Events in Japan

Huis Ten Bosch Christmas Town

Christmas really does come early in Nagasaki.

Maebashi Hatsuichi Daruma Festival

Daruma dolls are set alight in a traditional Japanese festival.

Osaka Toka Ebisu Festival

Join the festive atmosphere of Osaka’s Toka Ebisu Festival at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine, where locals gather to pray for wealth and success while enjoying street food and lively parades.

Kyoto Toka Ebisu Festival

Join in this noisy and raucous festival as people knock on wooden boards to get the attention of a lucky God.

Illumi Eeru Iwaki

See the streets in Fukushima light up with illuminations.

Saga Light Fantasy

Saga Station meets illumination.

NAKED Yoru Mode at Heian Shrine

Heian Shrine and NAKED create a colorful experience for those wanting to worship at night.

Dontosai Festival

Put some heat into your winter and New Year with this steamy (in more ways than one!) festival.

Oni Hashiri: Ogres and Flaming Torches

A fiery display of vanquishing demons awaits

Shittenoji Doya Doya Festival

See dozens of loincloth-clad men and boys doused in very cold water as they compete in teams for banknotes.

Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival

One of the three greatest fire festivals in Japan.

People-Throwing and Ash-Smearing Festival

Watch men get tossed into snow and behold the messy ash-smearing chaos.

Miyoshi Bonden Festival

Teams race to be the first to reach the shrine and onlookers also push to touch the special charms of this shrine.

Togakushi Dondoyaki Fire Festival

A traditional Japanese New Years' festival to bring you some luck.

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.

Wakakusa Yamayaki in Nara

See an entire mountainside in Nara go up in flames as fireworks are launched behind it.

Wonder Night Hill Illumination in Osaka

Step into a dazzling world of lights at one of southern Osaka’s largest illumination events.

Beppu Tsurumi-Dake Cold Weather Competition

Test your mettle in quirky contests like icicle clinging and enjoy local flavors with a shochu guessing game.

Festival of Lights Osaka

See Osaka come alive with light on those cold winter nights.

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.

Kayabuki no Sato Snow (Miyama Village) Lantern Festival

An amazing chance to see a remote, snow-covered thatched village illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.

Yasaka Shrine Setsubun

Setsubun at Yasaka Shrine's is unusual because it features geiko, geisha from Kyoto.

Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2026

See a traditional Japanese village lit up bright on a cold winter's night.

Heian Jingu Setsubun

One of the best-known Setsubun festivals in Kyoto.