Festivals and Events in Japan
Most Japanese festivals fall on the same dates every year rather than the same weekend, so they often land midweek. 31 of the biggest are here, with the next confirmed dates and the places they take over.
© Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Takayama Matsuri
9 to 10 October 2026
Gifu · Float procession
Kounosu Fireworks
10 October 2026
Saitama · Fireworks festival
© sailko / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Nada Kenka Matsuri
14 to 15 October 2026
Hyogo · Float procession
Jidai Matsuri
22 October 2026
Kyoto · Float procession
© 河田 貫成 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Tsuchiura Fireworks
7 November 2026
Ibaraki · Fireworks festival
Awaji Island Festival Fireworks
8 November 2026
Hyogo · Fireworks festival
Koedo Kawagoe Fireworks
21 November 2026
Saitama · Fireworks festival
© ちちびあん / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Chichibu Yomatsuri
2 to 3 December 2026
Saitama · Float procession
Photo: Comiket Co., Ltd. / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Comiket
29 to 31 December 2026
Tokyo · Festival
Wakakusa Yamayaki
23 January 2027
Nara · Fire festival
© Eckhard Pecher / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Sapporo Snow Festival
4 to 11 February 2027
Hokkaido · Snow and ice festival
Photo: Rarisan / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival
15 to 16 February 2027
Akita · Snow and ice festival
© ignis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Omizutori
1 to 14 March 2027
Nara · Fire festival
RubyKaigi
14 to 16 April 2027
Miyazaki · Festival
© 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Sanja Matsuri
14 to 16 May 2027
Tokyo · Float procession
© J o / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Aoi Matsuri
15 May 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
© 江戸村のとくぞう / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Gion Matsuri
1 to 31 July 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
1 to 15 July 2027
Fukuoka · Float procession
© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Tenjin Matsuri
24 to 25 July 2027
Osaka · Boat festival
© てんどん / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.1 jp)
Sumida River Fireworks
31 July 2027
Tokyo · Fireworks festival
© Rosino / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri
1 to 7 August 2027
Aomori · Lantern festival
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
2 to 7 August 2027
Aomori · Lantern festival
© Koichi_Hayakawa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Nagaoka Fireworks
2 to 3 August 2027
Niigata · Fireworks festival
© 秋田市 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Akita Kanto Matsuri
3 to 6 August 2027
Akita · Lantern festival