Written by Alexandra Ziminski
Researched by Patrick Balfe
This month marks the start of summer fun, so grab your yukata and get ready for dance parades, processions, and rice festivals galore. Here’s a round-up of the best June events in Japan.
Whether you’re after dance performances or fancy horses, there’s something for everyone this month in Japan. Every prefecture has its own summer traditions and celebrations — all great to experience and unlikely to be similar to anything else you’ve seen.
For events in Tokyo and the surrounding area, head to our event listings on Tokyo Cheapo.
Kansai events
These are events in Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, Mie, and the surrounding areas.
Himeji Yukata Festival
The oldest festival of its type in Japan
Said to be the oldest yukata festival in Japan, this event is the first official chance for the people of Himeji to don their summer outfits. There are hundreds of food and drink stalls to peruse, and yukata-wearers receive discounts at various local sites and attractions.
Kyoto Art Fireworks
One of Kyoto’s biggest fireworks festivals, with a creative twist
Fireworks don’t usually need extra flair, but at the Kyoto Art Fireworks, they’d disagree. Here, the fireworks run with the rhythm of the music.
The Kyoto Art Fireworks are one of the most popular summer fireworks events in Kyoto. The event is usually packed to the brim, with people arriving even before the gates open at 5 p.m.
Izawanomiya Otaue Rice Festival
Watch out for sharks
This is one of the three major otaue (rice-planting) festivals in Japan and is recognized as an intangible cultural asset. Expect plenty of planting, as well as groups of men in loincloths scrambling to carry off a blue bamboo pole placed in a field.
Trivia: The mythology involves sharks visiting the shrine, so local fishermen suspend fishing on the day of the festival.
Aizen Festival
One of Osaka’s biggest summer festivals
Considered to be Osaka’s first major summer festival of the year, it’s also one of the prefecture’s three biggest — and a great spectacle if you don’t mind big crowds.
The most popular event is the Hoekago Parade, where a lady is carried in a basket in a procession around Aizendo Temple.
Yanagidani Kannon Hydrangea Week
Featuring a rarely opened imperial retreat
Take a hiking day trip from Kyoto City and see around 5,000 hydrangeas blooming on the mountainside. Don’t be fooled by the name; this event lasts the whole month of June.
Kanto events
These are events just outside of Tokyo, including Tochigi, Ibaraki, and the surrounding areas.
Takasaki City Rock Festival
A stacked lineup of Japan’s emerging rock bands
This indoor rock festival is designed to shake the roof of venues all over Takasaki. From rock and classical fusion to indie bands, the festival is a great chance to discover upcoming acts in the Japanese rock scene.
Hokkaido events
Yosakoi Soran Festival
A must on Hokkaidō’s summer event calendar
Filling Odori Park in Sapporo with crowds, the Yosakoi Festival has been a major event in the city since 1992. Look forward to teams of dancers performing energetically in bright costumes to drum-heavy music.
Tōyako Manga Anime Festa
Cosplayers take over Tōyako Onsen town
This is one of the biggest cosplay events in Japan. The usually quiet town of Tōyako Onsen is filled with parades, exhibitions, and contests featuring die-hard cosplayers. It’s also known for its giant meetup of blinged-out anime cars.
Tōhoku events
These are events in Aomori, Miyagi, and the surrounding areas.
Chagu Chagu Umakko
Voted one of the 100 Best Soundscapes of Japan
Watch as 100 elaborately dressed horses make their way between Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa and Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.
The horses are decorated with bells, leading to the name of the festival, which is an onomatopoeia of the sound they make as the horses walk.
Tanbo Rice Field Art
A collection of enormous living murals
This is your chance to see some amazing rice-field art in rural Aomori. Depending on the time of year, the designs on the rice fields can be a brilliant green or a deep brown.
Take a look at the official site for the current situation.
| At the door: ¥300 | ||
Hiroshima events
These are events in Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, and the surrounding areas.
Hiroshima Toukasan Matsuri
An early summer festival that closes with a bang
This annual event is a yukata festival that marks the start of summer — which is when the lighter versions of kimono are worn. Large crowds of over 450,000 people will gather over the three days to receive blessings at Enryu-ji Temple.
Chūbu events
These are events in Nagano, Aichi, Fukui, Shizuoka, Yamanashi, and surrounding areas.
Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival
Kanazawa’s biggest annual traditional festival
This spectacular festival celebrates the rich culture and old traditions of Kanazawa, which was once a major urban center of Edo-era Japan.
The three days all have different schedules, with Saturday being the busiest.
Horikawa Festival
Straw boat parades, lion dances, taiko drumming, and the grand Lion Mountain procession
This festival features an evening procession of taiko drums and lantern-covered structures, as well as a huge tower being towed through the streets (including an impressive negotiation of power lines).
Mishima Skywalk Hydrangea Festival
See a variety of blooming hydrangeas near Japan’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
See thousands of hydrangeas and an iconic sky-high view of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka. Conveniently located just 20 minutes by bus from Hakone, the Skywalk and its surroundings turn purple and blue during June for the hydrangea season. There are also illuminations on certain days.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in June 2016. Last updated in May 2026 by Patrick Balfe.
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