Festivals of Japan

Feel the power of Japanese festival

Every year from August 2 to 7

Aomori Nebuta Festival

Aomori

Held on May 3 and 4 every year (scheduled)

Marugame Castle Festival

Kagawa

May 19–21 every year

Mikuni Festival

Fukui

Mid-May every year (tentative)

Kanda Festival

Tokyo

Early February every year (tentative)

Shizukuishi Winter Festa

Iwate

Late January - Mid-February every year (tentative)

Nakiji Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival –Night Illumination of World Heritage Nakijin Castle Ruins–

Okinawa

Mid-August every year (tentative)

Tamba Sasayama Dekansho Festival

Hyogo

November 1–30 every year

Korankei Momiji Festival

Aichi

Every year on the third Friday, Saturday and Sunday in November

Taketa Bamboo Lantern Chikuraku

Oita

Every year on October 14/15

Nada Fighting Festival

Hyogo

Mid-August every year (tentative)

Bicchu Takahashi Matsuyama Odori

Okayama

April 19 and 20 every year

Furukawa Festival

Gifu

Early August - Mid-August every year (tentative)

Yosakoi Festival

Kochi

Every year from early to late July Yoimiya Festival: July 24, Honmiya Festival: July 25

Tenjin Festival (Osaka Tenmangu Shrine)

Osaka

Every year on January 20

Kawarayu Onsen Yukake Festival

Gumma

Every year from July 20 to 23

Kumagaya Fan Festival

Saitama

Early May every year (tentative)

Takaoka Mikuruma-yama Festival

Toyama

Every year on August 26 and 27

Yoshida Fire Festival

Yamanashi

Late July every year (tentative)

TOBATA GION OYAMAGASA

Fukuoka

Every year on the first Friday to Sunday of August

Jantokoi Uozu Festival

Toyama

Late March every year (tentative)

The Kanoukaen

Nagasaki

April 9–17 every year

Nagahama Hikiyama Festival

Shiga

Early July every year (tentative)

Narita Gion Festival

Chiba

Early February - Early March every year (tentative)

Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival

Shizuoka

Mid-May every year (tentative)

Sanja Festival

Tokyo

May 2–4 every year

Shimonoseki Kaikyo Festival

Yamaguchi

Every year for the 3 days of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday that are closest to October 25

Ueno Tenjin Festival

Mie

Every year on August 13

Kanmon Kaikyo Fireworks Festival

Yamaguchi

Late January every year (tentative)

Nara Chitose Hogu-hogu Festival 2024 (Otateyama Festival)

Nara

Early August every year (tentative)

Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival

Shiga

Mid-late February every year (tentative)

Tokamachi Snow Festival

Niigata

The first Sunday of April every year.

Washibara Hachimangu Shrine Yabusame Shinji

Shimane

Every year on the first Sunday of August and the day before.

ishidori matsuri

Mie

Every year from early July to October

Noto “Kiriko” Festival

Ishikawa

Third Sunday of May every year and the day before

Sendai Aoba Festival

Miyagi

Late November to February 12

Yamagata Sound & Light Fantasia 2021

Yamagata

Late February - Late March every year (tentative)

Mito Plum Blossom Festival

Ibaraki

Early July every year (tentative)

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

Kanagawa

Mid-October every year (tentative)

Otsu Festival

Shiga

Mid-July every year (tentative)

Terukuni Shrine Lantern Festival

Kagoshima

Mid-April every year (tentative)

Hana Haru Festa

Tokushima

Early February every year (tentative)

Sapporo Snow Festival

Hokkaido

April 20–May 5 every year

The Sakura Festival of Kakunodate

Akita

Every year in the second week of October

Matsushiro Sanada Jumangoku Festival

Nagano

Every year on September 15 and for three days with Respect for the Aged Day as the last days.

Ishioka Festival (Grand Festival of the Hitachi no Kuni Sosha Gu Shrine)

Ibaraki

Every year on the Friday to Sunday that includes the fourth Saturday of July.

Yama-age Festival

Tochigi

Held the Saturday and Sunday of the Sports Day long weekend every October

Sake Festival

Hiroshima

Every year on the third Saturday in February

Saidaiji Temple Eyo

Okayama

First Saturday in August

Hyuga Hyottoko Mask Summer Festival

Miyazaki

Early May every year (tentative)

Iga Ueno NINJA Festa

Mie

Early May - Late May every year (tentative)

Fukiagehama Sand Festa

Kagoshima

Every year from August 5 to 14 (scheduled)

Nara To-kae

Nara

Every year for three days with the second Sunday in October as the last day.

Sanuki Toyohama Chohsa Festival

Kagawa

Every year on January 7

Nanokado Hadaka-mairi

Fukushima

Late April - Early May every year (tentative)

Yonezawa Uesugi Festival

Yamagata

Late October - Early November every year (tentative)

Saga International Balloon Fiesta

Saga

Every year around February

Nagasaki Lantern Festival

Nagasaki

Every year on August 12 to 14

Sanuki Takamatsu Festival

Kagawa

May 17 and 18 every year

Nikko Toshogu Shrine Annual Grand Spring Festival

Tochigi

Every year from August 5 to 7

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

Yamagata

Late July every year (tentative)

Hamasaki Gion Festival

Saga

Early May - Late May every year (tentative)

Tomonoura, Sea Bream Net-fishing

Hiroshima

Mid-August every year (tentative)

Tomioka Hachiman Shrine Festival (Fukagawa Hachiman Festival)

Tokyo

Mid-February - Early April every year (tentative)

Big Hina Matsuri

Tokushima

Early July every year (tentative)

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival

Fukuoka

Early May every year (tentative)

Seihakusai Festival

Ishikawa

Late February every year (tentative)

Katsuyama Sagicho Festival

Fukui

October 8 to 10 (fixed dates every year)

Marimo Festival

Hokkaido

Early June - Mid-June every year (tentative)

YOSAKOI SORAN FESTIVAL

Hokkaido

Every year on the 2nd Saturday/Sunday of February

Miyajima Oyster Festival

Hiroshima

Early April–End May every year (tentative) *The best time to see nemophila is from mid-April to early May

Flowering

Ibaraki

September 1 to 3 every year

Etchu-Yatsuo Owara Kaze-no-Bon

Toyama

April 21–May 5 every year (May change depending on the flowering status of the cherry trees)

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

Aomori

Late November every year (tentative)

Ichijo Festival

Kochi

Mid-November every year (tentative)

Taimatsu Akashi

Fukushima

Every year for three days from October 7 to 9

Nagasaki Kunchi Festival

Nagasaki

Early April - Mid April every year

Takato Castle Ruins Park Sakura Festival

Nagano

Late April - Early May every year (tentative)

Arita Ceramic Bazaar

Saga

Early May every year (tentative)

Odawara Hojo Godai Festival

Kanagawa

The first Saturday and Sunday of April every year

Inuyama Festival

Aichi

End March–Early April *Timings may differ depending on the state of bloom of the cherry trees

Takada Castle Site Park Cherry Blossom Festival

Niigata

Mid-October every year (tentative)

Kanuma Autumn Festival

Tochigi

Every year on January 9 to 11

Toka Ebisu

Hyogo

Every year on the first Saturday/Sunday of November

Saito Tomb Festival

Miyazaki

Every year on the fourth Saturday in November.

Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival (Hadakabo “Naked Monk” Festival)

Yamaguchi

Every year on January 15

Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival

Nagano

The third Sunday of October every year, and the day before.

Kawagoe Festival

Saitama

Every year on November 2/3

Ohara Festival

Kagoshima

Sunday in early October (the day before the second Monday)

Niu Festival (Laughter Festival)

Wakayama

Mid-July every year (tentative)

Nachi Fire Festival

Wakayama

Every year for the three days of Friday to Sunday in the first week of August.

Kiryu Yagibushi Festival

Gumma

Spring Takayama Festival (Sanno Festival) Mid-April every year (tentative) [Autumn Festival (Hachiman Festival) Early October every year (tentative)

Takayama Festival

Gifu

Every year on the last Sunday of October

Mt. Mitoku Fire Festival

Tottori

Early to mid-April *Timings may differ depending on the state of bloom of the cherry trees.

Shibata Cherry Blossom Festival & Ogawara Cherry Blossom Festival

Miyagi

Early April every year (tentative)

Castle Town Obata Cherry Blossom Festival

Gumma

One day in late March or early April (March 3 according to the old calendar)

Nagashibina in Mochigase

Tottori

Mid-October every year (tentative)

Fall Pottery Festival

Shimane

Every year from August 1 to 4

Sansa Odori Festival

Iwate

Every year from October 16 to 18

NIIHAMA TAIKO FESTIVAL

Ehime

Mid-August every year (tentative)

O-bon Daikento Lighting Up of Japanese Umbrellas

Tottori

Early May every year (tentative)

Hamamatsu Festival

Shizuoka

Summer festival: The Friday, Saturday and Sunday after July 10 Autumn festival: The Friday, Saturday and Sunday that surround the second Saturday in October.

Grand Festival of Sawara

Chiba

Every year on February 13 to 14

Jizo Exorcism Festival

Yamanashi

Late April every year (tentative)

Tosa Akaoka Dorome Festival

Kochi

Mid-July every year (tentative)

Kokura Gion Daiko Drums

Fukuoka

Every year from February 17 to 20

Hachinohe Enburi

Aomori

April 1 to the following Sunday every year *There are irregularities

Beppu Hatto Hot Spring Festival

Oita

Late February - Early March every year (tentative)

Katsuura Big Doll Festival

Chiba

Early August every year (tentative)

10,000 Eisa Dance Parade

Okinawa

Late October - Late November every year (tentative)

Entsuin Temple Fall Foliage Illumination

Miyagi

Late July every year (tentative)

Soma-Nomaoi

Fukushima

Late July every year (tentative)

Owari Tsushima Tennoh Festival

Aichi

Every year on December 2 to 3

Chichibu Night Festival

Saitama

The weekend preceding May 15 every year

OGAKI FESTIVAL

Gifu

Late September every year (tentative)

Kuji Fall Festival

Iwate

February 15 and 16 each year

Yokote Kamakura Festival

Akita

Third week in April every year

Nobeoka Daishi Matsuri

Miyazaki

July 22, 23 and 24

Uwajima Ushioni Festival

Ehime

Early February - Mid-February every year (tentative)

Shiramine Yukidaruma Snowmen Festival

Ishikawa

Every year on August 2/3

Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Show

Niigata

Every year from August 12 to 15

The Awa Dance (Awa Odori) in Tokushima City

Tokushima

Early August every year (tentative)

Shimizu Port Festival

Shizuoka

March 3 every year

Hina Nagashi

Wakayama

Early October - Mid-October every year (tentative)

Saijo Festival

Ehime

6th, 7th and 8th of August every year

Sendai Tanabata Festival

Miyagi

Late August every year (tentative)

Kuzuryu Festival Eiheiji Dai Toro Nagashi

Fukui

January 9 to 11 every year

Toka Ebisu Festival (Imamiya Ebisu Shrine)

Osaka

Early October every year (tentative)

Naha Giant Tug of War

Okinawa

Every year from June 7 to 17

Sanno Festival

Tokyo

Every year for the 3 days of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the second week of October

Kiritampo Festival

Akita

Every year on the first Sunday or national holiday after September 16

Fujisaki Hachimangu Grand Festival

Kumamoto

Mid-April every year (tentative)

The Ushibuka Haiya Festibal

Kumamoto

Mid-August every year (tentative)

Yamaga Lantern Festibal

Kumamoto

Early December - Late December every year (tentative)

Sendai Pageant of Starlight

Miyagi

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