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Festival

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is a major August event: over 10,000 dancers parade nightly with flower-decorated hanagasa hats to taiko drums and folk song.

5–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYamagata

Festival

Sendai Tanabata Festival

Held 6-8 August, the Sendai Tanabata Festival fills the city with vast colourful paper streamers and kusudama ornaments, rooted in the Tanabata legend.

6–8 Aug 2027Sendai · Miyagi

Festival

Kiryu Yagibushi Festival

The Kiryu Yagibushi Festival is a summer event held each August in Kiryu City, centred on Yagibushi folk song and dance, with street parades and live music.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKiryu · Gunma

Festival

Fussa Tanabata Festival

One of western Tokyo's biggest summer festivals, where Japan's Tanabata star festival meets American base-town culture in a street of dazzling decorations.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetFussa · Tokyo

Festival

Suhoteisai Festival

A rare Yamaguchi ritual festival said to date back over 1,800 years, with seven nights of dances around the Oni-ishi stone, tall banners and lantern poles.

7–13 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShimonoseki · Yamaguchi

Festival

Jantokoi Uozu Festival

Uozu's biggest summer event, the Jantokoi Uozu Festival brings UNESCO-listed Tatemon floats, folk dance, seaside fireworks, and jazz.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetUozu · Toyama

Festival

Ryotsu Tanabata Matsuri and Kawabiraki

A summer festival on Sado Island combining the Tanabata star festival with the ceremonial opening of Ryotsu Port: parades, folk dance and a fireworks finale.

7–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Yosakoi Festival

Every August, Kochi fills with dance: thousands of performers move through the streets with clacking naruko, in a carnival that reinvents itself each year.

9–12 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKochi

Festival

Awa Odori Festival

Japan's most famous traditional dance festival, held annually in Tokushima City, where dancers form groups with distinctive choreography and costumes.

12–15 Aug 2027Tokushima

Festival

Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival

A summer festival where 4,000 decorated goldfish lanterns cast a spellbinding glow over the town, alongside a spirited Goldfish Nebuta procession.

13 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYanai · Yamaguchi

Festival

Shiraishi-odori Dance

A traditional Bon dance on Shiraishi Island honouring those killed in a historical battle, with several dances performed together in time with a lead.

13–16 Aug 2027Kasaoka · Okayama

Festival

Fukagawa Matsuri

One of Tokyo's three greatest Shinto festivals, this mid-August celebration centers on water-splashing processions with portable shrines through the city.

15 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTokyo

Festival

Aodake Chochin Festival (Green Bamboo Lantern Festival)

A summer festival transforms a town with illuminated green bamboo lanterns, folk performances, and fireworks over Takahata.

16 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakahata · Yamagata

Festival

Wajima Taisai Festivals

Ornate lacquered lanterns parade through Wajima's four districts to light the path for visiting deities, with taiko drums and portable shrine processions.

22–25 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetWajima · Ishikawa

Festival

Okayama Momotaro Dance Festival

An Okayama City summer festival inspired by the Momotaro folk tale, featuring demon-costumed Uraja dancing and parades across the city in August.

22–23 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOkayama

Festival

Shinjo Matsuri

A festival in Shinjo with over 260 years of history, where 20 ornate floats themed on historical tales, legends and kabuki parade to traditional music.

24–26 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShinjo · Yamagata

Festival

Yoshida Fire Festival

The Yoshida Fire Festival ends the Mount Fuji climbing season on 26-27 August, with some 80 giant torches lit along the streets of Kamiyoshida.

26–27 Aug 2027Fujiyoshida · Yamanashi

Festival

Guzuyaki Matsuri

A festival centred on a giant papier-mache fish, or guzu, paraded through the streets, danced with and burned at Fuhashi Shrine, rooted in local legend.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is a major August event: over 10,000 dancers parade nightly with flower-decorated hanagasa hats to taiko drums and folk song.

5–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYamagata

Festival

Sendai Tanabata Festival

Held 6-8 August, the Sendai Tanabata Festival fills the city with vast colourful paper streamers and kusudama ornaments, rooted in the Tanabata legend.

6–8 Aug 2027Sendai · Miyagi

Festival

Kiryu Yagibushi Festival

The Kiryu Yagibushi Festival is a summer event held each August in Kiryu City, centred on Yagibushi folk song and dance, with street parades and live music.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKiryu · Gunma

Festival

Fussa Tanabata Festival

One of western Tokyo's biggest summer festivals, where Japan's Tanabata star festival meets American base-town culture in a street of dazzling decorations.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetFussa · Tokyo

Festival

Suhoteisai Festival

A rare Yamaguchi ritual festival said to date back over 1,800 years, with seven nights of dances around the Oni-ishi stone, tall banners and lantern poles.

7–13 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShimonoseki · Yamaguchi

Festival

Jantokoi Uozu Festival

Uozu's biggest summer event, the Jantokoi Uozu Festival brings UNESCO-listed Tatemon floats, folk dance, seaside fireworks, and jazz.

7–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetUozu · Toyama

Festival

Ryotsu Tanabata Matsuri and Kawabiraki

A summer festival on Sado Island combining the Tanabata star festival with the ceremonial opening of Ryotsu Port: parades, folk dance and a fireworks finale.

7–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Yosakoi Festival

Every August, Kochi fills with dance: thousands of performers move through the streets with clacking naruko, in a carnival that reinvents itself each year.

9–12 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKochi

Festival

Awa Odori Festival

Japan's most famous traditional dance festival, held annually in Tokushima City, where dancers form groups with distinctive choreography and costumes.

12–15 Aug 2027Tokushima

Festival

Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival

A summer festival where 4,000 decorated goldfish lanterns cast a spellbinding glow over the town, alongside a spirited Goldfish Nebuta procession.

13 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYanai · Yamaguchi

Festival

Shiraishi-odori Dance

A traditional Bon dance on Shiraishi Island honouring those killed in a historical battle, with several dances performed together in time with a lead.

13–16 Aug 2027Kasaoka · Okayama

Festival

Fukagawa Matsuri

One of Tokyo's three greatest Shinto festivals, this mid-August celebration centers on water-splashing processions with portable shrines through the city.

15 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTokyo

Festival

Aodake Chochin Festival (Green Bamboo Lantern Festival)

A summer festival transforms a town with illuminated green bamboo lanterns, folk performances, and fireworks over Takahata.

16 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakahata · Yamagata

Festival

Wajima Taisai Festivals

Ornate lacquered lanterns parade through Wajima's four districts to light the path for visiting deities, with taiko drums and portable shrine processions.

22–25 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetWajima · Ishikawa

Festival

Okayama Momotaro Dance Festival

An Okayama City summer festival inspired by the Momotaro folk tale, featuring demon-costumed Uraja dancing and parades across the city in August.

22–23 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOkayama

Festival

Shinjo Matsuri

A festival in Shinjo with over 260 years of history, where 20 ornate floats themed on historical tales, legends and kabuki parade to traditional music.

24–26 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShinjo · Yamagata

Festival

Yoshida Fire Festival

The Yoshida Fire Festival ends the Mount Fuji climbing season on 26-27 August, with some 80 giant torches lit along the streets of Kamiyoshida.

26–27 Aug 2027Fujiyoshida · Yamanashi

Festival

Guzuyaki Matsuri

A festival centred on a giant papier-mache fish, or guzu, paraded through the streets, danced with and burned at Fuhashi Shrine, rooted in local legend.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

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