Wakakusa Yamayaki in Nara
See an entire mountainside in Nara go up in flames as fireworks are launched behind it.
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Beppu Tsurumi-Dake Cold Weather Competition
Test your mettle in quirky contests like icicle clinging and enjoy local flavors with a shochu guessing game.
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Saikū Cultural Art Festival
★ Staff recommendationHot air balloons, a giant moon, and traditional performances from the past — welcome to the Saikū Cultural Art Festival.
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Wonder Night Hill Illumination in Osaka
Step into a dazzling world of lights at one of southern Osaka’s largest illumination events.
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Kayabuki no Sato Snow (Miyama Village) Lantern Festival
An amazing chance to see a remote, snow-covered thatched village illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.
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Umekoji Handicrafts Market
Discover handmade treasures and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere at Kyoto’s Umekoji Handicrafts Market, a monthly gathering of artisans and creators.
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Kyoto Candlelight Concert: Best of Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli)
Warm up a chilly night with candlelight and your favorite songs from Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi.
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Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2025
See a traditional Japanese village lit up bright on a cold winter's night.
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Demon Festival on Mount Yoshino in Nara
Fancy a dance with a demon? Nara's Kinpusenji Temple offers a unique Setsubun experience with its annual Demon Festival.
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Dojima Yakushido Setsubun Omizukumi Festival
Instead of bean-throwing, you toss joss sticks into a fire at this traditional Setsubun Festival.
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Yasaka Shrine Setsubun
Setsubun at Yasaka Shrine's is unusual because it features geiko, geisha from Kyoto.
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Noboribetsu Onsen “Naked Man” Festival
A steamy festival in the depths of the freezing winter
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Namahage Sedo Festival
A festival in which locals dress up as demons and scare the bejesus out of young children.
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Miyajima Oyster Festival
Chow down on cheap oysters at one of the most beautiful spots in Japan.
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Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival
It gets very, very cold in the far north of Hokkaido, so what better place to have a festival with giant carved ice sculptures?
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Tadami Snow Festival
Tadami has an abundance of snow, from which participants carve giant monuments and statues.
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Konomiya Naked Festival
9,000 men, freezing water, and one God-man. Japan’s wildest naked festival is not for the faint-hearted.
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Kamihinokinai Paper Balloon Festival
Watch the magical sight of of dozens of paper balloons adorning the night sky.
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Radish Festival
Warm up this February at Ōhara’s Sanzen-in Temple, where locals serve steaming soup made from locally grown radish.
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