Festivals in February

Elegant winter illumination at Tokyo Midtown with a starlight garden.

Massive illumination at Sagamiko Resort with over 6 million lights.

Sapporo's winter illumination at Odori Park, Japan's oldest illumination event.

Winter illumination at Enoshima Island with ocean views.

Rows of small illuminated snow huts light the riverside in the snowy hot spring village.

Hina dolls displayed in homes and shops welcome spring along Katsuyama's historic streets.

Naked festival at Saidaiji Temple where men compete for sacred sticks.

Dancers in horse-shaped headdresses perform movements inspired by rice cultivation to welcome spring.

Spectacular Chinese lantern festival with 15,000 lanterns illuminating Nagasaki.

Snow hut festival in Akita where visitors enjoy mochi and amazake inside igloos.

Figures in straw costumes visit Kaminoyama's streets with wishes for fire protection and a good harvest.

Early-blooming cherry blossom festival along the Kawazu River.

Snow lantern festival at Hirosaki Castle with hundreds of snow lanterns.

Snow and bamboo lanterns illuminate the historic streets of Chizu-shuku in winter.

Hokkaido's second-largest winter festival with massive snow sculptures.

Japan's most famous winter festival with massive snow and ice sculptures.

Hina dolls are displayed in shops and homes throughout Makabe's historic streets.

Bean-throwing ceremony to ward off evil spirits, held at temples across Japan.