Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
This Edo-period Kasedori Festival features performers in bird-shaped straw costumes paraded through Kaminoyama while spectators splash water on them for good fortune.
11 Feb 2027Yamagata · TohokuThe Hirosaki Castle Yuki-Doro Festival transforms the castle park into a winter wonderland with illuminated snow lanterns, dome-shaped kamakura huts, and intricate sculptures.
6–11 Feb 2027Aomori · TohokuMen of unlucky ages run through icy waters in this harsh February ritual that has cleansed misfortune since the devastating Edo-period Great Fire.
11 Feb 2027Iwate · TohokuA renowned winter festival recreates the Namahage tradition where demon-like figures visit shrines and homes, recognized as one of Japan's three strangest festivals.
13–15 Feb 2027Akita · TohokuA two-day winter festival in snowy Yonezawa transforming Matsugasaki Park into a landscape of 300 snow lanterns and 3,000 snow lamps lit by candlelight.
14–15 Feb 2027Yamagata · TohokuA winter festival in Yokohama celebrates the legacy of a historic plum grove, with around 100 trees blooming at Myōhōji Temple, reviving centuries of tradition.
14–15 Feb 2027Kanagawa · KantoHistoric winter celebration over 800 years old marking the end of the cold season with traditional performances and prayers for a bountiful rice harvest.
17–20 Feb 2027Aomori · TohokuA winter festival celebrates Edo-period scholar Bokushi Suzuki and the region's textile traditions with a 108-lantern Goma fire ceremony by mountain ascetics.
21 Feb 2027Niigata · ChubuAt this over 500-year-old Okayama festival, men in loincloths compete for a wooden stick, with the victor becoming the 'Lucky Man' and receiving believed year-long blessings.
21 Feb 2027Okayama · ChugokuThis Fukushima winter festival features Japan's largest straw sandal, a 12-metre marvel crafted in an Edo-period tradition and carried by volunteer bearers through the city.
21–22 Feb 2027Fukushima · TohokuAn ice festival at Lake Shikotsu showcases sculptures created from sprayed water, complemented by performances, fireworks, and nearby hot springs.
31 Jan – 23 Feb 2027Hokkaido · HokkaidoThe festival illuminates Nagasaki's streets with around 15,000 Chinese lanterns, some reaching 10 metres, celebrating Lunar New Year traditions.
6–23 Feb 2027Nagasaki · KyushuThe Zao Juhyo Festival showcases Snow Monsters, ethereal ice and snow formations that coat trees in the Zao Mountains, illuminated after dark to create a surreal winter landscape.
27 Dec 2026 – 23 Feb 2027Yamagata · TohokuAn international festival brings together animators and creative professionals to showcase diverse animated works across screenings, competitions, and workshops.
20–25 Feb 2027Niigata · ChubuThis handmade winter festival transforms harvested bamboo into intricate lanterns that celebrate Yamaga's heritage as a traditional umbrella-producing town.
6–28 Feb 2027Kumamoto · KyushuHistoric purification festival where nearly-naked men engage in a spirited struggle to touch the selected Naoi-nin, symbolizing the cleansing of misfortune.
1 Mar 2027Aichi · ChubuA festival celebrating Chofu's cinematic heritage since 1933 connects audiences with the city's continued cluster of film and media companies.
6 Feb – 1 Mar 2027Tokyo · KantoEvery spring the town of Katsuura in Chiba sets out 10,000 hina dolls down shrine staircases, under temple gates, and through the shops and streets between.
1 Feb – 3 Mar 2027Chiba · Kanto
