Japanese Festival Calendar & Event Search

Morioka's drum and dance festival, the world's largest taiko drum parade.

The river procession portion of Tenjin Matsuri with thousands of boats on the Okawa River.

Sumida River Fireworks Festival: Tokyo's oldest and most famous hanabi. Jul 25, 2026. Over 20,000 fireworks. Best viewed from Asakusa area.

Samurai horse festival in Fukushima with mounted warriors in armor.

Okinawan Eisa dance festival in the heart of Tokyo's Shinjuku.

Fuji Rock Festival: Asia's largest outdoor music festival. Jul 24–26, 2026. 200+ artists at Naeba Ski Resort. Camping, food, mountain setting.

Osaka's greatest festival with a river procession of illuminated boats.

Festival of lights at Yasukuni Shrine with 30,000 paper lanterns.

UNESCO-listed float festival in Sawara, Chiba. Jul 10–12, 2026. Edo-period streets, towering dashi floats, and traditional bayashi music.

Star Festival celebrating the annual meeting of celestial lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi.

Gion Matsuri: Kyoto's legendary month-long festival. Jul 1–31, 2026. Grand float processions on Jul 17 & 24. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Fukuoka's high-energy festival where teams race through the streets carrying massive floats.

Mid-year purification ceremony where visitors walk through a reed ring.

Aizen Matsuri is Osaka's summer festival opening, held at Shoman-in Aizendo Temple — the start of the city's festival season.

Rice planting festival at Sumiyoshi Taisha with traditional music and dance.

Sapporo's dynamic dance festival blending Yosakoi and Soran traditions.

Alternate-year festival at Hie Shrine in Tokyo with an imperial procession.

Festival in Yamagata featuring a grand procession and traditional performances.

Kobe's biggest spring festival with samba parades and multicultural performances.

Grand festival at Nikko Toshogu with a 'Thousand Warrior' samurai procession.