Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
Once a year the gods of Japan are said to abandon their shrines for Izumo, where a season of quiet rites welcomes, hosts, and finally sends them home again.
18–25 Nov 2026Shimane · ChugokuThis festival honors Tenjin, a tenth-century poet and administrator deified for his integrity, through a ritual dating back over a thousand years.
28 Nov 2026Yamaguchi · ChugokuToei Kyoto Studio Park brings Japanese yokai legends to life with parades, interactive dance experiences, workshops, and exhibitions celebrating supernatural folklore.
12 Sep – 29 Nov 2026Kyoto · KansaiAn annual festival in Saitama featuring six ornate floats illuminated by thousands of lanterns, along with fireworks and traditional performances.
2–3 Dec 2026Saitama · KantoMasked demons swing blazing torches through a temple hall in an ancient winter ritual performed twice daily, seeking protection from misfortune and ancestral blessings.
14 Jan 2027Nara · KansaiAn annual winter ritual in Sendai features the ceremonial burning of New Year decorations followed by a sacred pilgrimage procession in traditional attire.
14 Jan 2027Miyagi · TohokuDōsojin, a folk deity protecting travelers and villages, is honored through this traditional festival featuring ceremonial fire and ritual.
15 Jan 2027Nagano · ChubuThe Sagicho-shinji ritual burns New Year's decorations on January 15 at Tsurugaoka Hachimangū shrine in a purifying fire believed to cleanse impurities and bring a bountiful harvest.
15 Jan 2027Kanagawa · KantoA National Important Folk Cultural Property, this Little New Year fire ritual purifies homes and communities through burning traditional new-year decorations.
17 Jan 2027Kanagawa · KantoThe final day of this week-long Buddhist observance at a UNESCO World Heritage temple features torchlit processions and prayers for good fortune.
14–20 Jan 2027Iwate · TohokuAt Cape Shionomisaki, a practical piece of land management becomes a spectacular celebration as flaming arrows set the grasslands ablaze each winter.
30 Jan 2027Wakayama · KansaiIn February, this festival features a grand procession of 200 costumed samurai in traditional armor proceeding to Bannaji Temple for a traditional purification ceremony.
31 Jan 2027Tochigi · KantoAncient Noto folk ritual where children masquerading as demons parade through streets to symbolically drive away laziness and encourage diligent work.
3 Feb 2027Ishikawa · ChubuThe Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival marks the seasonal transition through purification rituals and Mamemaki, the traditional ceremony of throwing roasted soybeans.
3 Feb 2027Ishikawa · ChubuThousands of handmade snowmen light up after dark, transforming two mountain towns into a glowing winter spectacle, while local food vendors offer regional specialties to visitors.
6 Feb 2027Ishikawa · ChubuAn ancient Shinto ritual held on February 10 features young men in white ceremonial clothing splitting bamboo stalks to symbolize strength and readiness.
10 Feb 2027Ishikawa · ChubuFire-lit pillars adorned with sacred paper stand on beaches as the community performs ceremonial dances twice daily, seeking protection from illness and calamity.
11 Feb 2027Yamaguchi · ChugokuSnow and ice sculptures crafted by the Japan Self-Defense Force and local artists fill three Sapporo sites for Japan's most celebrated winter festival.
4–11 Feb 2027Hokkaido · Hokkaido
