Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
By month: November 2026, December 2026, January 2027, February 2027
A re-enactment on a river bed in Fuefuki, Yamanashi, where about seven hundred people in armour refight Takeda Shingen against Uesugi Kenshin.
8 Nov 2026Fuefuki · YamanashiFootraces run in inflatable T-rex costumes, held in parks, on beaches and at local festivals across Japan since 2022, with adult and juvenile classes.
8 Nov 2026Ueda · NaganoA digital art exhibition that animates more than 300 ukiyo-e prints with projection mapping, with Gifu-only scenes of Oda Nobunaga and cormorant fishing.
6 Nov 2026 – 11 Jan 2027GifuDosojin, a folk deity protecting travelers and villages, is honored through this traditional festival featuring ceremonial fire and ritual.
15 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNozawaonsen · NaganoAn exhibition in Nagoya of swords carved on the blade, with dragons, deities and Sanskrit letters cut into the steel, shown in two changes of display.
1 Oct 2026 – 17 Jan 2027Nagoya · AichiMatsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival: a championship ice-carving contest and illuminated sculptures set against the National Treasure and the Northern Alps.
23–25 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMatsumoto · NaganoAncient Noto folk ritual where children masquerading as demons parade through streets to symbolically drive away laziness and encourage diligent work.
3 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNoto · IshikawaThe Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival marks the change of season with purification rituals and Mamemaki, the traditional throwing of roasted soybeans.
3 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKanazawa · IshikawaThousands of handmade snowmen are lit after dark in two mountain towns in winter, with local food vendors selling regional specialties.
6 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHakusan · IshikawaAn ancient Shinto ritual held on February 10 features young men in white ceremonial clothing splitting bamboo stalks to symbolize strength and readiness.
10 Feb 2027Kaga · IshikawaProjection mapping at Matsumoto Castle with ukiyo-e imagery, traditional crafts and seasonal scenes in three phases, plus interactive illuminations in the park.
13 Dec 2026 – 15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMatsumoto · NaganoA 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 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMinamiuonuma · NiigataThe Tokai region's largest ramen festival features 30 restaurants showcasing regional bowls and specialty dishes from February onward.
3–23 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNagoya · AichiAn international festival in Niigata where animators and creative professionals present animated works through screenings, competitions and workshops.
20–25 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNiigataHistoric purification festival where nearly-naked men engage in a spirited struggle to touch the selected Naoi-nin, symbolizing the cleansing of misfortune.
1 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetInazawa · AichiWinter fireworks light up the ski slopes of this snowy mountain town, offering a uniquely beautiful seasonal spectacle.
2 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYuzawa · NiigataAn evening celebration on the Rokuroshi Plateau in Fukui features LED sky lanterns against a backdrop of starry skies and fireworks.
7 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOno · FukuiA 1,200-year-old midwinter festival features bare-chested men competing to ascend to the temple and offer prayers to the protective deity Bishamonten.
7 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMinamiuonuma · Niigata
