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Festival

Miyazaki Jingu Grand Festival

Miyazaki's largest festival honors Emperor Jimmu with a grand autumn procession of portable shrines and floats reenacting the legendary emperor's journey.

31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026Miyazaki

Festival

Okawakami Birafu Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

Featuring an Intangible Folk Cultural Property procession, this November festival unites a community through ceremony, dance, and spiritual communion.

3 Nov 2026Kami · Kochi

Festival

Fox's Wedding - Rice Ear Festival

The Fox's Wedding features a grand procession with white fox bride and groom, rooted in a legend of benevolent spirits said to bring marriage blessings.

3 Nov 2026Kudamatsu · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kurakake Castle Festival

A castle festival features an armored warrior procession, parades, and traditional performances including taiko drumming and Shinto kagura dance.

16 Nov 2026Iwakuni · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kamiari Festival

Once a year the gods of Japan are said to abandon their shrines for Izumo, where a season of quiet rites welcomes, hosts, and finally sends them home again.

18–25 Nov 2026Izumo · Shimane

Festival

Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival (Naked Monk Festival)

This festival honors Tenjin, a tenth-century poet and administrator deified for his integrity, through a ritual dating back over a thousand years.

28 Nov 2026Hofu · Yamaguchi

Festival

Dontosai Festival

An annual winter ritual in Sendai features the ceremonial burning of New Year decorations followed by a sacred pilgrimage procession in traditional attire.

14 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSendai · Miyagi

Festival

Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Festival

Dosojin, a folk deity protecting travelers and villages, is honored through this traditional festival featuring ceremonial fire and ritual.

15 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNozawaonsen · Nagano

Festival

New Year’s Bonfire (Sagicho-shinji)

Sagicho-shinji burns New Year decorations on January 15 at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, in a fire believed to purify and bring a good harvest.

15 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKamakura · Kanagawa

Festival

Oiso Sagicho Festival

A National Important Folk Cultural Property, this Little New Year fire ritual purifies homes and communities through burning traditional new-year decorations.

17 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOiso · Kanagawa

Festival

Echizen Ono Hina Festival

A Doll's Day celebration in Echizen Ono with hina doll displays at two venues, including a 20-step arrangement at a historic National Cultural Property.

24 Jan – 8 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOno · Fukui

Festival

Setsubun Armor Festival

A February festival in which a procession of 200 costumed samurai in traditional armor marches to Bannaji Temple for a purification ceremony.

31 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAshikaga · Tochigi

Festival

Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival

The Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival marks the change of season with purification rituals and Mamemaki, the traditional throwing of roasted soybeans.

3 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKanazawa · Ishikawa

Festival

Takewari Festival (Gogan Shinji)

An ancient Shinto ritual held on February 10 features young men in white ceremonial clothing splitting bamboo stalks to symbolize strength and readiness.

10 Feb 2027Kaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Atsukishinmei Festival

Fire-lit pillars hung with sacred paper stand on the beach as the community performs ceremonial dances twice a day for protection from illness and calamity.

11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYanai · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kasedori

An Edo-period festival in Kaminoyama where performers in bird-shaped straw costumes parade through town as spectators splash them with water for good fortune.

11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaminoyama · Yamagata

Festival

Namahage Sedo Festival

The Namahage Sedo Festival recreates the winter tradition of demon-like Namahage visiting shrines and homes, known as one of Japan's three strangest festivals.

13–15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOga · Akita

Festival

Hachinohe Enburi Festival

Historic winter celebration over 800 years old marking the end of the cold season with traditional performances and prayers for a bountiful rice harvest.

17–20 Feb 2027Hachinohe · Aomori

Festival

Miyazaki Jingu Grand Festival

Miyazaki's largest festival honors Emperor Jimmu with a grand autumn procession of portable shrines and floats reenacting the legendary emperor's journey.

31 Oct – 1 Nov 2026Miyazaki

Festival

Okawakami Birafu Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

Featuring an Intangible Folk Cultural Property procession, this November festival unites a community through ceremony, dance, and spiritual communion.

3 Nov 2026Kami · Kochi

Festival

Fox's Wedding - Rice Ear Festival

The Fox's Wedding features a grand procession with white fox bride and groom, rooted in a legend of benevolent spirits said to bring marriage blessings.

3 Nov 2026Kudamatsu · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kurakake Castle Festival

A castle festival features an armored warrior procession, parades, and traditional performances including taiko drumming and Shinto kagura dance.

16 Nov 2026Iwakuni · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kamiari Festival

Once a year the gods of Japan are said to abandon their shrines for Izumo, where a season of quiet rites welcomes, hosts, and finally sends them home again.

18–25 Nov 2026Izumo · Shimane

Festival

Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko-sai Festival (Naked Monk Festival)

This festival honors Tenjin, a tenth-century poet and administrator deified for his integrity, through a ritual dating back over a thousand years.

28 Nov 2026Hofu · Yamaguchi

Festival

Dontosai Festival

An annual winter ritual in Sendai features the ceremonial burning of New Year decorations followed by a sacred pilgrimage procession in traditional attire.

14 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSendai · Miyagi

Festival

Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Festival

Dosojin, a folk deity protecting travelers and villages, is honored through this traditional festival featuring ceremonial fire and ritual.

15 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNozawaonsen · Nagano

Festival

New Year’s Bonfire (Sagicho-shinji)

Sagicho-shinji burns New Year decorations on January 15 at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, in a fire believed to purify and bring a good harvest.

15 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKamakura · Kanagawa

Festival

Oiso Sagicho Festival

A National Important Folk Cultural Property, this Little New Year fire ritual purifies homes and communities through burning traditional new-year decorations.

17 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOiso · Kanagawa

Festival

Echizen Ono Hina Festival

A Doll's Day celebration in Echizen Ono with hina doll displays at two venues, including a 20-step arrangement at a historic National Cultural Property.

24 Jan – 8 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOno · Fukui

Festival

Setsubun Armor Festival

A February festival in which a procession of 200 costumed samurai in traditional armor marches to Bannaji Temple for a purification ceremony.

31 Jan 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAshikaga · Tochigi

Festival

Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival

The Utasu Jinja Shrine Setsubun Festival marks the change of season with purification rituals and Mamemaki, the traditional throwing of roasted soybeans.

3 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKanazawa · Ishikawa

Festival

Takewari Festival (Gogan Shinji)

An ancient Shinto ritual held on February 10 features young men in white ceremonial clothing splitting bamboo stalks to symbolize strength and readiness.

10 Feb 2027Kaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Atsukishinmei Festival

Fire-lit pillars hung with sacred paper stand on the beach as the community performs ceremonial dances twice a day for protection from illness and calamity.

11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetYanai · Yamaguchi

Festival

Kasedori

An Edo-period festival in Kaminoyama where performers in bird-shaped straw costumes parade through town as spectators splash them with water for good fortune.

11 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaminoyama · Yamagata

Festival

Namahage Sedo Festival

The Namahage Sedo Festival recreates the winter tradition of demon-like Namahage visiting shrines and homes, known as one of Japan's three strangest festivals.

13–15 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOga · Akita

Festival

Hachinohe Enburi Festival

Historic winter celebration over 800 years old marking the end of the cold season with traditional performances and prayers for a bountiful rice harvest.

17–20 Feb 2027Hachinohe · Aomori

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