Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
Held annually in Toyohashi, Aichi, the Gion Festival combines tezutsu hand-held fireworks with the Yoritomo Procession, and dates back to the Edo period.
17–19 Jul 2027Aichi · ChubuThe summer counterpart to Chichibu's famous winter festival, held in July, where children take central roles as musicians and performers on decorated floats.
19–20 Jul 2027Saitama · KantoSurf Jam Festival celebrates four days of beach culture at Ohara Beach in Chiba, with live reggae, funk, and punk performances, plus DJ sets in a premier surfing destination.
17–20 Jul 2027Chiba · KantoElaborate floats and traditional performances honor this port town's spiritual guardian, a shrine established in 1620 by local leaders.
20–21 Jul 2027Akita · TohokuThis summer festival in Ehime features giant ushi-oni floats depicting fearsome bull and demon faces, paraded through the streets with traditional music and chants.
22–24 Jul 2027Ehime · ShikokuA renowned summer festival features over 3,500 participants in the Daikan Bayashi-Odori dance, decorated floats, and traditional performances.
25 Jul 2027Okayama · ChugokuFestival combining traditional puppet theatre with illuminated wooden lantern processions, featuring elaborate puppet shows depicting classical Japanese tales.
25 Jul 2027Ishikawa · ChubuA month-long summer festival centered on Osaka Tenmangu Shrine honors the deity Sugawara no Michizane with evening boat processions and fireworks on July 25.
24–25 Jul 2027Osaka · KansaiA traditional summer festival over 400 years old features large ornate floats adorned with embroidery, dedicated to a protective deity.
25–26 Jul 2027Oita · KyushuKarasuyama's largest festival combines a nationally designated folk performance tradition with outdoor Kabuki dance, organized rotationally by six local districts.
24–26 Jul 2027Tochigi · KantoMoka Summer Festival honors Kojin, the god of fire and hearth, with over 20 mikoshi and festival floats paraded through the city during a three-day summer celebration.
24–26 Jul 2027Tochigi · KantoA festival featuring massive serpent-shaped wooden floats that spew fire and smoke as they parade through Ōmuta City streets in July.
25–26 Jul 2027Fukuoka · KyushuA 600-year-old river festival in Tsushima, Aichi, held each July, where lantern-lit boats float down the Tenno River to traditional flute music, honouring the deity Gozu Tenno.
25–26 Jul 2027Aichi · ChubuThis coastal festival celebrates Otaru's maritime heritage with parades, fireworks, and cultural activities honoring the harbour's role in the city's growth.
24–26 Jul 2027Hokkaido · HokkaidoA month-long Kyoto festival centered on Yasaka Jinja Shrine features sacred rituals, food stalls, illuminated floats, and culminates in a grand procession and parade.
1–31 Jul 2027Kyoto · KansaiKishu Odori Bundara-bushi, one of Wakayama's largest summer events, returns on 1 August, with thousands of dancers around Wakayama Castle.
31 Jul – 1 Aug 2027Wakayama · KansaiThe Issaki Hōtō Festival features six massive illuminated lantern towers, each 10 meters tall, carried through the streets by teams in traditional festival attire.
1 Aug 2027Ishikawa · ChubuThis Utsunomiya summer festival brings residents together for parades, traditional performances, and displays of local culture.
1–2 Aug 2027Tochigi · Kanto
