Some 20,000 hydrangeas in 50 varieties carpet a hillside temple garden in Uji — including the elusive star-shaped 'shichidanka' — with weekend evening light-ups.
2026/06/21 23:30 KyotoGarden admission approx. ¥1,000 (adults).
© mikography · GoogleOne of Japan's most sacred shrines, set in a tranquil ancient forest in Nagoya and home to the legendary Kusanagi sword.
2026/06/27 NagoyaGratuit
© Leather JACK · GoogleA free, easygoing gathering for book lovers to read together and swap summer recommendations.
2026/06/27 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© Diva 2110 · GoogleAn English-speaking host walks you through a real matcha tea ceremony — whisking, etiquette and wagashi sweets — in a serene tatami tea room near Senso-ji, with optional kimono rental.
2026/06/27 02:00 TokyoFrom about ¥6,000 per person; kimono-included plans cost more
© Kimono Tea Ceremony MAIKOYA Asakusa · GoogleA relaxed photo-bingo walking tour of retro Shibamata — gentle, social and great for solo joiners.
2026/06/27 03:30 Tokyo¥2,000
© Osamu Kimura · GoogleSuit up in samurai armor, learn the basics of swordsmanship, and throw real ninja shuriken on a guided English tour through Japan's warrior history in Asakusa.
2026/06/27 04:00 TokyoBasic ticket from about ¥3,000 (adult); premium experiences cost more
© Samurai Ninja Museum Asakusa Tokyo · GoogleDress in samurai armor, try sword training and throw shuriken on an English guided tour through Japan's warrior history in the heart of downtown Kyoto.
2026/06/27 05:00 KyotoBasic ticket from about ¥3,000 (adult); longer experiences cost more
© SAMURAI NINJA MUSEUM Kyoto · GoogleTour a historic 1909 sake brewery in Kyoto's Fushimi district, see the old tools of the trade, taste the pure underground water, and finish with a sake tasting — all for ¥600.
2026/06/28 01:00 Kyoto¥600 admission (age 20+, includes sake tasting); ¥100 ages 13-19, free under 12
© hunkil choo · GoogleRoll and shape your own nigiri and maki under a professional English-speaking instructor, then sit down and eat everything you made — a hands-on intro to sushi steps from Senso-ji.
2026/06/28 01:00 Tokyo¥13,000 per person (ingredients, equipment, instruction and the sushi you make all included)
© Sushi Making Tokyo | No1 Cooking Class in Japan · GoogleLearn to hold the brush, control the ink and write kanji the traditional way in a 90-minute English-led shodo class — and take your finished artwork home as a keepsake.
2026/06/28 02:00 KyotoReserve via the official site for current pricing
© Kimono Tea Ceremony MAIKOYA Nishiki · GoogleIn the heart of old-town Asakusa, this beloved yose performs 365 days a year — rakugo storytelling plus manzai, magic, acrobatics and impressions. Drop in any day for an authentic dose of downtown Tokyo entertainment.
2026/06/28 02:00 TokyoBox-office tickets, all unreserved. Day program from 11:40, evening from 16:40.
© Kazuhiko K · GoogleStroll Kyoto's historic Fushimi sake quarter, where soft spring water and centuries-old breweries make some of Japan's finest sake.
2026/06/28 02:00 KyotoTastings and museum entry from a few hundred yen
© 伏水酒蔵小路 · GoogleLie back and feel the resonance of Japanese taiko in an immersive sound-bath session.
2026/06/28 07:30 Tokyo¥7,000
© Keitaro M · GooglePair Japan's celebrated Kenrokuen Garden with the restored Kanazawa Castle next door — landscaped ponds, teahouses and white turrets.
2026/06/29 KanazawaKenrokuen entry around 320 yen; castle park grounds mostly free
© 唐津敏明 · GoogleJapan's oldest and largest museum in Ueno Park, home to samurai armor, Buddhist art and an unrivaled national treasure collection.
2026/06/29 TokyoRegular collection around 1,000 yen; special exhibits priced separately
© 山賀康弘 · GoogleCook Osaka's soul food — okonomiyaki, takoyaki and ramen — with an English-speaking chef in 'Japan's kitchen', then sit down and feast on what you made.
2026/06/29 02:00 OsakaVaries by menu and group; reserve via the official site
© Tea Ceremony Osaka The Osaka(茶道体験The Osaka) Make matcha · GoogleTokyo's oldest yose (variety hall), founded in 1857, runs daily programs of rakugo comic storytelling alongside manzai, magic, paper-cutting and acrobatics. A relaxed, ever-changing slice of Edo-era popular entertainment.
2026/06/29 03:00 TokyoAround ¥3,500 adults / ¥2,500 students. Day program from ~12:30, evening from ~17:00.
© Tomoya Yasukawa · GoogleTrain like a real ninja with a licensed Japanese master — sword, dagger, shuriken and blowgun techniques in a downtown tatami dojo, taught hands-on in English.
2026/06/29 04:00 Kyoto1-hour lesson ¥10,000; 2-hour lesson ¥15,000 per person (ninja costume included)
© NINJA DOJO and STORE KYOTO · GoogleSculpt your own seasonal nerikiri wagashi by hand, then enjoy it with freshly whisked matcha in a kimono — a gentle, English-guided sweets-and-tea workshop near Senso-ji.
2026/06/29 05:00 TokyoAbout ¥12,000 per person (kimono rental, ingredients and utensils included)
© Kimono Tea Ceremony MAIKOYA Asakusa · GoogleA short ferry from Hiroshima reaches Miyajima, where the great vermilion torii of Itsukushima Shrine appears to float on the tide.
2026/06/30 HiroshimaFerry and shrine entry each a few hundred yen
© Zach Holloway · GoogleThrow your own bowl or cup on an electric potter's wheel with a third-generation Kyoto ceramicist near Sennyu-ji; your fired piece is shipped to you afterward.
2026/06/30 01:00 KyotoQuick course about ¥2,000 (20 min); standard course ¥5,000 (30-60 min), plus tax
© K · GoogleFeel the thunder of Japanese wadaiko drums in an English-led lesson — learn the rhythms and stances, then perform together wearing a happi coat, no experience needed.
2026/06/30 06:00 TokyoVaries by plan; reserve via the official site (taiko-reserve.com)
© Taiko-Lab青山 · GoogleA 50-minute sampler of Kyoto's traditional performing arts in one sitting: maiko kyomai dance, bunraku puppet theatre, kyogen comedy, court bugaku dance, tea ceremony, ikebana and koto. The easiest, most tourist-friendly intro to Japanese arts.
2026/06/30 09:00 KyotoAdult from ¥5,500; premium seats ¥6,600. Daily shows at 18:00 and 19:00 (winter Dec–Mar: Tue–Fri only).
© Andrew Wong · GoogleSapporo's 125-year-old fish market in the heart of downtown: crab legs, sea-urchin, salmon roe and steaming kaisen-don bowls from morning to early evening.
2026/06/30 23:00 SapporoGratuit
© 吳依瑩 · GoogleHiroshima's most visited site: a deeply moving record of the 1945 atomic bombing, with multilingual audio guides and free volunteer guides for overseas visitors.
2026/06/30 23:30 HiroshimaAdults ¥200; reservations advised at peak hours
© Junior dos Reis · GoogleSit zazen with the head monk inside a 400-year-old temple usually closed to the public, just minutes from Roppongi — a calm, English-guided introduction to Zen with tea and sweets.
2026/07/01 01:00 TokyoPrivate experience — contact the operator for pricing
© 祥雲寺 · GoogleA whole building stacked with 23 okonomiyaki stalls: watch chefs layer cabbage, noodles and egg on sizzling teppan in Hiroshima's soul-food theme park.
2026/07/01 02:00 HiroshimaGratuit
© お好み村 てつ · GoogleA rare surviving wooden yose from the early 20th century, Suehirotei keeps the intimate atmosphere of old Tokyo. Daily rakugo and variety acts in tatami-and-cushion seating, a one-minute walk from busy Shinjuku-Sanchome.
2026/07/01 03:00 TokyoAbout ¥3,500 adults (students ¥3,000; discounted evening entry available). Day from 12:00, evening from 16:45.
© 稲岡慶郎 · GoogleTokyo's vast wholesale fish market with tuna auctions, viewing decks and fresh-sushi restaurants open to visitors.
2026/07/01 21:00 TokyoGratuit
© 虎吃貨（吃貨虎） · GoogleKabuki's flagship Ginza theatre stages its July all-star run, headlined by a spectacular 13-role quick-change tour de force and a 43-year revival packed with aerial stunts and a real-water finale. English captioning is available.
2026/07/02 02:00 TokyoFrom ¥5,000 (Upper Tier B) up to ¥20,000 (Special Seat). English/Chinese captioning service +¥1,500.
© Enix · GoogleYebisu beer's birthplace at Yebisu Garden Place, with a museum, guided tours and a tasting taproom.
2026/07/02 03:00 TokyoGratuit
© YEBISU BREWERY TOKYO（2024年4月3日開業） · GoogleOne of the Kanto region's largest Tanabata festivals, where central Hiratsuka disappears beneath giant, gaudy bamboo streamers up to ten metres tall.
2026/07/03 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© KUNIYOSHI · GoogleExplore Kanazawa's gold-leaf workshops, colorful Kutani porcelain and the preserved Higashi Chaya geisha district.
2026/07/03 01:00 KanazawaGratuit
© Thanos Metaxas · GoogleRetro Shitamachi shopping street near Ueno lined with food stalls, wagashi sweets, croquettes and old-Tokyo charm.
2026/07/03 02:00 TokyoGratuit
© SPCA663 Little B · GoogleMingle with a roughly 50/50 mix of Japanese and Korean locals over a 2-hour all-you-can-drink dinner—perfect for K-pop, K-drama and Korean-food fans.
2026/07/03 10:50 TokyoMen ¥4,000 / Women ¥3,000
© 居酒屋 トロ政 上野店 · GoogleA relaxed Korean-conversation meetup at a Kyoto café—practice speaking at any level with seats arranged by ability, then swap contacts over coffee.
2026/07/04 06:00 Kyoto¥1,000 (¥500 if no Korean attendees)
© Shuuhei (散歩の達人BON) · GoogleHistoric sake museum in Kyoto's Fushimi brewing district with exhibits, brewery tours and a tasting corner.
2026/07/05 00:30 KyotoPaid admission including a tasting; open 9:30-16:30 (last entry 16:00). Cashless from July 2026.
© hunkil choo · GoogleThe Kyoto International Community House hosts cultural exchange events, language cafes and workshops for visitors and residents.
2026/07/05 05:00 KyotoMany events free or low-cost; some workshops ticketed
© Mo Irfan · GoogleUpscale Marunouchi live restaurant pairing dinner with intimate jazz, soul and world-music concerts.
2026/07/05 09:30 TokyoReserved seating with music charge plus food and drink; reservations recommended.
© コットンクラブ · GoogleFree sake museum in Kobe's Nada Gogo district inside a Taisho-era brewhouse, with life-size displays and tastings.
2026/07/06 00:30 OsakaGratuit
© 白鶴酒造資料館 · GoogleA daimyo stroll-garden on the Owari Tokugawa estate, with a central pond, Ozone Waterfall and seasonal peony and iris beds beside a samurai art museum.
2026/07/06 00:30 NagoyaAdmission charged (see official site)
© chii · GoogleA 90-minute introductory aroma hand-therapy workshop in Yokohama, finishing with a relaxed tea gathering—wellness for caregivers and busy minds.
2026/07/07 04:30 Yokohama¥1,000
© Shingichi Nagai · GoogleRoppongi dinner-and-concert club in Tokyo Midtown hosting international and Japanese artists across genres.
2026/07/07 10:00 TokyoReserved seating with music charge; food and drink ordered on site.
© mhw · GoogleUmeda dinner-and-concert club in the Herbis Plaza Ent, hosting jazz, soul and pop in an intimate room.
2026/07/08 10:00 OsakaReserved seating with music charge; food and drink ordered on site.
© ビルボードライブ大阪 · GoogleHakata's oldest 400 m covered arcade with 130+ shops, eateries and the famous Kawabata zenzai red-bean sweet.
2026/07/09 02:00 FukuokaGratuit
© David Kuei · GoogleSumo's summer tournament moves into Nagoya's brand-new IG Arena for the first time — fifteen days of top-division bouts in a gleaming 17,000-seat venue.
2026/07/11 23:30 NagoyaTickets required. Arena chair seats start from about ¥3,500; ringside and box (masu) seats cost more. Buy via the official Japan Sumo Association ticket site.
© Santa Dx · GoogleA laid-back Japanese-chess afternoon in central Yokohama—beginners welcome, with coaching, free matches and original puzzle cards over a drink.
2026/07/12 04:00 Yokohama¥1,500 (includes one drink)
© O biyan · GoogleA free, family-friendly Sunday gathering in Edogawa where kids and adults play, sing and connect across English and Japanese—no experience needed.
2026/07/12 06:30 TokyoGratuit
© Base Camp Tokyo 江戸川橋 · GoogleOver 30,000 golden lanterns light the approach to Yasukuni Shrine across four summer nights, with Aomori nebuta floats and bon-odori dancing.
2026/07/13 09:00 TokyoGratuit
© N K · GoogleTwelve 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.
2026/07/14 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© BWV324 · GoogleFukuoka's adrenaline-fueled finale: teams race one-ton festival floats through the dawn streets of Hakata.
2026/07/14 19:59 FukuokaGratuit
© Nattarat Juntien · GoogleKyoto's grandest festival fills July with towering wooden floats, lantern-lit evening parties, and 1,100 years of tradition.
2026/07/17 KyotoGratuit
© Salvador Fernández · GoogleThree seaside days of Nepal in Tokyo's Odaiba — momo and dal bhat, Himalayan crafts, folk dance and music against the bay, free to all.
2026/07/18 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© カメレオンマン · GoogleYoyogi Park fills with samba parades, capoeira and churrasco at Tokyo's biggest Brazilian and Latin festival.
2026/07/18 02:00 TokyoGratuit
© T TMBC · GoogleOn the 21st of every month, nearly 1,000 stalls fill the grounds of UNESCO-listed Toji Temple with street food, antiques, pickles and crafts beneath its great pagoda.
2026/07/20 23:00 KyotoGratuit
© P-USE · GoogleOtaru's biggest summer festival fills the port with the mass 'Shio Nerikomi' dance and a closing fireworks display.
2026/07/24 02:00 SapporoGratuit
© ALFRED PHOTO FOUNDATION · GoogleThe home of bunraku, Japan's UNESCO-listed puppet theatre, where master puppeteers, tayu chanters and shamisen bring epic dramas to life.
2026/07/25 02:00 OsakaTickets vary by program; English audio guide available
© 坂元菊子 · GoogleJapan's largest urban eisa festival fills the streets around Shinjuku Station with Okinawan drum-and-dance troupes.
2026/07/25 04:00 TokyoGratuit
© Takeshi Kawaguchi · GoogleOsaka's thousand-year river festival ends with a flotilla of lantern-lit boats and fireworks reflected on the Okawa River.
2026/07/25 06:00 OsakaGratuit
© R yu · GoogleOne of Japan's three great river festivals — lantern-laden 'makiwara' boats glide across the Tenno River by night.
2026/07/25 09:00 NagoyaGratuit
© おおゆき · GoogleBy night, daytime banner floats transform into 'lantern pyramids' — 12 tiers of 309 glowing lanterns swaying as bearers race them through Kitakyushu.
2026/07/25 09:30 FukuokaGratuit
© 酒吞童子WALKER · GoogleTokyo's most storied summer fireworks show launches 20,000 shells over the Sumida River with Tokyo Skytree glowing behind.
2026/07/25 10:00 TokyoGratuit
© Mark Williams · GoogleA public live-house complex and the cultural heart of Koza, Okinawa City's storied music district, hosting local and touring acts.
2026/07/30 10:00 OkinawaTicket price varies by event.
© okinjo 77 · GoogleThe planet's biggest cosplay festival: teams from 40+ countries parade through Nagoya and battle for the World Cosplay Championship at Oasis 21.
2026/07/31 01:00 NagoyaGratuit
© オアシス21 · GoogleDubbed 'Hakata's Kitchen,' this century-old covered alley packs 40-plus stalls of glistening Genkai-sea fish, fugu, and pickles that pro chefs swear by.
2026/07/31 23:00 FukuokaGratuit
© Pat Chan · GoogleKanazawa's 300-year-old kitchen: ~170 stalls of Sea of Japan crab, sweet shrimp and just-sliced sashimi rice bowls under one covered arcade.
2026/08/01 KanazawaGratuit
© YH Hsiao · GoogleAt the home of Kyoto's 1,200-year Nishijin weaving tradition, dress in one of 150+ komon kimono — footwear and underthings included — and stroll the old capital in style.
2026/08/01 01:00 KyotoKomon kimono ¥4,950 (outdoor) / ¥3,850 (indoor); reservation required
© オオクニヌシノミコト · GoogleIn a Naramachi machiya once home to a Kofukuji monk, taste five Harushika sakes and keep the souvenir glass — sake from the very birthplace of Japanese sake.
2026/08/01 01:00 NaraFive-sake tasting approx. ¥500 with souvenir glass
© 今西清兵衛商店 · GoogleNara's famous mochi shop where two artisans pound steaming mugwort rice at blinding speed, then hand you a warm, soft yomogi mochi filled with red bean.
2026/08/01 01:00 NaraGratuit
© 陳長懋 · GoogleThe shop that invented Kanazawa's gold-leaf soft serve, where a shimmering sheet of edible gold is laid on your cone and you can try gold-leaf crafts.
2026/08/01 01:00 KanazawaGold-leaf soft serve approx. ¥891; craft experiences vary
© 箔一 東山店 · GoogleNagoya's quirky downtown district throws a lively summer festival with cosplay, world dance and a wet 'kara-okuri' parade.
2026/08/01 01:00 NagoyaGratuit
© YICHENG LIN (Joe) · GoogleThe world's first ramen theme park: slurp regional ramen styles in a recreated 1958 Tokyo backstreet, with gluten-free and vegetarian bowls too.
2026/08/01 02:00 YokohamaAdmission: adults ¥450, children ¥100, under 6 free (ramen extra)
© Massa S. · GoogleKitakyushu's biggest summer festival sends massive 'Wasshoi' dance parades and mikoshi through Kokura, capped by fireworks.
2026/08/01 06:00 FukuokaGratuit
© 戴永聯 · GoogleA Guinness-record wall of taiko drums thunders through Morioka as thousands of dancers chant 'Sakkora choiwayasse!'
2026/08/01 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 郭琨山 · GoogleHakodate's port festival opens with fireworks over the bay and fills the streets with the lively 'Ika Odori' squid dance.
2026/08/01 10:45 SapporoGratuit
© Kwan Lee · GoogleBilled as Japan's noisiest festival: dozens of lantern-lit festival cars thunder through Kuwana to a relentless din of drums and gongs deep into the night.
2026/08/02 09:30 NagoyaGratuit
© ゆっくり考える · Google
OfficialPlaces de visionnage réservées Aomori Nebuta 2026 : prix de ¥4,000, dates de vente 2026 (tirage + premier arrivé le Jun 27), comment acheter et accès depuis Tokyo.
2026/08/02 10:00 Partout au JaponPlace de visionnage réservée ¥4,000 (combiné journée + feux d'artifice Aug 7 ¥9,500) ; frais de gestion en sus
© Fisherman · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialComment acheter des places de tribune payantes aux matsuri d'été du Japon en 2026 : tirage au sort vs premier arrivé, prix, calendrier de mise en vente et liens officiels.
2026/08/02 10:00Places de tribune payantes à partir de ¥1,000 (variable selon le festival et la catégorie)
© MIKI Yoshihito · CC BY 2.0OfficialGiant illuminated warrior floats are paraded through Aomori nightly as chanting dancers leap alongside in a blaze of color.
2026/08/02 10:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Fisherman · CC BY-SA 3.0One of Japan's three great fireworks festivals, famed for the colossal 'Phoenix' shells fired across the Shinano River as a prayer for peace.
2026/08/02 10:20 Partout au JaponGratuit
© ひろと · GooglePerformers balance towering bamboo poles strung with dozens of glowing lanterns on their palms, foreheads and shoulders.
2026/08/03 09:50 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 川井ぼん · GoogleSome 10,000 dancers twirl flower-adorned straw hats to the rhythmic cry of 'Yassho, makasho!' in one of Tohoku's biggest parades.
2026/08/05 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Majin · GoogleOn summer nights, 20,000 candles flicker across Nara Park's historic grounds in a serene sea of gentle light.
2026/08/05 10:00 NaraGratuit
© Ionut Bucur · Google
OfficialFestival Tanabata de Sendai 2026 (Aug 6–8) : dates fixes, les serpentins de papier géants, les feux d'artifice du Aug 5, accès en 5 min depuis la gare de Sendai et que voir.
2026/08/06 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0Japan's grandest star festival drapes Sendai's arcades in thousands of giant, handmade paper streamers.
2026/08/06 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Alean CHANG · GoogleAround 12,000 fireworks reflect off Japan's largest lake near Otsu in a 40th-anniversary show fused with drones and lasers.
2026/08/06 10:30 KyotoGratuit
© ミシガンクルーズのりば（琵琶湖汽船） · GoogleA Tokyo arcade strung with giant handmade papier-mache figures of pop characters and topical themes, one of the city's most beloved summer street festivals.
2026/08/07 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© K K · Google
OfficialYosakoi Festival 2026 (Aug 9–12, Kochi) : prix des places de tribune d'Otesuji, dates de vente 2026 (vente générale ouvre le Jun 29), comment acheter et comment s'y rendre.
2026/08/09 04:15 Partout au JaponPlaces de tribune payantes ¥1,000–¥3,000 par session (tables groupe/parasol ¥15,000–¥50,000)
© Kounosu · CC BY-SA 3.0The original yosakoi: 200+ teams and ~18,000 dancers with naruko clappers thunder through Kochi's streets across four August days.
2026/08/09 08:00 Partout au JaponFree to watch on the streets; paid reserved (shaded) seats sold for the main venues.
© lontongstroong · Google
OfficialAwa Odori 2026 (Aug 12–15, Tokushima) : prix des places de tribune, dates de mise en vente 2026, comment acheter via Ticket Pia et comment s'y rendre.
2026/08/12 09:00 Partout au JaponTribune réservée ¥1,000 (C) – ¥3,000 (S) ; Minami-uchimachi SS ¥6,000 / Special ¥15,000
© Kounosu · CC BY-SA 3.0Japan's most famous dance festival: 100,000 dancers and a million spectators fill Tokushima with rhythm every August.
2026/08/12 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 坂口博紀（さかグルメっち） · GoogleThe world's largest fan convention: hundreds of thousands gather at Tokyo Big Sight to buy doujinshi and cosplay.
2026/08/14 01:00 TokyoWristband entry fee on event days; check the official guide
© 王士榮 · GoogleThree thousand bronze and stone lanterns are lit across ancient Kasuga Taisha, filling the shrine's forest paths with a soft golden glow.
2026/08/14 10:00 NaraSmall fee to enter the inner lantern corridors
© 龍-Ryu- · GoogleNaha's vibrant 'kitchen': vivid Okinawan reef fish, pork and produce downstairs, then a 'mochiagari' service cooks your picks at the upstairs eateries.
2026/08/14 23:00 OkinawaGratuit
© Fra nci · GoogleA serene Yoshio Taniguchi pavilion honoring Zen philosopher D.T. Suzuki, built around a still 'Water Mirror Garden' for contemplation.
2026/08/15 00:30 KanazawaAdult ~¥310
© 鄭喜文 · GoogleA Kisho Kurokawa building tucked into Shirakawa Park, strong on the Ecole de Paris, the Mexican Renaissance and local modern art.
2026/08/15 00:30 NagoyaCollection ~¥300; special exhibitions vary
© skylarking · GoogleA lakeside museum in Ohori Park by architect Kunio Maekawa, mixing Dali and Warhol with Buddhist treasures across 16,000+ works.
2026/08/15 00:30 FukuokaCollection ~¥200; special exhibitions vary
© Dirk Hebecker · GoogleA Kenzo Tange landmark in Minato Mirai, freshly reopened after a three-year renovation, strong on modern art and Yokohama-rooted photography.
2026/08/15 01:00 YokohamaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© 横浜美術館 · GoogleA striking subterranean museum on Nakanoshima island devoted to postwar and contemporary art, behind a soaring bamboo-like steel facade.
2026/08/15 02:00 OsakaCollection exhibition ~¥430; special exhibitions vary
© 国立国際美術館 · GoogleOn Obon night, around 2,500 lanterns glow before Nara's Great Buddha and the hall's window opens so his face gazes out.
2026/08/15 10:00 NaraGreat Buddha Hall admission applies (around ¥800).
© 山田秀幹 · GoogleOne of Edo's three great festivals returns to its full triennial form in 2026, with 50+ mikoshi paraded as spectators drench bearers in purifying water.
2026/08/15 22:30 TokyoGratuit
© 千上 · GoogleCentral Sapporo's flagship art museum, with 5,000+ works spanning Hokkaido art, the Ecole de Paris, glasswork and modern Japanese painting.
2026/08/16 00:30 SapporoCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© M-Ki · GoogleJapan's first public contemporary art museum, a Kisho Kurokawa landmark crowning Hijiyama hill with bold rotating exhibitions.
2026/08/16 01:00 HiroshimaCollection ~¥370; special exhibitions vary
© 広島市現代美術館 · GoogleThousands of memorial lanterns drift down the Oi River below Arashiyama as the 'Torii-gata' bonfire of the Gozan Okuribi blazes on the hillside above.
2026/08/16 10:00 KyotoGratuit
© M L Wong · GoogleA thousand women dance through summer night with golden paper lanterns glowing on their heads — Kumamoto's most ethereal festival.
2026/08/16 11:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Ookami Nanaya · GoogleGiant kanji and shapes blaze on five mountains around Kyoto to send ancestral spirits home at the close of Obon.
2026/08/16 11:00 KyotoGratuit
© haya · GoogleWorld-famous taiko ensemble Kodo hosts a three-day island arts festival with thunderous harbour-side concerts under the stars.
2026/08/21 08:00 Partout au JaponHarbour Concert tickets approx. ¥5,000–7,000 each; fringe events free
© Syo · GoogleThe only museum in the world systematically collecting modern and contemporary Asian art — 5,000+ works from 23 Asian countries and regions.
2026/08/22 00:30 FukuokaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© 福岡アジア美術館 · GoogleOne of Japan's biggest tropical-fish and aquatic-life markets fills an Asakusa hall with around 200 specialist booths.
2026/08/23 01:00 TokyoPaid admission (check the official site for the current ticket price).
© Orient Ltdexp · GoogleTo 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.
2026/08/26 06:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 쿰척 · GoogleOkinawa's biggest cultural park: explore a vast limestone cave, dress in Ryukyu attire, try bingata dyeing and Ryukyu glass, and catch the daily Super Eisa show.
2026/08/28 OkinawaAdults ¥2,000; children (4-14) ¥1,000
© おきなわワールド · GoogleNagoya's huge late-summer dance festival fills the city center with hundreds of energetic teams in a riot of color and choreography.
2026/08/28 02:00 NagoyaGratuit
© SPCA663 Little B · GoogleOkinawa's biggest eisa festival, where drum troupes from across the islands perform thunderous traditional dance under summer skies.
2026/08/28 06:00 OkinawaGratuit
© MOTOJI YAMAMOTO · GoogleTokyo's biggest samba parade fills Asakusa with feathered dancers and thundering bateria as competing teams vie for the championship along Umamichi Street.
2026/08/29 04:00 TokyoGratuit
© ぴぴねこ · GoogleTokyo's own Awa dance takes over Koenji's backstreets as 10,000-plus dancers in 'ren' troupes whirl through the summer night.
2026/08/29 08:00 TokyoGratuit
© 加藤展康 · GoogleJapan's most prestigious pyrotechnic competition, where the nation's top fireworks artisans battle for the Prime Minister's Award.
2026/08/29 08:10 Partout au JaponReserved seating required for prime spots (paid); riverbank viewing free
© 920 kana · GoogleBy lantern light, faceless dancers in straw hats move with hushed grace to mournful kokyu strings through old Yatsuo's stone lanes.
2026/09/01 08:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Naka Hiro · GoogleJapan's oldest kabuki theatre in Kyoto stages a modern crossover, fusing the world of kabuki with the famous anime master-thief Lupin III. A playful, fast-paced gateway into the art form, with English audio guides available.
2026/09/02 02:00 KyotoTickets vary by seat class; check the official site. English audio guide available for rental.
© 南座 · GoogleA quirky Tokyo street festival born from a comic rakugo tale, where charcoal-grilled Pacific saury is served with sudachi citrus to long, happy queues.
2026/09/06 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© 百目鬼賢吾 · GoogleThe birthplace of the giant 'sanshakudama', this Niigata shrine festival fires the world's largest fireworks shell — a four-shaku, 800kg behemoth.
2026/09/11 10:30 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 夏澄 · GoogleYokohama's bayfront streets go Vietnamese — pho and banh mi, ao dai shows and water-puppet theater spread across Nihon-odori, the prefectural offices and Zou-no-hana Park.
2026/09/12 01:00 YokohamaGratuit
© 菊池俊介 · GoogleFor seven nights, around 500 food and game stalls line Hakozakigu's approach as a million visitors mark autumn's arrival — Fukuoka's great harvest festival.
2026/09/12 01:00 FukuokaGratuit
© 筑前國一之宮 筥崎宮 · GoogleThe city's foreigner-friendly hub runs welcome events, language exchange salons, homestay visits and 'warm fellowship' gatherings where locals and internationals mingle.
2026/09/12 04:00 FukuokaGratuit
© 福岡市国際会館 Fukuoka City International Center · GoogleThe autumn tournament at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan — sumo's spiritual home — closes out the Tokyo basho calendar with fifteen days of high-stakes bouts.
2026/09/12 23:30 TokyoTickets required. Arena chair seats start from around ¥3,000; traditional box (masu) seats and ringside cost more. Purchase through the official Japan Sumo Association site.
© Michael Hollander · GoogleTeams haul massive wooden festival floats at full sprint through Kishiwada's streets in one of Japan's most thrilling matsuri.
2026/09/18 21:00 OsakaGratuit
© アナム博士! · GoogleSome 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.
2026/09/19 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 黄少龙 · GoogleHokuriku's biggest jazz event turns central Kanazawa into 200-plus free street performances across some 20 venues.
2026/09/19 02:00 KanazawaFree street performances; paid special concerts vary.
© Thanos Metaxas · GoogleJapan's biggest reptile and exotic-animal expo packs Tokyo Big Sight with geckos, snakes, frogs and the breeders who love them.
2026/09/20 01:00 TokyoAdults ¥1,400 advance / ¥1,600 door; elementary ¥700 advance / ¥800 door; preschoolers free.
© 王士榮 · GoogleOne of Japan's largest all-round pet festivals fills Intex Osaka with animals, hands-on corners and pet-friendly fun.
2026/09/21 01:00 OsakaAdults (junior-high+) ¥1,300 advance / ¥1,500 door; children (age 4-elementary) ¥700 advance / ¥800 door.
© S.T · GoogleJapan'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 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© T TMBC · GoogleAround 100 fishing boats escort three deities' mikoshi across the sea at this World Heritage shrine's grand autumn festival.
2026/10/01 FukuokaGratuit
© 村田誠一 · GoogleSeven 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 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Yuichi Otake · GoogleA 380-year-old shrine festival blending Japanese, Chinese and Dutch flair — spinning dragon dances, whirling umbrella floats and roaring 'Motte-koi' chants.
2026/10/06 22:00 FukuokaGratuit
© M's Factory · GoogleUNESCO-listed Belgian beer culture lands in front of Kyoto's Higashi-Honganji temple — dozens of imported brews, frites, waffles and live music in an open-air city festival.
2026/10/08 03:00 KyotoGratuit
© SK Y · GoogleEleven gilded Edo-era floats parade through old Takayama by day, then glow with 100+ lanterns at dusk in one of Japan's three most beautiful festivals.
2026/10/09 NagoyaGratuit
© kari one · GoogleOne of Japan's three great sake towns throws open its breweries, with a tasting plaza pouring 1,000-plus sakes from across the country.
2026/10/10 01:00 HiroshimaFestival free to attend; the 'Sake Hiroba' tasting plaza is a paid ticket.
© Mana TDK · GoogleA free international food-and-culture fair at seaside Yamashita Park: 50+ stalls of global cuisine and world music and dance performances on stage.
2026/10/10 01:00 YokohamaGratuit
© Kuro Manabu · GoogleNagoya's biggest autumn party crowns Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu in armor, leading a 600-strong procession from the station to Nagoya Castle.
2026/10/10 01:00 NagoyaGratuit
© SPCA663 Little B · GoogleJapan's biggest sake celebration: sample brews from across the country in Saijo, one of the nation's top sake towns.
2026/10/10 01:00 HiroshimaFestival free to enter; the 'Sake Plaza' tasting pass is paid
© 藤塚俊一 · GoogleIn a 340-year-old Nara ritual, shrine 'seko' wrangle wild stags with ropes inside a wooden arena before a Shinto priest saws off their autumn antlers.
2026/10/10 03:00 NaraAround ¥1,000 (adults)
© 龍-Ryu- · GoogleJoin thousands pulling the world's largest straw rope through Naha in this Guinness-record Okinawan autumn festival.
2026/10/11 02:00 OkinawaGratuit
© JCHuang · Google
OfficialTens of thousands grab a Guinness-record 200m rope and heave for 30 minutes in the middle of Naha's main road — Okinawa's most thunderous autumn spectacle.
2026/10/11 05:30 OkinawaGratuit
© Yuet Man Lee · CC BY-SA 4.0Three portable shrines are violently crashed together as seven ornate floats clash in Japan's most famous 'fighting festival.'
2026/10/14 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© k (ken5) · GoogleFifty-four golden, 5.5-metre taiko-dai floats are hoisted by 150-strong crews in one of Shikoku's three great festivals.
2026/10/15 23:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 野本貴士 · GoogleWalk ancient moss-covered pilgrimage paths through the forested Kii Mountains to sacred Kumano shrines, a UNESCO World Heritage route.
2026/10/16 23:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© K · GoogleIn Tokyo's 'Little Edo', towering tiered floats with revolving dolls roll past kurazukuri warehouses and clash in 'Hikkawase' flute-and-drum face-offs.
2026/10/17 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© Dwi Apriany · GoogleJapan's biggest analog-game fair, where thousands of indie board, card and tabletop creators sell and demo their games over one weekend.
2026/10/17 02:00 TokyoAround ¥1,500 advance / ¥2,000 same-day (2026 reference; autumn fees TBA); elementary schoolers and younger free.
© YAMAZAKI HIROYUKI · GoogleOver 5 million LEDs transform the park into a glowing garden — a luminous wisteria tunnel, a great wisteria of light and reflective ponds rank it among Japan's top three illuminations.
2026/10/17 06:30 TokyoEvening admission around ¥1,400 (varies by light stage).
© 吉澤広幸 · GoogleA 2-km parade of 2,000 people in meticulously accurate costumes marches through 1,000 years of Kyoto history, from Heian nobles to Meiji revolutionaries.
2026/10/22 03:00 KyotoGratuit
© H ! O · GoogleMen in loincloths haul flaming 80-kg torches through a mountain village after dark in one of Kyoto's wildest, most primal night festivals.
2026/10/22 09:00 KyotoGratuit
© Nishimura T. · GoogleHakata's 1,200-year-old harvest thanksgiving, with an ox-drawn carriage and children in court dress parading from Kushida Shrine.
2026/10/23 01:00 FukuokaGratuit
© Nattarat Juntien · GoogleOne of Japan's three great 'fighting' festivals, where teams ram a giant drum-float and mikoshi together to a thundering 'ton-ten-ton' beat.
2026/10/24 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© セントラルホテル伊万里 · GoogleAn all-night art festival turns Roppongi into an open-air gallery, with installations, performances and museums glowing from dusk till dawn.
2026/10/31 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© 小川ゆうこ · GoogleThree costumed demons roam the streets of hillside Onomichi, tapping children with sticks to bring them good health.
2026/11/01 HiroshimaGratuit
© ドンキードンキー · GoogleThe Yaeyama Islands' biggest festival fills central Ishigaki with a citizens' parade, island music and a closing fireworks display over the harbour town.
2026/11/01 02:00 OkinawaGratuit
© Ryu S. · GoogleKyoto's only autumn geisha dance, staged by the geiko and maiko of the Gion Higashi district. Ten days of elegant kyomai dance under lanterns, accompanied by live shamisen and song — a refined seasonal highlight of Kyoto.
2026/11/01 04:30 Kyoto¥6,000 (viewing only); ¥7,000 with a tea ceremony. Two shows daily at 13:30 and 16:00.
© Ikechan happy · GoogleFourteen colossal lacquered floats — golden lions, samurai helmets and dragons up to 7 m tall — are dragged through town and onto a beach where they sink in sand.
2026/11/02 10:30 FukuokaGratuit
© unison · GoogleAt Tokyo's National Noh Theatre, watch the 650-year-old art of noh and its comic counterpart kyogen, including a piece performed by celebrated kyogen master Nomura Mansai. English subtitles appear on screens built into the seatbacks.
2026/11/06 09:30 TokyoFront-stage ¥5,800 / Side-stage ¥4,000 (students ¥2,800) / Middle-stage ¥3,500 (students ¥2,500).
© Riko · GoogleOn November's rooster days, Asakusa's Otori Shrine fills with stalls selling glittering 'kumade' rakes meant to scoop up luck and fortune for the year ahead.
2026/11/07 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© Akihito Yoshida · GoogleThe year's final grand sumo tournament fills Fukuoka Kokusai Center for 15 days of ring-entering ceremonies, salt-throwing and thunderous bouts of giants.
2026/11/07 23:30 FukuokaFrom ~¥3,800 (arena seats) to box seats
© よっしー · GoogleJapan's biggest Spanish festival brings giant paella pans, flamenco, sevillanas contests and Iberian wine to Yoyogi Park for two passionate autumn days.
2026/11/14 01:00 TokyoGratuit
© T TMBC · GoogleOver 6 million LEDs blanket a mountainside amusement park — ride a panoramic chairlift through a sea of light with the Ferris wheel and rides glowing under the stars.
2026/11/14 07:00 TokyoAdmission with illumination around ¥1,000–2,300 (varies; combo tickets available).
© Pero Higashi · GoogleKyoto's most celebrated maple temple glows after dark in autumn, its crimson leaves mirrored in a tranquil pond.
2026/11/14 08:30 KyotoEvening light-up admission around 600-700 yen
© 陸癸榮 · GoogleKyoto's Arashiyama bursts into crimson and gold each November, with mountain temples, a scenic train and bamboo groves.
2026/11/14 23:00 KyotoGratuit
© Richard Parry · GoogleJapan's largest German-style Christmas market: a glittering tree, wooden hutte stalls, mulled wine and bay-side lights by the historic red brick warehouses.
2026/11/21 02:00 YokohamaPaid timed entry (around ¥500–1,000 — check official site).
© Kei_ TYO23 · GoogleAt 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.
2026/12/01 00:30 Partout au JaponAdults ¥700, elementary children ¥350
© J.M. · GoogleOne of Japan's three great float festivals: six lantern-lit floats are hauled up a steep hill in the December cold while winter fireworks burst overhead.
2026/12/02 05:00 TokyoGratuit
© 鈴木隆一 · GoogleSix 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.
2026/12/03 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 鈴木隆一 · GoogleA 890-year-old festival whose daytime parade marches costumes from the Heian through Edo eras through central Nara.
2026/12/15 NaraGratuit
© 龍-Ryu- · GoogleTokyo's official free countdown lights up the Metropolitan Government Building with giant projection mapping, live acts and a midnight cheer in Shinjuku.
2026/12/31 13:00 TokyoGratuit
© K KIM · GoogleSome two million Osakans cross the arched Sorihashi bridge to greet the year at 'Sumiyossan,' head shrine of Japan's 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines.
2026/12/31 13:00 OsakaGratuit
© 佳央大北 · GoogleSeventeen monks heave on ropes to toll Chion-in's 70-ton bell 108 times on New Year's Eve, each deep strike clearing a worldly desire.
2026/12/31 13:30 KyotoPaid viewing — advance reservation required (from 2025)
© Traeix · GoogleKyoto's head Inari shrine welcomes some 2.5 million New Year worshippers who pray for prosperity beneath endless tunnels of vermilion torii.
2026/12/31 14:00 KyotoGratuit
© bobby Newcomb · GoogleRoughly three million people stream through the towering torii to pray at Tokyo's grandest shrine in the first three days of the year.
2026/12/31 14:00 TokyoGratuit
© Lawrence · GoogleFamous as Japan's earliest-blooming plum grove, Atami Bairin opens its winter ume from early January with taiko, geisha dances and hot-spring charm.
2027/01/09 Partout au JaponModest garden admission during the festival (recent years a few hundred yen).
© Ishitsuka Naoyuki · GoogleJapan'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.
2027/01/09 23:00 TokyoBox (masu) and chair seats from ~¥3,800; sales typically open early December.
© Michael Hollander · GoogleOne of Japan's three great fire festivals: villagers defend a giant wooden shrine with blazing torches as attackers try to set it alight in a wild snowbound battle.
2027/01/15 10:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 雲 · GoogleIn a Daisetsuzan gorge, ice domes and towers fill a riverside field, lit nightly in shifting colors with weekend fireworks over the snow.
2027/01/23 04:00 Partout au JaponCooperation fee around ¥500 (junior-high+); free for younger children.
© 藤川一志 · GoogleSculptors spray the clear blue waters of Lake Shikotsu onto frames to build towering turquoise ice domes and tunnels, glowing in jewel tones after dark.
2027/01/30 01:00 SapporoDonation around ¥500 (high-school age+); free for younger children.
© namsuk Kim · GoogleKyoto's most famous Setsubun rite, where a masked exorcist drives off blue, red and yellow demons in an ancient court ceremony, ringed by 800 food stalls.
2027/02/02 09:00 KyotoGratuit
© _sun sat_ · GoogleSumo 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.
2027/02/03 02:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Yuki Nishijima · Google
OfficialFestival de la neige de Sapporo 2027 : dates confirmées Feb 4–11, les trois sites gratuits (Odori, Susukino, Tsudome), et comment s'y rendre depuis l'aéroport de New Chitose.
2027/02/04 01:00 SapporoGratuit
© Senior Chief Petty Officer Ryan Delcore (U.S. Navy) · Public domainAround 15,000 glowing lanterns fill Nagasaki for the Lunar New Year, with dragon dances, acrobatics and mask-changing across the city.
2027/02/05 08:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© MYON AI · GoogleWestern Japan's biggest international cooperation festival: NGO booths, world food stalls and global music fill the Umeda Sky Building, free to all.
2027/02/06 01:00 OsakaGratuit
© Farooq Khan · GoogleDemon-masked 'namahage' brandishing torches stampede down a snowy mountainside at Shinzan Shrine in a fierce, firelit Oga winter spectacle.
2027/02/12 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© michihiro kono · GoogleRoughly 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.
2027/02/12 23:00 Partout au JaponInner garden ~¥300 for non-residents; festival grounds largely free.
© Zia Kao · GoogleHundreds of candlelit snow igloos glow across Yokote while children inside invite passersby in for sweet sake — plus 4,000 mini-kamakura lighting the riverbed.
2027/02/15 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© リディア · GoogleThousands 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.
2027/02/20 13:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Kam Kam · GoogleTens of thousands of runners wind through Osaka's landmarks to a triumphant finish inside Osaka Castle Park in the city's flagship road race.
2027/02/28 OsakaPaid, lottery entry; the full-marathon fee is around ¥16,000 (spectating is free).
© 能勢靖 · GoogleOn 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.
2027/03/02 15:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© kvunby · GoogleOne 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.
2027/03/07 00:10 TokyoGratuit
© Michał Jasnowski · GoogleJapan's leading art fair, spanning antiques to cutting-edge contemporary across 150-plus galleries in the heart of Marunouchi.
2027/03/12 02:00 TokyoPaid admission ticket (around ¥3,000 in recent editions); the day before public opening is an invitation-only preview.
© milano6440 · GoogleSumo's spring tournament fills the EDION Arena in central Osaka for fifteen days, the only honbasho held in the Kansai region each year.
2027/03/13 23:30 OsakaTickets required. Chair seats start from around ¥3,000; box (masu) and ringside seats cost more. Buy through the official Japan Sumo Association ticket site.
© 134 · GoogleOver 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.
2027/03/26 15:00 OsakaGratuit
© Allen Z. · GoogleAround 30,000 cherry trees in 200 varieties blanket a sacred mountainside, blooming in waves up four zones from Shimo to Oku Senbon.
2027/03/26 15:00 NaraGratuit
© Lili Xu · GoogleThe world's largest anime expo leaves Tokyo for the first time and brings its public days to Intex Osaka.
2027/03/27 01:00 OsakaPaid admission; ticket prices for the 2027 Osaka edition to be announced on the official site.
© S.T · GoogleJapan'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.
2027/04/01 02:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© Yoko Horita · GoogleThirteen three-tiered floats with karakuri puppets parade below Inuyama Castle, glowing with lanterns under the cherry blossoms.
2027/04/03 NagoyaGratuit
© 白蓮 · GoogleTwelve ornate Edo-era yatai floats with karakuri puppets parade through old Takayama, glowing with around 100 lanterns each at the night festival.
2027/04/14 NagoyaGratuit
© 日枝神社 · GoogleEach spring, world-class photography takes over Kyoto's temples, machiya townhouses and modern museums in one of Asia's most beautifully staged art festivals.
2027/04/17 01:00 KyotoPer-venue tickets or an all-venue Passport; some programs are free.
© 京都相撲部屋-KYOTO SUMO CLUB- · GoogleThree 12-metre, 20-ton wooden floats — among Japan's largest — are hauled through Nanao's narrow streets.
2027/05/03 KanazawaGratuit
© I& Nakamura · GoogleGiant kites duel over the Nakatajima dunes by day; by night, illuminated palace-style floats and brass bands fill downtown Hamamatsu.
2027/05/03 01:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 里奈 · GoogleOne 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.
2027/05/03 01:00 FukuokaGratuit
© 약간tv · GoogleThe summer tournament returns to the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo for fifteen days of top-division sumo in early summer.
2027/05/08 23:30 TokyoTickets required. Arena chair seats start from around ¥3,000; box (masu) seats and ringside cost more. Purchase via the official Japan Sumo Association ticket site.
© Michael Hollander · GoogleA 1,400-year-old imperial procession of 500 people in Heian-era robes winds 8km through Kyoto, oxen and ox-carts adorned with hollyhock leaves.
2027/05/15 01:30 KyotoGratuit
© SK Y · GoogleOne of Hokuriku's three great festivals: six towering 6-metre warrior floats crowned with giant musha-ningyo figures are hauled through old port-town streets.
2027/05/18 23:00 KanazawaGratuit
© 吉岡宣幸 · GoogleHundreds 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.
2027/05/29 Partout au JaponThe 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.
© 目黒浩文 · GoogleKanazawa'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.
2027/06/04 KanazawaGratuit
© 山田真太郎 · GoogleHeld in full only in even-numbered years, Hie Shrine's grand procession sends a 500-strong parade of courtly costumes and portable shrines on a ten-hour route past the Imperial Palace and Ginza.
2028/06/07 22:30 TokyoGratuit
© 旨すぎ太 · GoogleGlowing arches of hundreds of thousands of lights fill Kobe each winter, a moving memorial turned beloved festival.
2026/01/23 09:00 Partout au JaponGratuit
© chia-hao HUANG (Bruce HUANG) · GoogleEach January, fireworks burst over Nara before the entire grass-covered Mt. Wakakusa is set ablaze in a spectacular winter ritual.
2026/01/24 08:30 NaraGratuit
© 井下原健太 · GoogleOne of Japan's three great gardens glows after dark in seasonal light-up events, from snowy yukitsuri ropes to autumn-leaf reflections.
2026/02/06 08:30 KanazawaGratuit
© 唐津敏明 · GoogleA UNESCO World Heritage village of steep thatched gassho-zukuri farmhouses, nestled in a mountain valley that turns magical under snow.
2026/02/15 Partout au JaponGratuit
© 黃翊彰 · GoogleMonks brandish giant flaming torches along Todaiji's Nigatsudo balcony each March, showering sparks over the crowd in a 1,200-year-old rite.
2026/03/12 10:00 NaraGratuit
© ヒロナカダ · GoogleGion's geiko and maiko perform the elegant Miyako Odori every April, a dazzling spring dance of kimono, music and seasonal scenes.
2026/04/01 03:30 KyotoTickets from around 4,000 yen; tea-ceremony seats cost more
© Andrew Wong · GoogleOkinawa's Golden Week dragon-boat festival packs Naha's port with thundering paddle races, music stages and fireworks over the harbor.
2026/05/03 OkinawaGratuit
© くどかず · GoogleOne of Tokyo's three great festivals: hundreds of portable shrines parade through Akihabara and the old Edo districts.
2026/05/08 23:00 TokyoGratuit
© Eduardo Silva · GoogleAsakusa's wildest weekend: nearly 100 portable shrines and two million people flood the streets around Senso-ji Temple.
2026/05/15 02:00 TokyoGratuit
© Guanchul Guanchunao · GoogleA grand samurai procession reenacts a feudal lord's entry into Kanazawa, complete with armor, geisha and lantern-lit floats.
2026/06/05 05:00 KanazawaGratuit
© MIYATA Tadaaki (AndeshM) · GoogleHiroshima's beloved summer kickoff: locals don yukata and fill the downtown streets for three festive nights.
2026/06/05 07:00 HiroshimaGratuit
© 助さん、角さん · GoogleSapporo erupts in color as thousands of dancers perform high-energy yosakoi routines through the streets each June.
2026/06/10 01:00 SapporoGratuit
© Brandon Hung · GoogleA reflective life-design workshop in Minato on the theme of self-love — journaling and honest conversation.
2026/06/21 06:00 Tokyo¥6,600
© Takashi IE · GoogleExplore the crimson seat of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, a UNESCO World Heritage site now rising again from its 2019 fire.
2026/06/26 OkinawaPark areas free; paid zones include the reconstruction site view
© H W · GooglePick from hundreds of kimono, get dressed by friendly staff, and stroll Senso-ji and the old streets of Asakusa in full traditional style — booking and support in English.
2026/06/26 01:00 TokyoWomen's standard from ¥2,500; with hair set ¥3,500; couple plan ¥6,500 (return by 5:00 pm)
© 浅草 着物レンタル 蓮-REN- · GoogleLearn the graceful art of the Japanese tea ceremony in a traditional Kyoto machiya, hosted in English for visitors.
2026/06/26 02:00 KyotoSessions typically 2,500-6,000 yen; reservations required
© 一保堂茶舗 京都本店 · Google