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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

Shrine

Jozankei Shrine

A Shinto shrine in Sapporo's Jozankei hot spring resort area, dedicated to the god of hot springs and healing, surrounded by nature and autumn foliage.

Sapporo · Hokkaido

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

Shrine

Yamanashi Gokoku Shrine

Shrine honoring over 25,000 military spirits from conflicts spanning the First Sino-Japanese War through the Pacific War, set among 300 cherry trees.

Kofu · Yamanashi

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

Shrine

Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha

A shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji that worships the mountain itself, and the head of more than 1,300 Sengen shrines across Japan.

Fujinomiya · Shizuoka

Festival

Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival

Every 4-5 August, ten neighbourhoods of Yokaichiba send mikoshi through the streets while crowds throw water over them. A Chiba festival nearly 500 years old.

4–5 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSosa · Chiba

Shrine

Suwa Shrine

The tutelary shrine of Nagasaki, re-established in 1625 after the city had been church land, and home of the Kunchi festival.

Nagasaki

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

Shrine

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

Shrine founded as guardian deity of the Kamakura shogunate, hosting significant festivals including horseback archery and sumo wrestling traditions.

Kamakura · Kanagawa

Performing Art

Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival

The Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival revives dengaku, an ancient dance form rooted in Shintoism, performed by local talent and renowned actors in period costume.

8–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Mountain

Mt. Gassan

The highest of the three mountains of Dewa in Yamagata, sacred to the moon god, with a shrine at the summit that opens only in high summer.

Tsuruoka · Yamagata

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

Religious Site

Meoto Iwa

Two rocks off the shore at Futami in Mie, joined by a rope of rice straw, standing as a gateway to a sacred rock out in the sea.

Ise · Mie

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

Shrine

Shirahige Shrine

A shrine on the western shore of Lake Biwa with a torii standing in the water, dedicated to Sarutahiko and known as a shrine of long life.

Takashima · Shiga

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

Shrine

Yuge Shrine

A shrine on Yuge Island in the Inland Sea, founded by a branch of the Mononobe clan to their ancestor, with a pine grove and a shallow beach below it.

Kamijima · Ehime

Shinto in Japan | Hey Japan!

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

Shrine

Jozankei Shrine

A Shinto shrine in Sapporo's Jozankei hot spring resort area, dedicated to the god of hot springs and healing, surrounded by nature and autumn foliage.

Sapporo · Hokkaido

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

Shrine

Yamanashi Gokoku Shrine

Shrine honoring over 25,000 military spirits from conflicts spanning the First Sino-Japanese War through the Pacific War, set among 300 cherry trees.

Kofu · Yamanashi

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

Shrine

Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha

A shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji that worships the mountain itself, and the head of more than 1,300 Sengen shrines across Japan.

Fujinomiya · Shizuoka

Festival

Yaegaki Shrine Gion Festival

Every 4-5 August, ten neighbourhoods of Yokaichiba send mikoshi through the streets while crowds throw water over them. A Chiba festival nearly 500 years old.

4–5 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSosa · Chiba

Shrine

Suwa Shrine

The tutelary shrine of Nagasaki, re-established in 1625 after the city had been church land, and home of the Kunchi festival.

Nagasaki

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

Shrine

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

Shrine founded as guardian deity of the Kamakura shogunate, hosting significant festivals including horseback archery and sumo wrestling traditions.

Kamakura · Kanagawa

Performing Art

Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival

The Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival revives dengaku, an ancient dance form rooted in Shintoism, performed by local talent and renowned actors in period costume.

8–9 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Mountain

Mt. Gassan

The highest of the three mountains of Dewa in Yamagata, sacred to the moon god, with a shrine at the summit that opens only in high summer.

Tsuruoka · Yamagata

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

Religious Site

Meoto Iwa

Two rocks off the shore at Futami in Mie, joined by a rope of rice straw, standing as a gateway to a sacred rock out in the sea.

Ise · Mie

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

Shrine

Shirahige Shrine

A shrine on the western shore of Lake Biwa with a torii standing in the water, dedicated to Sarutahiko and known as a shrine of long life.

Takashima · Shiga

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

Shrine

Yuge Shrine

A shrine on Yuge Island in the Inland Sea, founded by a branch of the Mononobe clan to their ancestor, with a pine grove and a shallow beach below it.

Kamijima · Ehime

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