Matsuri: Traditional Japanese Festivals

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Matsuri: Traditional Japanese Festivals

Festival

Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival

Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival, held in June in Iwate Prefecture, honors decorated working horses, reflecting the region's horse breeding and farming heritage.

14 Jun 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakizawa · Iwate

Festival

Himeji Yukata Festival

A festival spanning over 260 years celebrates its origins in 1742 when commoners were permitted to attend a shrine ceremony in summer kimono.

20–21 Jun 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHimeji · Hyogo

Festival

Aizen Festival

A 1,400-year-old temple festival honors a Buddhist deity associated with love and good fortune through public celebrations and sacred displays.

30 Jun – 2 Jul 2027Osaka

Festival

Gion Festival

A month-long Kyoto festival centered on Yasaka Jinja Shrine, with sacred rituals, food stalls and illuminated floats, ending in a grand procession and parade.

1–31 Jul 2027Kyoto

Festival

Abare Festival

Illuminated lanterns parade through coastal Ushitsu in a celebration rooted in legend, featuring frenzied rituals to honor spiritual protection from epidemics.

3–4 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNoto · Ishikawa

Festival

Doronko Festival

An agricultural ritual held in rice paddies since 1881, marking the end of planting with mud-covered performances that ask for divine blessing on the harvest.

5 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSeiyo · Ehime

Festival

Ikukunitama Matsuri

One of Osaka's three great summer festivals features a grand procession from the shrine to Osaka Castle with gold and silver portable shrines.

11–12 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOsaka

Festival

Koiji Fire Festival

A coastal festival where young men carry ornate floats representing lovers into the sea before Benten Island, under fireworks and ceremonial fires.

19 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNoto · Ishikawa

Festival

Tsuchizaki Shinmeisha Shrine Annual Celebration And The Float Festival

Elaborate floats and traditional performances honor this port town's spiritual guardian, a shrine established in 1620 by local leaders.

20–21 Jul 2027Akita

Festival

Uwajima Ushi-Oni Festival

A summer festival in Uwajima, Ehime, where giant ushi-oni floats with fearsome bull and demon faces parade through the streets to traditional music and chants.

22–24 Jul 2027Uwajima · Ehime

Festival

Osaka Tenjin Festival

A month-long summer festival centered on Osaka Tenmangu Shrine honors the deity Sugawara no Michizane with evening boat processions and fireworks on July 25.

24–25 Jul 2027Osaka

Festival

Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival

A renowned summer festival features over 3,500 participants in the Daikan Bayashi-Odori dance, decorated floats, and traditional performances.

25 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKurashiki · Okayama

Festival

Tenno Matsuri

A 600-year-old river festival in Tsushima, Aichi, each July: lantern-lit boats float down the Tenno River to flute music, honouring the deity Gozu Tenno.

25–26 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTsushima · Aichi

Festival

Summer Grand Festival

The Summer Grand Festival honours Onominato Shrine's deities with Kanazawa's largest mikoshi procession, traditional dances, and rituals from the 1600s.

30 Jul – 2 Aug 2027Kanazawa · Ishikawa

Festival

The Hachinohe Sansha Taisai

Hachinohe Sansha Taisai combines traditional shrine processions with elaborately decorated floats and is recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

31 Jul – 4 Aug 2027Hachinohe · Aomori

Festival

Furusato Miya Matsuri

This Utsunomiya summer festival brings residents together for parades, traditional performances, and displays of local culture.

1–2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetUtsunomiya · Tochigi

Festival

Morioka Sansa Odori Festival

Major summer dance festival originating from legend about a demon's defeat, featuring traditional Sansa Odori dance and powerful taiko performances.

1–4 Aug 2027Morioka · Iwate

Festival

Tsuyama Gongo Festival

The Tsuyama Gongo Festival is a summer event in Tsuyama City with kappa-themed dances along Yakko-dori Street and one of Okayama's largest fireworks displays.

1–2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTsuyama · Okayama

Festival

Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival

Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival, held in June in Iwate Prefecture, honors decorated working horses, reflecting the region's horse breeding and farming heritage.

14 Jun 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakizawa · Iwate

Festival

Himeji Yukata Festival

A festival spanning over 260 years celebrates its origins in 1742 when commoners were permitted to attend a shrine ceremony in summer kimono.

20–21 Jun 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHimeji · Hyogo

Festival

Aizen Festival

A 1,400-year-old temple festival honors a Buddhist deity associated with love and good fortune through public celebrations and sacred displays.

30 Jun – 2 Jul 2027Osaka

Festival

Gion Festival

A month-long Kyoto festival centered on Yasaka Jinja Shrine, with sacred rituals, food stalls and illuminated floats, ending in a grand procession and parade.

1–31 Jul 2027Kyoto

Festival

Abare Festival

Illuminated lanterns parade through coastal Ushitsu in a celebration rooted in legend, featuring frenzied rituals to honor spiritual protection from epidemics.

3–4 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNoto · Ishikawa

Festival

Doronko Festival

An agricultural ritual held in rice paddies since 1881, marking the end of planting with mud-covered performances that ask for divine blessing on the harvest.

5 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSeiyo · Ehime

Festival

Ikukunitama Matsuri

One of Osaka's three great summer festivals features a grand procession from the shrine to Osaka Castle with gold and silver portable shrines.

11–12 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOsaka

Festival

Koiji Fire Festival

A coastal festival where young men carry ornate floats representing lovers into the sea before Benten Island, under fireworks and ceremonial fires.

19 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNoto · Ishikawa

Festival

Tsuchizaki Shinmeisha Shrine Annual Celebration And The Float Festival

Elaborate floats and traditional performances honor this port town's spiritual guardian, a shrine established in 1620 by local leaders.

20–21 Jul 2027Akita

Festival

Uwajima Ushi-Oni Festival

A summer festival in Uwajima, Ehime, where giant ushi-oni floats with fearsome bull and demon faces parade through the streets to traditional music and chants.

22–24 Jul 2027Uwajima · Ehime

Festival

Osaka Tenjin Festival

A month-long summer festival centered on Osaka Tenmangu Shrine honors the deity Sugawara no Michizane with evening boat processions and fireworks on July 25.

24–25 Jul 2027Osaka

Festival

Kurashiki Tenryo Summer Festival

A renowned summer festival features over 3,500 participants in the Daikan Bayashi-Odori dance, decorated floats, and traditional performances.

25 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKurashiki · Okayama

Festival

Tenno Matsuri

A 600-year-old river festival in Tsushima, Aichi, each July: lantern-lit boats float down the Tenno River to flute music, honouring the deity Gozu Tenno.

25–26 Jul 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTsushima · Aichi

Festival

Summer Grand Festival

The Summer Grand Festival honours Onominato Shrine's deities with Kanazawa's largest mikoshi procession, traditional dances, and rituals from the 1600s.

30 Jul – 2 Aug 2027Kanazawa · Ishikawa

Festival

The Hachinohe Sansha Taisai

Hachinohe Sansha Taisai combines traditional shrine processions with elaborately decorated floats and is recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

31 Jul – 4 Aug 2027Hachinohe · Aomori

Festival

Furusato Miya Matsuri

This Utsunomiya summer festival brings residents together for parades, traditional performances, and displays of local culture.

1–2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetUtsunomiya · Tochigi

Festival

Morioka Sansa Odori Festival

Major summer dance festival originating from legend about a demon's defeat, featuring traditional Sansa Odori dance and powerful taiko performances.

1–4 Aug 2027Morioka · Iwate

Festival

Tsuyama Gongo Festival

The Tsuyama Gongo Festival is a summer event in Tsuyama City with kappa-themed dances along Yakko-dori Street and one of Okayama's largest fireworks displays.

1–2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTsuyama · Okayama

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