Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
One of Iwate's most enduring celebrations, this autumn festival originated as prayers for harvest, now featuring ornate floats and traditional parades.
14–16 Sep 2026Iwate · TohokuThis over 650-year-old festival in a northern mountain town expresses gratitude for the harvest while praying for protection from disaster and the arrival of good fortune.
17–20 Sep 2026Iwate · TohokuA retro-themed railway journey through autumn scenery is accompanied by the gentle sounds of bell crickets resonating through the carriages.
1 Sep – 15 Oct 2026Aomori · TohokuA town in Fukushima that calls itself the UFO village fills its streets with about 2,000 people dressed as aliens, with prizes for the most convincing.
31 Oct 2026Fukushima · TohokuSendai's market recreates the atmosphere of a traditional German Christmas celebration with wooden chalets, imported goods, and a central illuminated Christmas tree.
5–25 Dec 2026Miyagi · TohokuSendai's Pageant of Starlight creates a dazzling winter display with millions of LED lights synchronized to music along city streets, one of Japan's celebrated illuminations.
5–28 Dec 2026Miyagi · TohokuAn 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 · TohokuThe 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 · TohokuThis 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 · TohokuHistoric 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 · TohokuThis 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 · TohokuThe 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 · TohokuA retro winter rail journey through Aomori's snowy landscape, where coal-burning stoves warm passengers as they share stories and grill dried squid.
1 Dec 2026 – 31 Mar 2027Aomori · TohokuThe Yonezawa Uesugi Matsuri features a multi-day celebration culminating in a reenactment of the 1561 Battle of Kawanakajima between Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen.
29 Apr – 3 May 2027Yamagata · Tohoku
