Events in Japan

Hiroshima Toro Nagashi

Each year, on August 6th, candle-lit lanterns are set afloat on the Motoyasu River next to Hiroshima’s A-Bomb Dome in remembrance of deceased ancestors and as a wish for world peace. The …

Akita Kanto Festival

In 2022, while many events will go ahead, the usual opportunity to mingle and take pictures (known as Furei Kanto) and the citizens’ parade will be canceled. Kanto (not related to the …

Hirosaki Neputa Festival

The Hirosaki Neputa Festival is a lower-key (but still spectacular) sibling of the much rowdier Nebuta Festival in Aomori City. While the Aomori floats are a lot more free-form, Neputa floats in …

Hinokuni Festival

The Hinokuni Matsuri is a festival that takes place in early August predominantly in and around Sunroad Shinshigai (a covered arcade) in Kumamoto City. The festival will feature various dance …

Aomori Nebuta Festival

This festival, for which Aomori is most famous for, takes place in Aomori City during the first week of August, however on the 1st it is only an evening fireworks display. What happens? The main …

Goshogawara Tachi-Neputa Festival

The fireworks festival on August 3 2022 has been postponed till August 9 due to heavy rain. Goshogawara hosts the third of the famous Nebuta festivals in Aomori. The others being Aomori Nebuta in …

Sendai Tanabata

Tanabata – literally meaning the ‘7th evening’ is a festival celebrated on different dates throughout Japan. The Sendai version, touted as one of the three major summer …

Kameoka Hozugawa River Firework Display

Part of the annual peace festival, this display is as famous for its fireworks as it is the beautiful food stalls which are illuminated at night. The event takes place on the Hozu river banks and …

Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival

Update: For 2022, you must buy an admission ticket to enter the area around Mojikō Station. This is a joint fireworks festival across the Kanmon Straits between Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi …

Nara Tokae

Update: In 2022, some festivities may be canceled. Check their guide map for more details. A ten-day event taking place in Nara, the Tokae sees thousands of candles placed in varying displays and …

Tokushima Awa Odori Festival

For 2022, many of the events will be ticketed. Please check their website (Japanese) for further details. Tokushima Awa Odori is rated by many as Japan’s top summer festival. It takes place …

Shoro Nagashi Lantern Floating Ceremony

For 2022 (as with 2020 and 2021), the ceremony will take place, but sightseers are discouraged. The ceremony is intended for those who have lost relatives since the last O-Bon. The annual holiday …

Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival

Usually, an incredible 40,000 fireworks go up in smoke in a couple of hours at this mid summer fireworks festival. However, for 2022 the organizers are running a “special type” event …

Yoshinogawa Festival and Fireworks

Taking place on the banks of the Yoshino River in the Shinmachi neighbourhood of Gojo city, this is Nara Prefecture’s most popular fireworks festival. Not content with a mere 4,000 …

Hitoyoshi Fireworks Festival

Taking place at the riverside in Nakagawahara Park in Hitoyoshi City, this fireworks festival would usually attract roughly 55,000 people to attend to ooh and ah at 5,000 pyrotechnics. Unlike a …

Daimonji Okuribi

For 2022 (as with 2021), the fireworks display which usually follows Daimonji ceremony has been canceled. Also, anyone not directly involved in the ceremony will be barred from attending and Nara …

Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi 2023

The locals call it Daimonji, the celebration during the height of the O-bon festival where Kyoto’s surrounding mountains are lit up with five bonfires. There are similar events throughout …

Miyazu Toro Nagashi Fireworks

Held on in the beautiful Amanohashidate area, this event features lantern floating and fireworks for a magical evening in Shimasaki Park. The floating of 10,000 Toro Nagashi lanterns takes place …

Nagahama and Kita-Biwako Great Fireworks

This display takes place on the Northern side of the Lake Biwako at Nagahama Port. In normal years, there are 10,000 rockets launched above the water and the display is best viewed from the small …

Sapporo Summer Festival

In 2022, the beer garden will reduce its seating to about half its usual capacity and the Hokkaido Bon Odori has been canceled. The Sapporo Summer Festival (Sapporo Natsu Matsuri) is an umbrella …

Kumano Fireworks Festival

Although there is some solid competition in this prefecture, this is oficially the biggest fireworks display in Mie with over 10,000 rockets forming some breath-taking displays. The event takes …

Summer Sonic Osaka 2023

Summer Sonic is back for 2023! Summer Sonic is known for featuring some of the biggest acts from around the world. The festival is held simultaneously in Chiba and Osaka, with acts switching days …

Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival

Watch as over 10,000 fireworks are launched over Lake Biwa, along with crowds of over 350,000 on a normal year. The event features fireworks and water jets to a create unique display with …

Shakado River Fireworks Festival

Each year, 300,000 residents of Fukushima and beyond line the banks of the Shakado River in Sukagawa City for the prefectures’s largest fireworks festival. This won’t be happening for …