Festivals, exhibitions, pop-ups, and seasonal happenings across all nine regions.
By month: October 2026, November 2026, December 2026, January 2027
Thousands 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 · IshikawaWith a record 2,264 dealer groups, this world-renowned festival showcases garage kits, dolls, sculptures, and original artworks from professionals and amateurs.
8 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetChibaAn 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 · IshikawaFire-lit pillars hung with sacred paper stand on the beach as the community performs ceremonial dances twice a day for protection from illness and calamity.
11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYanai · YamaguchiSnow and ice sculptures crafted by the Japan Self-Defense Force and local artists fill three Sapporo sites for Japan's most celebrated winter festival.
4–11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSapporo · HokkaidoAn Edo-period festival in Kaminoyama where performers in bird-shaped straw costumes parade through town as spectators splash them with water for good fortune.
11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaminoyama · YamagataThe Hirosaki Castle Yuki-Doro Festival fills the castle park with illuminated snow lanterns, dome-shaped kamakura huts and intricate sculptures.
6–11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHirosaki · AomoriMen 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 2027Exact date not confirmed yetIchinoseki · IwateA traveling exhibition celebrates the decades-long partnership between Friday Road Show, Japan's most-watched film slot, and Studio Ghibli.
3 Nov 2026 – 14 Feb 2027SagaA food fair given over to sweet potatoes, with roasted sweet potato shops from across Japan, sweets, a vote for the best yaki-imo and a growers' contest.
9–14 Feb 2027ChibaA winter illumination in the hills of Kobe, with a heart-shaped tunnel of light, glowing palaces, a rainbow maze, bubble shows and an area for dogs.
23 Oct 2026 – 14 Feb 2027Kobe · HyogoA winter festival illuminates Otaru's snow-covered streets, canal, and historic sites with handcrafted candles and lanterns created by the community since 1999.
7–14 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOtaru · HokkaidoSNOW MIKU is an annual winter festival celebrating Hokkaido with exhibitions, live performances and a creators' market.
6–15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOtaru · HokkaidoTraditional hina dolls and intricately crafted miniature furnishings reveal the artistry and cultural significance of this centuries-old celebration.
30 Jan – 15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYokohama · KanagawaProjection 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 · NaganoThe Namahage Sedo Festival recreates the winter tradition of demon-like Namahage visiting shrines and homes, known as one of Japan's three strangest festivals.
13–15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOga · AkitaA 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 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYonezawa · YamagataA winter festival in Yokohama celebrates the legacy of a historic plum grove, with around 100 trees blooming at Myohoji Temple, reviving centuries of tradition.
14–15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYokohama · Kanagawa
