Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
A festival celebrating one of Japan's largest lotus-covered wetlands in Miyagi Prefecture, featuring boat tours through millions of vibrant pink blooms.
25 Jul – 30 Aug 2026Miyagi · TohokuA music festival at a high-altitude mountain terrace features two stages set against the backdrop of the Northern Japan Alps, hosting reggae, hip-hop, and DJ performances.
29–30 Aug 2026Nagano · ChubuThis anniversary exhibition traces Ultraman's six decades across the franchise's 50 productions, heroes, and kaiju through chronological themed zones.
10 Jul – 30 Aug 2026Fukuoka · KyushuA summer festival in the port town of Ogi on Sado Island, with traditional dances, portable shrines, and a fireworks display rooted in prayers for maritime safety.
29–30 Aug 2026Niigata · ChubuImmersive Squid Game experience where visitors register as players and compete in six iconic survival games from the Emmy-winning Netflix series.
16 Jan – 31 Aug 2026Tokyo · KantoA retro-themed summer train on the Tsugaru Railway Line adorned with furin, traditional Japanese wind bells that create soothing tinkling sounds.
1 Jul – 31 Aug 2026Aomori · TohokuAn immersive digital art museum brings Edo and Meiji-period yokai artwork to life through three-dimensional projections and interactive experiences.
3 Jul – 31 Aug 2026Kagoshima · KyushuA pottery village celebration in mid-July features handcrafted wind bells and illuminated lanterns that create a summer atmosphere.
15 Jun – 31 Aug 2026Saga · KyushuAn autumn festival at Yamashiro Onsen features a parade with a large lion and traditional Urayasu Dance of gratitude performed at Hatori Shrine for the harvest.
1 Sep 2026Ishikawa · ChubuMore than 300 original artworks and sketches from both of Arakawa Hiromu's major series, at Matsuya Ginza from 13 August to 2 September.
13 Aug – 2 Sep 2026Tokyo · KantoAn annual summer classical music festival in Matsumoto founded by Seiji Ozawa, centred on the international Saito Kinen Orchestra, with a strong focus on music education.
16 Aug – 2 Sep 2026Nagano · ChubuThis traditional harvest festival features processions of lantern-lit dancers in matching happi coats moving through Yatsuo to shamisen and kokyū music for three September days.
1–3 Sep 2026Toyama · ChubuThis innovative digital art exhibition uses 3D projection mapping to animate over 300 masterpieces by legendary ukiyo-e artists, transporting visitors into Edo-period worlds.
18 Jul – 6 Sep 2026Hiroshima · ChugokuThe Sado Island Endurance Challenge draws competitors from around the world for a 210-kilometre bike course circling the entire island alongside running events.
6 Sep 2026Niigata · ChubuTokyo National Museum marks the 1,250th anniversary of Kukai's birth with 88 Shingon temple treasures, including 15 National Treasures and nine secret statues.
14 Jul – 6 Sep 2026Tokyo · KantoTeamLab: Learn & Play! Future Park comes to Obihiro, Hokkaido with interactive installations where visitors co-create artworks through movement and touch responses.
11 Jul – 6 Sep 2026Hokkaido · HokkaidoUltra Acosta! 2026 is the fifth edition of this expanded cosplay event at Sunshine City Ikebukuro, drawing 20,000 visitors for photography sessions and social interactions.
4–6 Sep 2026Tokyo · KantoA traditional autumn festival with 400 years of history, held in September in Kakunodate, featuring large wooden floats decorated with samurai warrior dolls.
7–9 Sep 2026Akita · Tohoku
