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Festival

Mt. Shinobu Dawn Procession

A Fukushima winter festival in which volunteer bearers carry Japan's largest straw sandal, 12 metres long and made in an Edo-period tradition, through the city.

21–22 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetFukushima

Festival

Hadaka Matsuri

Historic purification festival where nearly-naked men engage in a spirited struggle to touch the selected Naoi-nin, symbolizing the cleansing of misfortune.

1 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetInazawa · Aichi

Festival

Shizukumiya Festival

A spring procession of 22 sake barrel shrines celebrates the completion of new sake and prays for an abundant harvest of the five grains.

15 Mar 2027Takayama · Gifu

Festival

Harvest Festival

A spring fertility rite centered on a symbolic wooden offering, with portable shrine processions and prayers for good harvests and future generations.

15 Mar 2027Komaki · Aichi

Festival

Hifuri Shinji Fire Swinging Ritual

Each spring at Aso Shrine, priests perform the Hifuri Shinji fire-swinging ritual, a mesmerizing ceremony rooted in ancient agricultural tradition.

23 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAso · Kumamoto

Festival

Inuyama Festival

Historic shrine festival featuring thirteen elaborate floats equipped with mechanical puppets performing traditional ceremonies on the first weekend of April.

4–5 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetInuyama · Aichi

Festival

Kanamara Matsuri "Festival of the Steel Phallus"

An annual Shinto festival at Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki featuring distinctive phallic imagery in decorations and parades while raising funds for HIV research.

5 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKawasaki · Kanagawa

Festival

Sanno Festival

Seven portable shrines and demon-drum performances mark this Sado festival, run jointly by six local communities in a tradition of over 800 years.

12–14 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Festival (Reitaisai)

Each April, Kumano Hongu Taisha holds its Reitaisai - three days of purification rites, beautiful sacred dance performances, and a grand palanquin procession.

13–15 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTanabe · Wakayama

Festival

The Spring Takayama Festival

A spring festival in Takayama showcases ornate floats with mechanical dolls and centuries-old craftsmanship, illuminated by lanterns during evening processions.

14–15 Apr 2027Takayama · Gifu

Festival

Marumage Festival

An annual festival in Himi centers on Senju-ji Temple, where unmarried women pray for happiness using a traditional married woman's hairstyle in ritual.

17 Apr 2027Himi · Toyama

Festival

Senteisai festival (Akama-jingu Shrine)

A shrine festival at Akama-jingu in Shimonoseki honoring Emperor Antoku with Shinto rituals, offerings and performances that mark the young emperor's death.

2–4 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShimonoseki · Yamaguchi

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

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

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

Mt. Shinobu Dawn Procession

A Fukushima winter festival in which volunteer bearers carry Japan's largest straw sandal, 12 metres long and made in an Edo-period tradition, through the city.

21–22 Feb 2027Exact date not confirmed yetFukushima

Festival

Hadaka Matsuri

Historic purification festival where nearly-naked men engage in a spirited struggle to touch the selected Naoi-nin, symbolizing the cleansing of misfortune.

1 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetInazawa · Aichi

Festival

Shizukumiya Festival

A spring procession of 22 sake barrel shrines celebrates the completion of new sake and prays for an abundant harvest of the five grains.

15 Mar 2027Takayama · Gifu

Festival

Harvest Festival

A spring fertility rite centered on a symbolic wooden offering, with portable shrine processions and prayers for good harvests and future generations.

15 Mar 2027Komaki · Aichi

Festival

Hifuri Shinji Fire Swinging Ritual

Each spring at Aso Shrine, priests perform the Hifuri Shinji fire-swinging ritual, a mesmerizing ceremony rooted in ancient agricultural tradition.

23 Mar 2027Exact date not confirmed yetAso · Kumamoto

Festival

Inuyama Festival

Historic shrine festival featuring thirteen elaborate floats equipped with mechanical puppets performing traditional ceremonies on the first weekend of April.

4–5 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetInuyama · Aichi

Festival

Kanamara Matsuri "Festival of the Steel Phallus"

An annual Shinto festival at Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki featuring distinctive phallic imagery in decorations and parades while raising funds for HIV research.

5 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKawasaki · Kanagawa

Festival

Sanno Festival

Seven portable shrines and demon-drum performances mark this Sado festival, run jointly by six local communities in a tradition of over 800 years.

12–14 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Festival (Reitaisai)

Each April, Kumano Hongu Taisha holds its Reitaisai - three days of purification rites, beautiful sacred dance performances, and a grand palanquin procession.

13–15 Apr 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTanabe · Wakayama

Festival

The Spring Takayama Festival

A spring festival in Takayama showcases ornate floats with mechanical dolls and centuries-old craftsmanship, illuminated by lanterns during evening processions.

14–15 Apr 2027Takayama · Gifu

Festival

Marumage Festival

An annual festival in Himi centers on Senju-ji Temple, where unmarried women pray for happiness using a traditional married woman's hairstyle in ritual.

17 Apr 2027Himi · Toyama

Festival

Senteisai festival (Akama-jingu Shrine)

A shrine festival at Akama-jingu in Shimonoseki honoring Emperor Antoku with Shinto rituals, offerings and performances that mark the young emperor's death.

2–4 May 2027Exact date not confirmed yetShimonoseki · Yamaguchi

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

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

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

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