Festival calendar
Festival calendar
Festivals and fireworks displays by month. Each one shows whether this year’s dates are verified; next year’s schedule is usually announced later by the organisers, so please check again before you go.
JulJUL
- Jul25Over for this year
Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival
Japan's oldest fireworks festival, with about 300 years of history on the river in old Edo: about 20,000 shells light up…
- Jul25Over for this year
Tenjin Matsuri dedication fireworks
The climax of Tenjin Matsuri, one of Japan's three great festivals: about 100 boats parade on the Ōkawa while about 3,00…
- Jul18Over for this year
Ise Jingū Hōnō National Fireworks Festival
Japan's only competitive fireworks display offered to Ise Jingū, with about 50 selected fireworks makers from across the…
- Jul1Over for this year
Kyoto Gion Matsuri
First among Japan's three great festivals: Yasaka Shrine's festival, going back more than 1,150 years, sees 33 yamahoko …
- Jul24Over for this year
Osaka Tenjin Matsuri
One of Japan's three great festivals, the thousand-year-old festival of Osaka Tenmangū: the 'rikutogyo' land procession …
- Jul1Over for this year
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
A 'men's festival' with more than 780 years of history: at 4:59 a.m. on 15 July, kakiyama floats weighing about a tonne …
- Jul11Over for this year
Gujō Odori
One of Japan's three great Bon dances and on UNESCO's intangible heritage list: 'step into the circle and you're a dance…
AugAUG
- Aug2Over for this year
Nagaoka Fireworks Festival
One of Japan's three great fireworks displays, themed on remembrance, recovery and peace: the giant 'shōsanjakudama' and…
- Aug29Over for this year
Ōmagari National Fireworks Competition
First among Japan's three great fireworks competitions, where the country's top fireworks makers compete side by side — …
- Aug15Over for this year
Lake Suwa Festival Fireworks
Held on 15 August, the main day of Obon: about 40,000 shells rise from the lake, and the natural acoustics of the surrou…
- Aug2Over for this year
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
Eastern Japan's greatest night festival: giant warrior lanterns about 5 m tall and 9 m wide parade through the city cent…
- Aug3Over for this year
Akita Kantō Matsuri
A balancing feat at one of Tōhoku's three great festivals: 'kantō' poles about 12 m long, weighing 50 kg and hung with 4…
- Aug6Over for this year
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Japan's largest Tanabata festival: giant washi Tanabata decorations hang in the arcaded shopping streets stretching for …
- Aug11Over for this year
Tokushima Awa Odori
A 400-year-old 'fools' dance' — 'the dancers are fools and the watchers are fools; if we're all fools, we might as well …
- Aug9Over for this year
Kōchi Yosakoi Festival
The 'youngest national festival', born in 1954: dancers hold naruko clappers, with music and costumes completely free, a…
- Aug4Over for this year
Goshogawara Tachineputa
The 'tallest' of Aomori's three great Nebuta festivals: giant three-dimensional lanterns about 23 m tall and weighing ab…
NovNOV
- Nov7Coming up
Tsuchiura National Fireworks Competition
The only one of Japan's three great fireworks competitions held in one of the three big metropolitan areas — an autumn c…
- Nov1Coming up
Day of the Dead
Marigolds pave the way home, and altars hold the dead's favourite foods: Mexicans welcome their departed loved ones with…
- Nov27Coming up
Nuremberg Christmas Market
One of Germany's most famous Christmas markets: wooden huts on the old-town square, finger-length grilled sausages and t…
- Nov24Coming up
Loy Krathong
On the full-moon night of the twelfth Thai month, people float candlelit krathongs on the river to thank the water and s…
Dates to be announcedTBA
- TBA—Dates to be announced
Atami Marine Fireworks
Famous seaside fireworks held more than ten times a year: the 'bowl-shaped' bay, surrounded by mountains on three sides,…
- TBA—Dates to be announced
Miyajima Underwater Fireworks
A dreamlike display where hemispherical 'underwater fireworks' rise from the sea against the Great Torii of Itsukushima …
- TBA—Dates to be announced
Kanda Matsuri
One of Edo's three great festivals: a day-long procession of the hōren and mikoshi through Kanda, Nihonbashi and Akihaba…