Matsuri: Traditional Japanese Festivals

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Matsuri: Traditional Japanese Festivals

Festival

Takaoka Tanabata Festival

A festival celebrating the legend of star-crossed lovers transforms the city with colorful bamboo displays, streamers, and a traditional parade.

1–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakaoka · Toyama

Festival

Hirosaki Neputa Festival

The Hirosaki Neputa Festival features giant illuminated floats up to 10 meters tall, paraded nightly through the city with taiko drums and traditional chanting.

1–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHirosaki · Aomori

Festival

Issaki Hoto Festival

The Issaki Hoto Festival: six illuminated lantern towers, each 10 meters tall, carried through the streets by teams in traditional festival dress.

1 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNanao · Ishikawa

Festival

Nagano Binzuru

The Nagano Binzuru Dance Festival draws over 10,000 participants in yukata processions through closed-off city streets in a fully participatory summer festival.

2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNagano

Festival

The Aomori Nebuta Festival

Aomori's most iconic summer festival features glowing nebuta floats and energetic haneto dancers who leap through illuminated parades and water processions.

2–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAomori

Festival

Akita Kanto

A summer harvest festival in Akita where tall bamboo poles hung with paper lanterns parade to traditional music, with daytime balancing performances.

3–6 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAkita

Festival

Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival

An Aomori summer festival in Goshogawara known for its illuminated tachineputa floats, some up to 23 metres tall, paraded nightly to taiko drums and flutes.

4–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetGoshogawara · Aomori

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

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

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

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

Takaoka Tanabata Festival

A festival celebrating the legend of star-crossed lovers transforms the city with colorful bamboo displays, streamers, and a traditional parade.

1–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTakaoka · Toyama

Festival

Hirosaki Neputa Festival

The Hirosaki Neputa Festival features giant illuminated floats up to 10 meters tall, paraded nightly through the city with taiko drums and traditional chanting.

1–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetHirosaki · Aomori

Festival

Issaki Hoto Festival

The Issaki Hoto Festival: six illuminated lantern towers, each 10 meters tall, carried through the streets by teams in traditional festival dress.

1 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNanao · Ishikawa

Festival

Nagano Binzuru

The Nagano Binzuru Dance Festival draws over 10,000 participants in yukata processions through closed-off city streets in a fully participatory summer festival.

2 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNagano

Festival

The Aomori Nebuta Festival

Aomori's most iconic summer festival features glowing nebuta floats and energetic haneto dancers who leap through illuminated parades and water processions.

2–7 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAomori

Festival

Akita Kanto

A summer harvest festival in Akita where tall bamboo poles hung with paper lanterns parade to traditional music, with daytime balancing performances.

3–6 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAkita

Festival

Goshogawara Tachineputa Festival

An Aomori summer festival in Goshogawara known for its illuminated tachineputa floats, some up to 23 metres tall, paraded nightly to taiko drums and flutes.

4–8 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetGoshogawara · Aomori

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

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

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

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

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