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Festival

Ono Festival

A traditional spring festival held over two days features three decorated floats and karakuri puppets, with origins dating to the Edo period.

3–4 May 2027Tokoname · Aichi

Festival

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival

This festival showcases 10 hectares of vibrant pink moss phlox blooms and includes tour vehicles and traditional performances.

3–31 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOzora · Hokkaido

Festival

Yatsuo Hikiyama Festival

A traditional spring festival features six ornately decorated floats assembled without nails, pulled through streets with classical hikiyama music.

3 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Seihakusai Festival

This Ishikawa festival of over 1,000 years parades three huge wheeled floats with life-size Kabuki figures, recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

3–5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNanao · Ishikawa

Festival

Fukiage-hama Sand Festival

The Fukiage-hama Sand Festival turns a Kagoshima beach into a gallery of large-scale sculptures made by artists and volunteers, with cultural performances.

3–5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMinamisatsuma · Kagoshima

Festival

Minato Festival

Annual shrine festival featuring traditional performing arts, portable shrine processions, and demonstrations of ancient Minato kiyari songs.

5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Mamada no Jaga Maita

Before rice planting, children in Mamada parade huge painted serpents through town, chanting, then immerse them in a pond in a centuries-old rainmaking ritual.

5 May 2027Oyama · Tochigi

Festival

Shinkawa Market Festival

This downtown festival features food and craft stalls, agricultural products, and family activities rooted in Ube City's late 18th-century market traditions.

5 May 2027Ube · Yamaguchi

Festival

Otabi Festival

A spring celebration in Komatsu blends Shinto ritual, elaborate festival floats, and children's kabuki performances at two historic shrines.

8–10 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKomatsu · Ishikawa

Festival

Kanda Festival

A festival held at Kanda Shrine in Tokyo dating back to the 17th century, featuring processions of participants in Heian-period clothing and sacred ceremonies.

13–15 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTokyo

Festival

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo's largest traditional festivals, honours enshrined figures with mikoshi processions and an Intangible Folk Cultural Property dance.

15–17 May 2027Tokyo

Festival

Aoi Festival

The Aoi Festival, one of Kyoto's three major annual festivals, belongs to the northern Kamo shrines, with roots over 1,400 years old and equestrian archery.

15 May 2027Kyoto

Festival

Sendai Aoba Festival

A spring festival in Sendai honors feudal lord Date Masamune with ornate floats decorated with scenes from classic literature and theater over two days.

16–17 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSendai · Miyagi

Festival

Iwase Hikiyama Festival (The Fighting Floats Festival)

Annual spring festival featuring ornate floats with elaborate wooden tatemon decorations pulled through streets with traditional music.

17–18 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Mikuni Festival (Mikuni Shrine Annual Festival)

A three-century tradition, this Hokuriku festival showcases elaborately decorated floats and honors the maritime heritage of this former port town.

19–21 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSakai · Fukui

Festival

Himeji Castle Festival

Three-day festival featuring outdoor Noh theatre performances, classical arts, historical pageantry, and family activities across Himeji Castle grounds.

22–24 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHimeji · Hyogo

Festival

Sand Festival at Shirarahama Beach

On the white sands of Shirarahama Beach in Wakayama, teams compete each summer to shape elaborate sculptures using nothing but sand and seawater.

24 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShirahama · Wakayama

Festival

Sanno Festival

Centered at Hie Shrine, this major Toyama festival originated in the Edo period and features a two-day mikoshi procession through the city's parishes.

31 May – 2 Jun 2027Toyama

Festival

Ono Festival

A traditional spring festival held over two days features three decorated floats and karakuri puppets, with origins dating to the Edo period.

3–4 May 2027Tokoname · Aichi

Festival

Higashimokoto Shibazakura Festival

This festival showcases 10 hectares of vibrant pink moss phlox blooms and includes tour vehicles and traditional performances.

3–31 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOzora · Hokkaido

Festival

Yatsuo Hikiyama Festival

A traditional spring festival features six ornately decorated floats assembled without nails, pulled through streets with classical hikiyama music.

3 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Seihakusai Festival

This Ishikawa festival of over 1,000 years parades three huge wheeled floats with life-size Kabuki figures, recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

3–5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNanao · Ishikawa

Festival

Fukiage-hama Sand Festival

The Fukiage-hama Sand Festival turns a Kagoshima beach into a gallery of large-scale sculptures made by artists and volunteers, with cultural performances.

3–5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMinamisatsuma · Kagoshima

Festival

Minato Festival

Annual shrine festival featuring traditional performing arts, portable shrine processions, and demonstrations of ancient Minato kiyari songs.

5 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Mamada no Jaga Maita

Before rice planting, children in Mamada parade huge painted serpents through town, chanting, then immerse them in a pond in a centuries-old rainmaking ritual.

5 May 2027Oyama · Tochigi

Festival

Shinkawa Market Festival

This downtown festival features food and craft stalls, agricultural products, and family activities rooted in Ube City's late 18th-century market traditions.

5 May 2027Ube · Yamaguchi

Festival

Otabi Festival

A spring celebration in Komatsu blends Shinto ritual, elaborate festival floats, and children's kabuki performances at two historic shrines.

8–10 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKomatsu · Ishikawa

Festival

Kanda Festival

A festival held at Kanda Shrine in Tokyo dating back to the 17th century, featuring processions of participants in Heian-period clothing and sacred ceremonies.

13–15 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTokyo

Festival

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo's largest traditional festivals, honours enshrined figures with mikoshi processions and an Intangible Folk Cultural Property dance.

15–17 May 2027Tokyo

Festival

Aoi Festival

The Aoi Festival, one of Kyoto's three major annual festivals, belongs to the northern Kamo shrines, with roots over 1,400 years old and equestrian archery.

15 May 2027Kyoto

Festival

Sendai Aoba Festival

A spring festival in Sendai honors feudal lord Date Masamune with ornate floats decorated with scenes from classic literature and theater over two days.

16–17 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSendai · Miyagi

Festival

Iwase Hikiyama Festival (The Fighting Floats Festival)

Annual spring festival featuring ornate floats with elaborate wooden tatemon decorations pulled through streets with traditional music.

17–18 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Mikuni Festival (Mikuni Shrine Annual Festival)

A three-century tradition, this Hokuriku festival showcases elaborately decorated floats and honors the maritime heritage of this former port town.

19–21 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSakai · Fukui

Festival

Himeji Castle Festival

Three-day festival featuring outdoor Noh theatre performances, classical arts, historical pageantry, and family activities across Himeji Castle grounds.

22–24 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHimeji · Hyogo

Festival

Sand Festival at Shirarahama Beach

On the white sands of Shirarahama Beach in Wakayama, teams compete each summer to shape elaborate sculptures using nothing but sand and seawater.

24 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShirahama · Wakayama

Festival

Sanno Festival

Centered at Hie Shrine, this major Toyama festival originated in the Edo period and features a two-day mikoshi procession through the city's parishes.

31 May – 2 Jun 2027Toyama

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