Beach Marathon 2027 — Sun 17 Jan, 2 km / 5 km / 10 km along the Izu coast

A flat seaside fun-run in Ito, Shizuoka: Sun 17 Jan 2027, starting and finishing at Ito Orange Beach with 2 km, 5 km and 10 km courses plus a family category. About 2,500 runners; 15 min walk from JR Ito Station.

Sun, Jan 17, 2027 08:00 JST Across JapanEntry fees vary by distance; 2027 fees and the entry window were not yet posted when checked (see Ito City's official page). Free to watch.

Festivals

Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival 2027: 23 Jan–7 Mar (52nd)

The 52nd Sounkyo Onsen Ice Waterfall Festival runs 23 January to 7 March 2027 (official). In a Daisetsuzan gorge, ice domes and towers fill a riverside field, lit nightly in shifting colors with weekend fireworks over the snow.

Sat, Jan 23, 2027 Across JapanThe cooperation fee for 2027 (52nd edition) has not been announced as of 2026-09-18. For the 51st edition in 2026 it was ¥1,000, with the site open 17:00–21:30 on weekdays and 11:00–21:30 at weekends and on holidays (last entry 21:15).

Food & Drink

Ito Onsen Mechakucha Market 2027 — 23–24 Jan, bargain dried fish and Izu produce by the Matsukawa river

Ito's once-a-year bargain market: Sat 23 Jan 2027 9:00–16:00 and Sun 24 Jan 9:00–15:00 at Matsukawa Fuji-no-Hiroba, selling Izu seafood, dried fish and farm produce at 'ridiculous' prices. 10 min walk from JR Ito Station.

Sat, Jan 23, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Kobe Luminarie 2027 | Dates, Venue & Tickets

Kobe Luminarie 2027 runs Jan 29 (Fri) – Feb 7 (Sun), 2027 — the 32nd edition. You can see the light arches free from the surrounding streets; the special paid zones at Meriken Park need a ticket (advance ¥500 weekday / ¥750 weekend, as of July 2026). All three venues are walkable from Sannomiya Station.

Fri, Jan 29, 2027 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Naritasan Setsubun-e 2027

Sumo wrestlers and celebrity 'lucky men' hurl tonnes of beans from Naritasan's great hall, where the chant is only 'fortune in' — no demons to expel.

Wed, Feb 3, 2027 11:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027: Feb 5–21, Emperor's Parade Feb 13 & 20

Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027 runs Fri 5 – Sun 21 February (17 days) and is free to view. The Emperor's Parade is on Sat 13 & Sat 20 Feb, the Mazu Procession on Sun 7 & Sun 14 Feb, and the dragon dance runs daily, with ~15,000 Chinese lanterns across central Nagasaki.

Fri, Feb 5, 2027 Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival 2027

Dates for the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival 2027 had not been announced as of September 18, 2026. The 2026 edition (the 36th) ran February 7 to March 8, a 3-minute walk from Kawazu Station in Izu.

Sat, Feb 6, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Yokote Kamakura Festival 2027: 12–13 February

Hundreds of candlelit snow igloos glow across Yokote while children inside invite passersby in for sweet sake — plus 4,000 mini-kamakura lighting the riverbed.

Fri, Feb 12, 2027 Across JapanFree

Festivals

Namahage Sedo Festival 2027: 12–14 Feb, Shinzan Shrine

Demon-masked 'namahage' brandishing torches stampede down a snowy mountainside at Shinzan Shrine in a fierce, firelit Oga winter spectacle.

Fri, Feb 12, 2027 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

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.

Sat, Feb 13, 2027 08:00 JST Across Japan2026: Kairakuen inner garden ¥320, Kodokan ¥420 for adults (Ibaraki residents also pay during the festival). Kairakuen's current fee table lists ¥500 for adults in the festival period; check 2027 prices on the official site.

Festivals

Mount Omuro Yamayaki 2027 — Sun 14 Feb (planned): the 700-year-old burning of Izu Kogen's grass volcano

Every February the whole of Mount Omuro (580 m) above Izu Kogen is set alight. 2027: Sunday 14 February (planned) — ten signal fireworks at noon, then about 40 minutes of flames racing to the summit. Rain or wind pushes it to the next week.

Sun, Feb 14, 2027 12:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Hachinohe Enburi 2027: 17–20 February Schedule

Every February 17-20, dozens of Enburi troupes dance through Hachinohe in tall black eboshi hats to summon an early spring and good harvest - a roughly 800-year-old rite tracing to the Kamakura era, now a national Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Wed, Feb 17, 2027 07:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Tokamachi Snow Festival 2027: 19–21 February (78th Edition)

The Tokamachi Snow Festival 2027 (78th edition) runs Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February 2027 across Tokamachi, Niigata. Hours, fireworks and prices are due around December 2026; in 2026 it ran Friday 18:00 to Sunday 15:00.

Fri, Feb 19, 2027 09:00 JST Across Japan2027 prices not announced yet (details due around December 2026; checked 2026-10-13). In 2026 the paid items were limited ones such as the loop bus (¥500, free for junior-high students and younger) and the WEST Snow Park (¥500); free shuttle buses ran.

Festivals

All-Japan Pillow Fight Championship in Ito Onsen 2027 — 20–21 Feb (planned), official rules, team format and entry fee

Ito's annual All-Japan Pillow Fight Championship at the Ito Municipal Gymnasium. The tourist association's calendar lists Sat 20 – Sun 21 Feb 2027, but the 15th edition's official guidelines are not yet published (as of 2026-09-13). From the 14th edition's official rulebook: eight per team (general, libero, three attackers, three support), three 2-minute sets, yukata compulsory, entry fee 5,000 yen per team.

Sat, Feb 20, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanEntry for the open division was 5,000 yen per team including accident insurance (14th edition guidelines). The fee for the 15th edition has not been announced. The defending champions enter free.

Festivals

Saidaiji Eyo (Naked Festival)

Thousands of loincloth-clad men pack a freezing temple hall at midnight, surging to seize two sacred shingi sticks flung into the throng — one of Japan's wildest rites.

Sat, Feb 20, 2027 22:00 JST Across JapanFree

Sports

Kumamoto Castle Marathon 2027: Feb 21 Race, Lottery Results Oct 15

Kumamoto Castle Marathon 2027 starts at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, Feb 21, 2027, finishing at Kumamoto Castle. The full marathon costs ¥14,575 (Japan) or ¥22,800 (overseas). Lottery results: Oct 15; payment deadline: Oct 29. Check-in, the overseas slot and race-day traffic are covered too.

Sun, Feb 21, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFull marathon ¥13,750 + ¥825 = ¥14,575 (Japan) / ¥20,000 + ¥2,800 = ¥22,800 (overseas); 30 km ¥5,830; Fun Run ¥3,740 (all incl. payment fee).

Seasonal

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.

Wed, Mar 3, 2027 Across JapanFree

Sports

Shizuoka Marathon 2027: Sunday, March 14. Sold Out? Entry Options, Fees and Course

Shizuoka Marathon 2027 runs on Sunday, March 14, 2027, from Shizuoka City Hall (8:20 a.m.) to JR Shimizu Station. The overseas fee is ¥23,000. The 13,000 places sold out on Oct 2, and the Yuzureru bib transfer runs until Nov 14 (checked 2026-10-13).

Sun, Mar 14, 2027 08:20 JST Across JapanMarathon ¥16,000 (Japan residents) / ¥23,000 (overseas residents); Fun Run ¥4,000; Wheelchair ¥2,000; Parent & Child Run ¥2,000 (official guidelines, checked 2026-10-13)

Festivals

Beppu Hatto Onsen Festival 2027

Japan's hot-spring capital throws its biggest party of the year — a fire festival on Mount Ogi, free baths across the city and a mikoshi parade thanking the springs.

Thu, Apr 1, 2027 11:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Shingen-ko Festival 2027: April 2027, Dates Still To Be Announced

The 53rd Shingen-ko Festival is expected in Kofu in April 2027, but the exact dates are still unannounced as of September 2026. Casting is set: actor Maki Miya as Takeda Shingen — only the third woman in the role — and opera singer Kohei Yamamoto as Yamamoto Kansuke.

Fri, Apr 2, 2027 12:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Kanamara Matsuri 2027 (Kawasaki): expected Sunday 4 April, venue and access

Kanamara Matsuri 2027 is expected on Sunday 4 April 2027, the first Sunday of April, at Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki; official dates are not yet announced (checked 11 Oct 2026).

Sun, Apr 4, 2027 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

Around 2,600 cherry trees encircle Hirosaki Castle's moats, famous for petal-carpeted 'flower rafts' and dazzling nighttime illuminations.

Fri, Apr 16, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Hida Furukawa Festival 2027

On the night of April 19, hundreds of near-naked men carry a giant drum on a tall wooden tower through Hida-Furukawa while rival neighborhood teams charge in to plant their small drums against it - the wild Okoshi-daiko, heart of a UNESCO-listed festival that also parades nine ornate floats on the 20th.

Mon, Apr 19, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Nightlife

Rainbow Disco Club 2027

A beloved open-air house & techno festival held over Golden Week on a hilltop in Higashi-Izu (next edition dates TBA).

Sat, May 1, 2027 10:00 JST Across JapanMulti-tier passes plus camping/parking (see official site)

Festivals

Hamamatsu Matsuri 2027 (Kite Festival)

Giant kites duel over the Nakatajima dunes by day; by night, illuminated palace-style floats and brass bands fill downtown Hamamatsu.

Mon, May 3, 2027 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Sendai Aoba Festival 2027: May 15–16 Dates, Times, Reserved Seats & Access

The Sendai Aoba Festival 2027 (43rd edition) is on May 15 (eve festival) and May 16 (main festival) on Jozenji-dori in central Sendai. Reserved seats cost ¥1,000–5,000, group and SS bookings opened Oct 1, 2026 on a first-come basis (checked 2026-10-13), and individual sales start in March 2027 or later.

Sat, May 15, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanReserved seats (43rd edition, Jozenji-dori, tax incl.): A ¥1,500 (May 15 day) / ¥2,500 (May 15 evening) / ¥4,000 (May 16); B ¥1,000 / ¥2,000 / ¥3,500; SA ¥5,000 and SB ¥4,500 (May 16 only); SS tables ¥8,000–80,000. Group (10+) and SS bookings Oct 1, 2026 – Mar 26, 2027; individual sales from March 2027 or later (checked 2026-10-13).

Festivals

Soma Nomaoi 2027

Hundreds of riders in full samurai armour thunder across Fukushima's coast for armoured horse races and a wild scramble to catch sacred flags shot into the sky.

Sat, May 29, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanThe main-day grounds (Hibarigahara) are ticketed for grandstand seating; street processions are free to watch. Exact 2027 dates (last weekend of May) confirmed in advance.

Festivals

Matsukawa Tub Race 2027 — Ito Onsen's summer washtub race, the 400 m course and how to enter (2027 date not yet announced)

Held on the Matsukawa in Ito, Shizuoka since 1956: competitors sit in a one-metre washtub and paddle 400 m from Ideyu Bridge to Fuji-no-Hiroba with a paddle shaped like a rice scoop. The 2026 race was on Sunday 5 July; the 2027 date is not yet announced (as of 2026-09-13).

Sun, Jul 4, 2027 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Hachinohe Sansha Taisai 2027

For five days every July 31-August 4, 27 towering, gold-leafed floats and three shrines' mikoshi processions fill Hachinohe's streets - a 300-year-old harvest-thanksgiving festival and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage that draws over a million visitors.

Sat, Jul 31, 2027 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Nagaoka Fireworks 2027: Mon Aug 2 & Tue Aug 3 - Ticket Lottery Dates & Hotels

Nagaoka Fireworks 2027 is on Monday, August 2 and Tuesday, August 3, by the Shinano River in Nagaoka, Niigata (fixed every year). Show times are not announced yet (2026: 19:20-21:25 both nights). All seats are paid; in 2026 the ticket lottery opened May 25 and sold out June 17.

Mon, Aug 2, 2027 Across JapanAll seats inside the venue are paid; no free seating, no same-day tickets. 2027 seats, prices and sales dates not yet announced (checked 2026-10-14). In 2026: resident lottery Apr 10-28, general first lottery May 25 12:00 - Jun 8 17:00, sold out Jun 17, official resale from Jul 6 (Japan residents only).

Festivals

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 2027: Aug 2 (Mon)–7 (Sat) Dates, Seats & Hotels

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri 2027 runs from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 August 2027 in central Aomori City, on its fixed annual dates. 2027 seat prices are not out yet; in 2026 reserved seats cost 4,000 yen (9,500 yen for the 7 August daytime-plus-fireworks set). Checked 2026-10-14.

Mon, Aug 2, 2027 Across Japan2027 seat prices not announced. 2026: 4,000 yen (2–6 Aug and 7 Aug daytime only), 9,500 yen (7 Aug daytime + fireworks set), wheelchair seat 3,200 yen (tax and guidebook included)

Festivals

Anjin Matsuri 2027 — Ito's biggest summer festival and sea fireworks (usually 8–10 Aug; 2027 dates not yet announced)

Ito's largest festival honours William Adams (Miura Anjin): lantern floating on the Matsukawa, a taiko battle, then the sea fireworks on 10 August, the city's founding day. 2027 (81st) dates are not yet announced — this page will update.

Sun, Aug 8, 2027 19:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Awa Odori 2027 (Tokushima): expected 11–15 August, grandstand tickets and 2026 prices

Awa Odori 2027 in Tokushima is expected on 11–15 August (Wed–Sun), with the outdoor paid arenas on 12–15 August; 2027 is not yet officially announced. In 2026, grandstand seats cost ¥1,000–¥15,000 and the web presale ran 13–21 June (checked 2026-10-14).

Wed, Aug 11, 2027 Across Japan2027 prices not announced. 2026 outdoor paid arenas: C (unreserved) ¥1,000, B ¥2,000, A ¥2,500, S ¥3,000, SS ¥6,000, special seats ¥15,000 (Minami-uchimachi only); advance, tax included, ages 3+. Free to watch in the streets and free arenas.

Seasonal

Kobe Luminarie

Glowing arches of hundreds of thousands of lights fill Kobe each winter, a moving memorial turned beloved festival.

Fri, Jan 23, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Shirakawa-go Gassho Village

A UNESCO World Heritage village of steep thatched gassho-zukuri farmhouses, nestled in a mountain valley that turns magical under snow.

Sun, Feb 15, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Nagara River Cormorant Fishing (Ukai) 2026

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.

Mon, May 11, 2026 19:45 JST Across JapanShared sightseeing boat (2026 rates): ¥4,200 adults / ¥2,100 children on regular days; ¥5,100 adults / ¥2,600 children on peak dates. Watching for free from the riverbank is also possible.

Outdoor

Kobe Harborland & Meriken Park Night

Kobe's waterfront glitters after dark — the red Port Tower, illuminated promenade and bay views make for a relaxed romantic evening.

Sun, Jun 28, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Mount Fuji Climbing 2026 — Dates, ¥4,000 Fee & Reservations by Trail

Mt Fuji 2026: Yoshida & Subashiri open July 1, Fujinomiya & Gotemba July 10 (all close Sept 10). ¥4,000 fee, reservation, and gate rules — every trail.

Wed, Jul 1, 2026 Across JapanA trail-entry fee applies (around 2,000-4,000 yen); mountain-hut stays extra

Festivals

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival 2026

One of the Kanto region's largest Tanabata festivals, where central Hiratsuka disappears beneath giant, gaudy bamboo streamers up to ten metres tall.

Fri, Jul 3, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Hakone Hot Springs & Open-Air Museum

A mountain hot-spring resort near Mt. Fuji, combining steaming onsen, a sculpture park, a pirate-ship lake cruise and ropeway views.

Sat, Jul 4, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanOnsen and museum entries vary; a Hakone Free Pass saves on transport

Arts & Culture

Benesse Art Site Naoshima

An island in the Seto Inland Sea reborn as living art, with Tadao Ando museums, a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin and outdoor installations.

Sun, Jul 5, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanMuseum tickets vary; Chichu Art Museum needs advance booking

Arts & Culture

DRUM TAO at the Open-Air Theatre TAO-no-Oka

World-touring taiko troupe DRUM TAO performs a 45-minute show at its own open-air theatre, perched at 1,036m in the grasslands of Aso-Kuju National Park. Thunderous drumming, athletic choreography and sweeping highland views.

Tue, Jul 7, 2026 14:00 JST Across JapanAdults (junior-high+) ¥4,500; children (4+) ¥2,500; under 3 free. Spring/autumn shows at 14:00.

Food & Drink

Oktoberfest in Japan

German beer festivals tour Japan's cities each year with imported brews, sausages and live oompah bands.

Wed, Jul 8, 2026 12:00 JST Across JapanFree

Arts & Culture

Setouchi Triennale Art Islands

A celebrated contemporary art festival scattered across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, blending installations with fishing-village life.

Mon, Jul 13, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanPassport tickets cover many sites; some works charge separately

Festivals

Nachi Fire Festival (Nachi no Ogi Matsuri) 2026

Twelve fan-shaped portable shrines representing the gods meet a procession of giant 50-kilogram flaming torches before Japan's tallest waterfall — one of the country's three great fire festivals.

Tue, Jul 14, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Nightlife

rural 2026

A four-day camping techno & house festival in the Fukushima highlands, running nonstop through the night since 2009.

Fri, Jul 17, 2026 13:00 JST Across Japan4-day full pass ~¥25,000; Under-25 ¥14,000; Tohoku-resident ¥15,000

Outdoor

Kamikochi Highland Hiking

A pristine alpine valley in the Northern Japan Alps, with the Kappa Bridge, clear Azusa River and jagged peaks rising all around.

Sat, Jul 18, 2026 06:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Akeno Sunflower Festival 2026

Around 600,000 sunflowers blaze across the Yatsugatake foothills, lit up after dark for a glowing field beneath the night sky.

Sat, Jul 25, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Sado Okesa Festival (Kozan Matsuri) 2026

Sado Island's 140th Kozan Matsuri (Jul 25-26) pairs a gold-mine shrine ritual with a town-wide Okesa dance through Aikawa and fireworks over the harbor.

Sat, Jul 25, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Morioka Sansa Odori 2026

A Guinness-record wall of taiko drums thunders through Morioka as thousands of dancers chant 'Sakkora choiwayasse!'

Sat, Aug 1, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri 2026 | Dates, Grandstand Seats & Access

Hirosaki's own summer lantern parade (Aug 1–7, 2026) — fan-shaped floats and a calmer chant that set it apart from nearby Aomori Nebuta.

Sat, Aug 1, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Hakodate Port Festival 2026: Fireworks, Squid Dance & Dates

The Hakodate Port Festival 2026 is over - it ran 1-5 August 2026. The festival is held on the same calendar dates every year, so the 2027 edition falls on Sunday 1 - Thursday 5 August 2027. Free to attend, 5 minutes' walk from JR Hakodate Station.

Sat, Aug 1, 2026 19:45 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Matsue Suigosai Fireworks 2026

21,000 fireworks over Lake Shinji across two nights (Aug 1-2, 2026) -- one of western Japan's biggest lake firework shows, with a drone show opening night one.

Sat, Aug 1, 2026 20:00 JST Across JapanPaid reserved seating in 3 lakeside areas (Kohoku, Shirakata, Konan) went on sale June 6, 2026; free public viewing spots are also available around the lake.

Festivals

Aomori Nebuta 2026 Reserved Seats: Prices, Sale Dates & Access

Aomori Nebuta 2026 reserved viewing seats: ¥4,000 prices, the 2026 sale dates (lottery + Jun 27 first-come), how to buy, and access from Tokyo.

Sun, Aug 2, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanReserved viewing seat ¥4,000 (Aug 7 daytime + fireworks set ¥9,500); handling fee added

Festivals

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri

Giant illuminated warrior floats are paraded through Aomori nightly as chanting dancers leap alongside in a blaze of color.

Sun, Aug 2, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Nagaoka Fireworks 2026: Reserved Seats Are Sold Out — the Official Resale Route (and What's Still Free)

Nagaoka's 2026 reserved seats sold out June 17 — the official resale opens July 6 (Japan residents only). Here's the resale route, the unauthorized-resale warning, and where you can still watch for free.

Sun, Aug 2, 2026 19:20 JST Across JapanReserved seats sold out; official resale only (Japan residents), approx. ¥1,000-¥48,000 face value by tier

Seasonal

Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks 2026

One of Japan's three great fireworks festivals, famed for the colossal 'Phoenix' shells fired across the Shinano River as a prayer for peace.

Sun, Aug 2, 2026 19:20 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Akita Kanto Matsuri 2026 | Dates, Times & the Balanced-Pole Night Parade

Akita's Kanto Matsuri lights up Kanto Odori with about 280 bamboo poles and 10,000 lanterns, balanced on foreheads, hips and palms like glowing rice sheaves.

Mon, Aug 3, 2026 18:45 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Akita Kanto Festival 2026

Performers balance towering bamboo poles strung with dozens of glowing lanterns on their palms, foreheads and shoulders.

Mon, Aug 3, 2026 18:50 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival 2026

Some 10,000 dancers twirl flower-adorned straw hats to the rhythmic cry of 'Yassho, makasho!' in one of Tohoku's biggest parades.

Wed, Aug 5, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Sendai Tanabata Festival 2026: Dates, Access & Highlights

Sendai Tanabata Festival 2026 (Aug 6–8): the fixed dates, the giant paper streamers, the Aug 5 fireworks, 5-min access from Sendai Station, and what to see.

Thu, Aug 6, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Sendai Tanabata Festival

Japan's grandest star festival drapes Sendai's arcades in thousands of giant, handmade paper streamers.

Thu, Aug 6, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Fukushima Waraji Matsuri 2026 | Dates, Access & Highlights

Fukushima Waraji Matsuri 2026 (Aug 7–9) parades a 12m, 2-ton straw sandal past the station before offering it to Haguro Shrine.

Fri, Aug 7, 2026 18:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Niigata Matsuri 2026 | Dates, Fireworks & the Folk Dance Parade

Niigata Matsuri 2026 runs Aug 7–9: a 15,000-dancer folk parade on the 7th, then a Shinano River fireworks finale on the 9th.

Fri, Aug 7, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Yosakoi Festival 2026 Tickets: Otesuji Grandstand Seats & How to Buy

Yosakoi Festival 2026 (Aug 9–12, Kochi): Otesuji grandstand seat prices, the 2026 sale dates (general sale opens Jun 29), how to buy, and how to get there.

Sun, Aug 9, 2026 13:15 JST Across JapanPaid grandstand seats ¥1,000–¥3,000 per session (group/parasol tables ¥15,000–¥50,000)

Festivals

Yosakoi Matsuri 2026 (Kochi)

The original yosakoi: 200+ teams and ~18,000 dancers with naruko clappers thunder through Kochi's streets across four August days.

Sun, Aug 9, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanFree to watch on the streets; paid reserved (shaded) seats sold for the main venues.

Festivals

Awa Odori 2026 Tickets: Dates, Grandstand Seats & How to Get There

Awa Odori 2026 (Aug 12–15, Tokushima): grandstand seat prices, the 2026 on-sale dates, how to buy via Ticket Pia, and how to get there.

Wed, Aug 12, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanReserved grandstand ¥1,000 (C) – ¥3,000 (S); Minami-uchimachi SS ¥6,000 / Special ¥15,000

Festivals

Awa Odori Dance Festival

Japan's most famous dance festival: 100,000 dancers and a million spectators fill Tokushima with rhythm every August.

Wed, Aug 12, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Tottori Shan-Shan Matsuri 2026 | Dates, the Umbrella Dance & Venue (62nd Edition)

Tottori's Guinness-record umbrella dance returns Aug 13–14, 2026 for its 62nd edition — free to watch along the city-center parade route.

Thu, Aug 13, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival 2026

Around 40,000 fireworks erupt over Lake Suwa, their booms echoing off the surrounding mountains in one of central Japan's most spectacular summer displays.

Sat, Aug 15, 2026 19:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Nishimonai Bon Odori 2026

Masked dancers in black hikosa-zukin hoods and deep amigasa hats sway through torchlit streets at one of Japan's three great Bon Odori, 700+ years old.

Sun, Aug 16, 2026 19:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Yamaga Lantern Festival (Yamaga Toro Matsuri)

A thousand women dance through summer night with golden paper lanterns glowing on their heads — Kumamoto's most ethereal festival.

Sun, Aug 16, 2026 20:00 JST Across JapanFree

Arts & Culture

Earth Celebration on Sado Island 2026

World-famous taiko ensemble Kodo hosts a three-day island arts festival with thunderous harbour-side concerts under the stars.

Fri, Aug 21, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanHarbour Concert tickets approx. ¥5,000–7,000 each; fringe events free

Seasonal

Takasaki Matsuri Grand Fireworks Display 2026 — Scheduled Aug 22 (Ended)

Scheduled for Saturday, Aug 22, 2026 on the Karasugawa riverbed upstream of Wada Bridge — that date has now passed. A record of the fast, dense fireworks night on the first day of the Takasaki Matsuri, with roughly 15,000 shells in under an hour.

Sat, Aug 22, 2026 19:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Shinjo Matsuri 2026 — Held Aug 24–26 (Ended)

Held Aug 24–26, 2026 in Shinjo, Yamagata — now ended. A record of the 260-plus-year-old UNESCO-listed float festival, where 20 towering yatai floats, hand-built every year and dressed as scenes from kabuki and legend, paraded the streets.

Mon, Aug 24, 2026 15:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Yoshida Fire Festival (Yoshida no Himatsuri) 2026

To mark the close of Mt. Fuji's climbing season, around seventy three-meter torches blaze along the streets of Fujiyoshida — counted among Japan's three most unusual festivals.

Wed, Aug 26, 2026 15:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri 2026 (Hell Festival)

Noboribetsu's hot-spring Hell Festival returns Aug 29-30, 2026: a giant demon float, the 1-ton Oni Mikoshi, mass demon-dancing and fireworks -- free to attend.

Sat, Aug 29, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Omagari National Fireworks Competition 2026

Japan's most prestigious pyrotechnic competition, where the nation's top fireworks artisans battle for the Prime Minister's Award.

Sat, Aug 29, 2026 17:10 JST Across JapanReserved seating required for prime spots (paid); riverbank viewing free

Festivals

Owara Kaze no Bon 2026

By lantern light, faceless dancers in straw hats move with hushed grace to mournful kokyu strings through old Yatsuo's stone lanes.

Tue, Sep 1, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanFree

Arts & Culture

Midori Komai Farewell Concert 2026 in Hakuba — Held Sep 5 (Ended)

Held on Saturday, September 5, 2026 (starting 15:00) at Kyowa Wing Hakuba Cultural Hall in Nagano — now ended. A record of pioneering woman conductor Midori Komai’s farewell concert with the one-time-only Hakuba Philharmonic Orchestra, with a program announced around Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Advance tickets were ¥4,500 (junior/senior-high ¥2,000; elementary-age and under free). The organizer says concert archives will be released successively (notice of Sep 6, 2026).

Sat, Sep 5, 2026 15:00 JST Across JapanAdvance ¥4,500 / same-day ¥5,000. Nagano residents ¥3,500; junior- and senior-high students ¥2,000; elementary-age and younger free (a free seat ticket is required if the child uses a seat). Post-event archive streaming is also sold on teket (as of 2026-07-21; confirm current details before buying).

Festivals

Kakunodate Festival 2026

Every September 7-9, the samurai town of Kakunodate fills with towering yama floats carrying warrior dolls by day; after dark comes the yamabuttsuke, when two floats that refuse to yield are rammed together in a thunderous, adrenaline-charged test of nerve.

Mon, Sep 7, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Katakai Festival Fireworks 2026

The birthplace of the giant 'sanshakudama', this Niigata shrine festival fires the world's largest fireworks shell — a four-shaku, 800kg behemoth.

Fri, Sep 11, 2026 19:30 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Aizu Festival 2026

Some 600 people parade in full samurai costume through Aizuwakamatsu in a 'Lord's Procession' honouring the clan that made a famous last stand in Japan's last civil war.

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Kashiwa Matsuri 2026 — Held Sep 19 (Ended; Sep 20 Cancelled Due to Typhoon)

Held on Sep 19, 2026 around Kashiwa Station — now ended (200,000 visitors per Kashiwa City). Sep 20 was cancelled as a typhoon approached. A record of Kashiwa City's biggest festival in its first year after moving from summer to September because of extreme heat.

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 13:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Fujisaki Hachimangu Boshita Matsuri 2026: Procession Cancelled After Kumamoto Quake

The Sept 20, 2026 procession of Kumamoto's Fujisaki Hachimangu grand festival (Boshita Matsuri) and decorated horses were cancelled after the July 28 earthquake. Shrine rites began Sept 13. 2027 dates are not announced (checked 2026-10-14).

Sun, Sep 20, 2026 06:00 JST Across JapanFree

Nightlife

FFKT 2026 (Izu Shirahama)

The beachside successor to TAICOCLUB — a genre-spanning electronic festival in front of Izu's Shirahama Beach.

Sat, Sep 26, 2026 11:00 JST Across JapanTickets ¥16,000–22,000; Under-23 ¥13,000 (accommodation separate)

Festivals

Matsue Suitoro 2026

Matsue'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.

Sat, Sep 26, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival

Seven 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.

Sat, Oct 3, 2026 18:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Marimo Festival 2026

Held Oct 8–10, 2026 at Lake Akan, Hokkaido — now ended. The free-to-watch festival, held every year since 1950, is known for kamuinomi prayers by Ainu people from across Hokkaido, a torchlit parade and a rite returning the marimo — a Special Natural Monument — to the lake by dugout canoe.

Thu, Oct 8, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Sawara Grand Festival: Autumn 2026

Fourteen giant wooden floats, each topped by a towering doll of a legendary hero, are hauled through the canal-side 'Little Edo' streets of Sawara to lilting Sawara-bayashi music every autumn - October 9-11 in 2026 - in one of the Kanto region's three great float festivals, just a day-trip from Tokyo.

Fri, Oct 9, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Kotohira-gu Reitaisai 2026

Konpira-san's biggest festival (Oct 9-11, 2026): once a year the mountain deity 'comes down' -- a ~600-strong procession carries the mikoshi 2km through Kotohira by torchlight.

Fri, Oct 9, 2026 16:00 JST Across JapanFree

Seasonal

Hitachi Seaside Park Kochia (Autumn Red Bushes)

Some 33,000 round kochia bushes turn Miharashi Hill a blazing crimson each October, a fluffy red carpet rolling toward the Pacific Ocean.

Sat, Oct 10, 2026 09:30 JST Across JapanAdults (high-school+) from ¥450; price rises during peak kochia season

Nightlife

The Labyrinth 2026

One of the world's most respected boutique raves — a Funktion-One sound system in the Gunma mountains, lineup kept secret.

Sat, Oct 10, 2026 12:00 JST Across Japan~¥23,000 (Under-28) to ¥29,000; includes camping

Festivals

Nada no Kenka Matsuri 2026 (Fighting Festival)

Three portable shrines are violently crashed together as seven ornate floats clash in Japan's most famous 'fighting festival.'

Wed, Oct 14, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Niihama Taiko Festival 2026

Fifty-four golden, 5.5-metre taiko-dai floats are hoisted by 150-strong crews in one of Shikoku's three great festivals.

Fri, Oct 16, 2026 08:00 JST Across JapanFree

Outdoor

Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail

Walk ancient moss-covered pilgrimage paths through the forested Kii Mountains to sacred Kumano shrines, a UNESCO World Heritage route.

Sat, Oct 17, 2026 08:00 JST Across JapanFree

Festivals

Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026 (Oct 23–25, Saga)

Imari Tonten-ton Festival 2026 runs Fri Oct 23 to Sun Oct 25 in central Imari, Saga. The finale river plunge is scheduled for 5:32pm on Oct 25 (official route map). Free to watch; checked 2026-10-13.

Fri, Oct 23, 2026 17:00 JST Across JapanFree