Festival · Yamagata · TohokuYamagata · 5–7 Aug 2026
04:4318:46Yamagata
Reference rates · 2026/08/03
The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is a major August event where over 10,000 dancers parade nightly with flower-decorated hanagasa hats to taiko drums and folk song.
5–7 Aug 2026YamagataA summer festival transforms a town with illuminated green bamboo lanterns, folk performances, and fireworks over Takahata.
16 Aug 2026Takahata · YamagataA festival with over 260 years of history, where 20 ornate floats themed on historical tales, legends, and kabuki parade through the streets with traditional music.
24–26 Aug 2026Shinjo · YamagataThis 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 2027Kaminoyama · YamagataA 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 2027Yonezawa · YamagataThe 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 2027Yonezawa · YamagataA nostalgic Taisho-era hot-spring town in the Yamagata mountains, lined with wooden inns along a gas-lit river – at its most magical under snow.
Obanazawa · YamagataOne of three major Kumano shrines in Japan, Kumano Taisha was established in 806 and is known as the Ise Shrine of the North for its significance.
Nanyo · YamagataUesugi Shrine in Yonezawa honors the formidable warlord Uesugi Kenshin and was rebuilt in 1923 following a destructive fire.
Yonezawa · YamagataA historical park built around the ruins of a 16th-century fortress, featuring reconstructed architecture and gardens with panoramic city views.
Shinjo · YamagataYamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort offers slopes for all levels and a long winter season, famous for its rare snow-covered 'juhyo' formations and access to hot springs.
YamagataThis Yonezawa park preserves castle ruins dating to the 17th century and features scenic views alongside cherry blossoms in spring.
Yonezawa · YamagataA 16th-century castle in Kaminoyama now preserved as ruins with a reconstructed main keep that offers panoramic views of the surrounding region.
Kaminoyama · YamagataYamagata's main administrative center offering public services, local event information, and a gallery featuring works by regional artists and photographers.
Yamagata
