Akita Kanto Festival
2022-08-03 - 2022-08-06
Kanto (not related to the region of the same name) are poles that are approximately 15 meters long from which hang 46 lanterns – intended to resemble bags of rice.
Weighing up to 50kg, the festival performers balance these poles on their forehead or lower backs while walking the parade route. They are accompanied by bands of bamboo flute players and are urged on by the spectators.
As you can probably imagine, balancing a 15-meter-long pole that weighs 50kg while walking is quite a feat – especially if there is a breeze!
Pro tip: Book your accommodation, together with a viewing seat, in advance.

Tsushima no Miya Festival
2022-08-03 13:00 - 2022-08-05 22:00 (Asia/Tokyo)
There is an island, a shrine, and a station that is only open for a short festival each year. For two days this shrine, and the tiny Tsu island on which it sits, see around 10,000 people come and go. They come for the shrine and the summer festival. The bridge to the shrine opens early and closes late, and people come in droves throughout the day. Most people are families with children, who are brought to be blessed by the priests. Many charms are for sale as well. Back across the bridge on the mainland, the streets are lined with colorful stalls serving all the local favorite festival foods. There are games and drinks as well, and on the night of the fourth, there is a great big firework show. The station, 津島ノ宮駅 (つしまのみやえき), is also famous for train otaku fans who love to take pictures and save their tickets for their collections.

Goshogawara Tachi-Neputa Festival
2022-08-04 - 2022-08-08
Goshogawara hosts the third of the famous Nebuta festivals in Aomori. The others are Aomori Nebuta in Aomori City and Hirosaki Neputa.
‘Tachineputa’ means ‘vertical Nebuta’, so called because Goshogawara’s Nebuta floats are very tall – some as tall as a three-story building.
The Goshogawara festival starts later than both the Aomori City Nebuta and Hirosaki Neputa and finishes one day later.

Hinokuni Festival
2022-08-05 - 2022-08-07
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 troupes and competitions as well as a “Natsu Machi Yokocho” (summer town drinking alley).

Hiroshima Toro Nagashi
2022-08-06
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 lanterns are on sale from 6 am with the lanterns released by hand in the evening in the vicinity of the A-Bomb Dome and Motoyasu Bridge. Organizers warn that due to big crowds, you may have to wait a little while to set your lantern afloat.

Sendai Tanabata
2022-08-06 - 2022-08-08
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 festivals in the Tohoku region, is the most famous of them all. It’s so famous that it has become synonymous with Sendai itself.
The festival takes place from the 6th to the 8th of August. Encompassing the whole city of Sendai, neighborhoods hang colorful decorations paper decorations including handwritten strips of paper containing wishes of good fortune, paper kimonos, paper cranes, paper nets, and streamers.
The last night of the festival sees a major fireworks festival with 16,000 fireworks and 500,000 spectators making it the most popular in the Tohoku region.
Sendai Tanabata attracts 2 million visitors each year, so if you’re traveling to Sendai, you should make sure you have our accommodation arranged in advance.

Summer Festival in Honmoku, Yokohama
2022-08-06 10:00 - 2022-08-07 12:00 | 19 Honmoku Wada, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan, 19 Honmoku Wada, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan, Naka, Yokohama, 231-0827, Japan
Every year, in Honmoku, Yokohama, the Ouma Nagashi event is held during summer. Ouma is a figure with the head of a horse and a turtle-like body made of straw. Every year six pieces of Ouma are made for the event, which is dedicated to the Honmoku Shinto shrine. They are brought to the shrine by men in formal kimonos in the early morning of the day before the event. After they stay in the shrine overnight, they are carried throughout the town of Honmoku in the morning. Then they are sent about 5km offshore by boats from the Honmoku fishing port and thrown into the sea. The event is believed to take evil out of the town by throwing the figures into the sea. It is a kind of purification ritual. It has been practiced for nearly 450 years since the medieval era when feudal warlords fought each other to survive. Originally the figures were sent offshore by six wooden boats before the 1950s. Until last year, fishing motorboats had been used to bring the Ouma figures offshore. Last year the wooden boats came back for the first time in 50 years after being repaired thanks to donations by local residents and businesses. Beautiful beaches existed on the shores of Honmoku only 50 years ago.
Honmoku was a fishing village, where villagers produced seaweed and farmed fish. Among them werre anago sea eels and shako shrimp. They are essential ingredients of “Edo style sushi”. The beaches were reclaimed to expand the port facilities in the 1960s. Still, some fishermen continue to fish off Honmoku from this fishing port. Now we seldom have an occasion to enjoy the smell of the sea close by even though we are living in Honmoku, which used to be famous for its beautiful beaches. On the day of Ouma Nagashi ritual, six portable shrines, carried by men and women of all ages get together from six areas of Honmoku near MYCAL Honmoku to show off their high spirits in their own local matsuri festival costumes. That is the moment when Honmoku streets come alive with their cheerful calls, and everyone forgets the scorching heat of high summer. And it is an occasion for us to feel and smell the history of the town. Ouma figures are brought into the Shrine: at 10:00. Ouma figures leave the Shrine: at 08:00. This event is held yearly at the beginning of August, so if you miss it this year, be sure to visit the next chance you get. Check the website (Japanese) for details.

Yosakoi Festival
2022-08-10 10:00 - 2022-08-11 22:00
Summer is prime time for big festivals in Japan, and Kochi City is no exception. The highlight of the local year is a three-day dance/parade extravaganza in August, called ‘Yosakoi’. What the word means exactly is open to interpretation, but the general sense is ‘let the good times roll, and there’s a strong hint of, um, nocturnal naughtiness to it. During the Japanese holiday, obon, over 10,000 dancers in many dozens of teams throng the main streets and thoroughfares, beating time with small wooden clappers called naruko. The costumes are colorful and fantastic, and a highlight is the decorated trucks that head up each team, staffed by hard-core carnival party animals and blasting out music from their huge speakers. Every team is free to arrange its own style of music from Japanese ballad to big-Afro funk, but it must include at least part of the festival’s official song, the “Yosakoi Naruko Dance”. Things wind up with a grand parade down Otesuji-Dori Avenue and a huge fireworks display, lasting 90 minutes. Especially good dancers proudly wear ribands awarded by the judges, and there’s an overall winning team each year. Teams are organized by companies, businesses, and localities, and a lot of them are put together by izakaya – informal pub/restaurants, that Kochi City center is packed with. A festival is really a way for a town to bare its soul and show the world what it’s made of. I’m always impressed by the way Yosakoi displays the quintessential character of Kochi City – it’s loud, gaudy, cheerful, ever-changing, and irreverent, with the women of the town definitely front and center. Dancers come in all skill levels and ages, and they’re free to change teams every year if they choose. In addition, dancing styles are not predetermined, and the serious teams spend most of the year choreographing and practicing the next year’s dance routine. This kind of free-and-easy style might be frowned upon in other Japanese cities, but Kochi (as always) gives a broad grin and goes its own way. You’ll never see the same Yosakoi twice, and you’ll definitely never see a dull one. Let the good times roll!

Tokushima Awa Odori Festival
2022-08-12 - 2022-08-15
Tokushima Awa Odori is rated by many as Japan’s top summer festival. It takes place in Tokushima – a prefecture on the island of Shikoku.
The dance festival (Odori means dance) has its origins as a summer Obon festival. ‘Awa’ was the pre-Meiji name for the area in which Tokushima city is located. The festival was renowned as a raucous and drunken event and over the years a distinctive dance style emerged. There are a variety of styles of dress for men and women and they typically dance separately or together in large choreographed groups. Many of the female dancers wear distinctive hats resembling folded tacos which are made from the tatami. The main dances are performed from the 12th – 15th, but the Evening Selection is held on the night of the 11th.
The streets of central Tokushima City are closed to traffic each evening of the festival. Dancing takes place in the street (which can be viewed for free) and at seven stages with reserved seating. Tickets for the reserved seats range from about ¥800 to ¥2,000 in price and can be purchased in advance at the Information Center in front of Tokushima Station and at local convenience stores.
The festival is said to attract 1.3 million visitors, so if you intend to stay nearby, you should book well in advance. Another option is to do a day trip from Kobe on the mainland. The quickest way from Kobe to Tokushima is the Awa Express (link in Japanese) run by JR Shikoku Bus. From Shin-Kobe Station, the journey takes approximately 2 hours and 8 minutes. Tickets are 5,940yen return for adults and half that for kids. The Salad Express (link in Japanese) from the Hanshin bus covers the same route and charges the same price.
At present organizers are planning to go ahead with COVID-19 countermeasures in place.

Minato Mirai Bon Odori Dance Festival
2022-08-12 16:30 - 2022-08-13 20:30
The Minato Mirai Bon Odori Festival will once again be held in mid-August in Rinko Park, Yokohama. Looking out over the evening waters of Yokohama Bay, Rinko Park provides one of the most pleasant locations for one of Japan’s most-loved summer traditions. As with previous years, the festival will feature beer gardens and a Yokohama gourmet yatai street food stall corner delivering festival staples like kakigori shaved ice and yakitori skewers of grilled chicken. Traditional taiko drummers will be beating out their summer rhythms while yukata-clad dancers dance the bon odori around the central yagura stage. A community tradition, the bon odori’s circle of dancers is open to anyone wishing to join in and participate. Free to enjoy and with its views of Yokohama Bay Bridge lit up over the bay, the Minato Mirai Bon Odori Festival is the perfect Japanese summer experience.

Kanmon Straits Fireworks Festival
2022-08-13
This is a joint fireworks festival across the Kanmon Straits between Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Kita-Kyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture.
More than 1 million people on both sides of the strait are expected to watch the almost 1-hour long show in which 15,000 projectiles will be hurled into the night sky.

Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival
2022-08-13 15:30 - 20:00
The small city of Yanai in Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for its lanterns, but they’re a little different from many lanterns you’ve likely seen in the past. The lanterns here are shaped like goldfish, and you’ll see them displayed outside shops, restaurants, and even personal residences in the area. The unique lanterns are said to have first been created by a Yanai merchant in the Edo period who was said to have been inspired by lanterns at Aomori’s Hirosaki Neputa Festival, and the rest is history.

Daimonji Okuribi
2022-08-15
This is a memorial service for the spirits of fallen soldiers and to pray for peace which takes place on August 15th every year. A large 大 (the kanji symbol for great) is set alight on Mount Wakakusa using 108 flames to represent the traditional number of worldly desires possessed by humans. The event is the culmination of the O-Bon festival and fires are meant to guide the spirits back to the afterlife. You can see the fire from various spots in Nara Park which lasts around 30 minutes.
For 2021 (as with 2020 due to COVID-19), 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 Park will be closed to visitors.

Gozan no Okuribi
2022-08-16
The locals call it Daimonji, the celebration during the height of the O-bon festival where the city’s surrounding mountains are lit up with five bonfires.
Three of the bonfires are lit in the form of Kanji, while the other two are the shapes of a boat and a Shinto gate. It is said that the deceased family’s relatives rise from the spirit world for visits during August 16th, therefore Okuribi literally means, “send-off-fire”. To get the best view of all the bonfires, head to the center of the city: Nakagyo Ward. Or, you can also head one of the five mountains – Daimonji, Daikokuten, Funa Nishigamo, Daihoku-San, Okita, and Mandara. The bonfire is lit between intervals of five minutes, starting at 8:00 PM on Daimonji mountain.
2022 will mark the first time that the event has not been scaled down or canceled since 2019.

Summer Sonic Tokyo
2022-08-20 - 2022-08-21
Summer Sonic, one of Japan’s premier music events, is a two-day rock festival that’s held simultaneously in both Tokyo and Osaka. All-you-need-to-know As with the previous years, the rock festival is held in both Tokyo and Osaka. For the Tokyo locations, the festival will be held at the Zozo Marine Stadium & Makuhari Seaside Park. Tickets are sold as 1-day or 3-day passes, with prices ranging from ¥13,800 to ¥39,000 (based on 2019 prices). The tickets will be exchanged for wristbands when you enter the venue and will serve as your access pass to the event — so don’t lose them! Other than performances, there will also be food and drink stalls around the venue for party-goers to fuel up before continuing the night’s festivities. More details on the artist lineup will be announced on the official website. History of Summer Sonic Founded in 2000, the Summer Sonic rock festival has been held annually ever since. The festival was independently owned by Creativeman Productions Ltd but was bought over by Live Nation Entertainment in 2014. Star performers from previous years’ events include Coldplay, Zedd, BABYMETAL, The Chainsmokers, Radwimps, BLACKPINK, Perfume, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.
Summer Sonic Main Stage 2015: Zedd Performing from Afar (Photo: Nesnad / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The festival has, historically, attracted diverse lineups, from local rock musicians and indie bands to internationally-acclaimed pop/rock singers. With a star-studded lineup each year, it is no wonder how Summer Sonic attracted over 350,000 attendees in 2019 alone. Aside from Summer Sonic, the Fuji Rock Festival is another one of Japan’s biggest annual music events.

Anamori Inari Shrine Lantern Festival
2022-08-23 18:00 - 2022-08-25 22:00
Every year in late August, the parishioners of Anamori Inari Shrine In Ota City join the priests and their attendants to light handmade lanterns, asking Inari-sama, the god of rice, for the granting of wishes. The lanterns which bear images made by children and adults alike are set up on the day of the festival. Illustrations of kabuki actors and interpretations of ukiyo-e prints hang next to popular characters and naive landscape paintings. Parishioners and visitors gather around sunset for a Shinto ceremony in the sanctuary before the lantern lighting. The female shrine attendants in red hakama trousers and local elders distribute candles to each person and direct them to make their wishes at the opened sanctuary. One by one, each person takes a turn to light the 300 or so lanterns. Despite being part of vast urban Tokyo, the festival has a hometown feel, and the parishioners welcome everybody to join the festivities. Just like any small neighborhood festival, the evening is whiled away with children’s dance performances to pop music followed by more traditional drumming and dancing. And eating. Stay around a while and have yakisoba and drinks at the food stalls.

Shinjo Matsuri
2022-08-24 08:30 - 2022-08-26 20:00
Shinjo City in Yamagata is proudly home to Shinjo Matsuri, which is arguably the best festival in Tohoku. This festival, with its history of 250 years, is celebrated from August 24th to 26th every year and consists of city-wide parades of giant floats, each depicting a story, over three days. It is also remarkable for hosting over 400 stalls selling food, drink, toys, and even turtles.

Okutsuhime Shrine Festival in Wajima
2022-08-25 - 2022-08-28
Young men dressed in women’s clothes and with make-up on their faces carry a portable shrine into the ocean at Sodegahama Beach. Then small children on shore pull long ropes attached to the shrine back and forth. This is the Okutsuhime Shrine Festival, the first in a series of four shrine festivals in Wajima. What a spectacle to watch; full of excitement and great fun. Late summer is a perfect time to visit the Wajima area of the Noto Peninsula to enjoy some great spectacles at the Wajima Grand Festivals. Yes, it is not one but four festivals related to local shrines that take place from August 22 to 25 each year. The festive activities start with the Okutsuhime Shrine Festival. Here is the legend that gave reason to this festival: A Shinto God-Princess (hime means princess in Japanese) lived on Hegura Island about 50 km off the coast of the Noto Peninsula, Her Shinto God-Prince lived on the land in Wajima. They were very much in love but sadly, they were allowed to meet only once a year. The fisherman of Wajima wanted to help the lovers find each other by carrying giant lanterns to brighten the night. Giant candles became giant lanterns (kikiro) in the shape of votive candles. Well, it has been said that they get intimate, and the meeting of the two results in the birth of a new god. Where there is love, there is jealousy. The God-Prince got jealous of the young, healthy local men who carried the portable shrine (mikoshi) with the God-Princess. To attract the wrath of a Shinto God is a terrible thing. Hence, the local men started to dress as women and wore make-up like women. They still do this to this day making for a fun atmosphere. After the Shinto ritual, a group of local children and teenagers perform a vigorous taiko drumming show. The mikoshi is carried from Okutsuhime Shrine to Sodegahama Beach, where a Shinto priest conducts a purification ritual before the shrine enters the water of the ocean. Then the action starts for good: the young men carry the shrine down the beach lined to both sides by local noblemen, then through a Shinto gate and into the water of the ocean. A rope is attached to the mikoshi which is held by young children who aim to prevent the men from entering the water. Like this, the mikoshi is carried in and out of the ocean many times, until finally it is taken back ashore and brought to a temporary shrine for one night. The locals must enjoy this fun event a lot because they repeat it a second time the following day. Let legend by legend, the locals celebrate this shrine festival at the end of the fishing season to say thank you to the Shinto-Gods (kami-sama) for helping them to catch a lot of fish, stay accident-free, and bring good fortune to their homes. If you want to search for the princess, then make a trip to Hegura Island! It is just 2 km by 1 km in size and less than 100 people live there. A ferry takes locals and guests from Wajima Port to Hegura Port in 1h30min. Beware! There is only one ferry in the morning going to the island and one ferry in the evening coming back to Wajima. What to do if you get bored of princess hunt? Locals say that Hegura Island is a good spot for angling and bird-watching!

Niwaka Lantern Festival
2022-08-27
You might have heard of Kiriko in Wajima but do you know Niwaka? A procession of colorfully painted floats marks the end of summer in Ukawa, a fishermen’s village on the Noto Peninsula. This is the time when the locals give thanks to the gods for a good fishing season. Like many summer festivals in Japan, this festival is related to the local shrine, Sugahara Shrine, and the whole local community is involved. Niwaka is a type of Kiriko lantern. Whereas Kiriko is long and slim in Wajima, Niwaka in Ukawa Village, now part of Noto Town in Oku Noto, are more roundish (7m x 5m) and they feature colorful paintings. In particular, Benzaiten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, is prayed to for a good catch and an accident-free season. Locals say that Benzaiten selects one of the warriors painted on the Niwaka during the climax of the festival in front of the Benzaiten Shrine which is a taiko competition that lasts from midnight until 3 am. The story goes that Niwaka, which literally means “unexpected”, was built and decorated by locals in Ukawa Village when they expected Lord Maeda, the daimyo (over-lord) for this area. The Maeda Clan was one of the most powerful samurai clans in Japan during the Edo Period (feudal period). They were the Daimyo of Kaga Domain, nowadays part of Ishikawa Prefecture, and they had their castle in Kanazawa. In the middle of the 19th century Lord Maeda, the 13th was on his round of inspections and passed through the area when the locals held their annual “harvest celebrations”, a festival that is reaching back about 400 years. They wanted to surprise their Lord and created these large, colorful lanterns. The lanterns are decorated with paintings of warriors. The criteria for choosing the motif are to depict powerful and handsome warriors. The Niwaka have painted anew every year. It takes two months to complete the painting. Each is a piece of folk art. Currently, there are nine Niwaka. Initially, it was just two wards in this community, but now there are nine wards engaged, hence, nine Niwaka. The ward leader decides what the painting should on the lantern be each year. Next local boys and girls in typical festival outfits gather near the Niwaka. They take turns beating taiko drums for a while for spectators to enjoy. Around 8 pm the locals enjoy fireworks that brighten up the night sky just behind the shrine. The fireworks add even more light and atmosphere to the place where the colorful, illuminated Niwaka wait to be taken around. After the fireworks, the procession of Niwaka starts at around 9 pm, and it continues until the early morning around 3 am. The large cards and lanterns are moved one by one past the shrine and then in the opposite direction along the small roads of the village. While the starting point was Sugahara Shrine, the finishing point is Kawase Shrine. Niwaka Matsuri takes place every year on the fourth Saturday in August. Preparations are going on throughout the day, but celebrations begin after dark. The nine Niwaka are lined up in front of Sugahara Shrine. Each Niwaka consists of a movable wooden base with wheels and a large lantern on it. The doors and windows of many traditional townhouses are open and visitors can observe the locals enjoying dinner with family members and friends. Walking through the village one can feel a jolly and exciting atmosphere building up. During the procession, the inhabitants of the houses come out and join in or sit in front of the houses to watch the spectacle. There are about 4,500 inhabitants in Ukawa and about 2,000 guests join the festival each year. Compared to many other summer festivals in Japan, the Niwaka Festival is very local and most of the attendants are members of the community and friends rather than guests. With no big crowds like elsewhere, and the Niwaka fireworks close up, this festival is truly a unique experience for foreigners to witness.

Takasaki Kannon Lantern Festival
2022-08-27 17:00 - 21:00
Follow the giant footsteps carved into the ground to the top of the mountain, where the landmark Kannonyama stands majestic, watching over the city of Takasaki. From here you can look out on the entire city, the mountains a constant backdrop in the distance. Be careful not to visit the statue with a partner or someone who might have future potential, for legend has it that to view the statue together ensures the relationship will end in a jealous doom. On the evening of this festival, thousands of candles are lovingly arranged all the way along the walkway to the top, guiding you through the dark to where musicians, dancers, and food stalls await to entertain you. Lanterns shaped into hearts, archways of candles, and lights illuminating the statue around the base make this an excellent place to come for a relaxing evening with friends. I’d advise you not to eat before you to turn up as the festival’s food stalls are above and beyond the kinds of fare found at your average street festival. Mouthwatering Turkish kebabs, Gunma’s famous yaki-Manju (bread fried with a sweet miso paste), and a strange range of gelato flavors are all available, with benches overlooking the city to sit and chow down on. The festival is held every 4th day of August. A shuttle bus runs from outside of Takasaki station’s west exit directly to the top of the mountain where the festival is held and takes under ten minutes. You’ll have to wait until the sun begins to go down for the candles to be lit, but if you arrive early then I recommend climbing the inside of the statue and peeking out from one of her viewpoints for a glorious birds-ey view of the city.

Yodogawa Fireworks Festival
2022-08-27 19:30 - 20:30
An excited crowd clad in their best Yukatas, the smell of grilled sausages from the street vendors, sounds of excitement and thrill from kids sitting on their parent’s shoulders, anxiously waiting for the next masterpiece painted on the dark summer sky. Held on the first Saturday of August every year, the annual Yodogawa Fireworks Festival is ranked among the top 10 most popular fireworks in the Kansai region, and this is indeed one of the most awaited events in Osaka. This event started in 1989 and has close to 500,000 people watching the massive display of fireworks. You’ll be awed by the creativity of firework craftsmen who designed the various fireworks that decorate the dark summer sky. Together with the crowds who came from all over Japan, you are connected for that moment, like you are a part of a big family, eagerly waiting for the next launch of firework into the sky. You can see the fireworks from many different places if you want to enjoy the rare experience of being totally immersed in the Japanese festive mood; I personally recommend you sit by Yodogawa on either side with the sweaty packed crowd. All the uneasiness of being sardined in the crowd of the night just disappears when you see children clapping their hands and stamping their little feet with every firework released. The fireworks start at slightly before 8 pm but to beat the crowd and get yourself a good spot, I would urge you to come to reserve your place at least one or 2 hours before. Come earlier to be delighted by the unique Japanese festival food and picnic by the river. If you want to be sure of a spectacular view, there are also reserved seats with tickets priced at 2,500 yen for a standing seat, and up to 8,000 yen per person for a seat complete with a bento picnic box and chilled drinks. My personal favorites are the fireworks that flow like waterfalls from the sky. I also like special that portrays famous Japanese comic characters of Hello Kitty and Doraemon. Look out, especially for the climax of the day — with non-stop shots of the sky that lasts about 10 seconds. The night feels like daylight and you will surely be moved by the 50 minutes long gigantic panorama of the summer sky.

Shosan-ji Summer Festival
2022-08-30 18:00 - 21:00
Inside the temple grounds are food stalls with grilled food, including grilled squid, and lanterns light the path leading to the temple. The temple grounds have a different atmosphere than usual, with groups of families gathering for this special event. August 30th is the Buddhist memorial service at Shousan-ji, which is the 12th temple out of 88 on a pilgrimage route in Shikoku. This area also hosts the Awa Odori Festival and other traditional bon dances. Not only can you watch this festival, but you can also participate. When the main portion of the festival finishes, there is a karaoke event followed by fireworks. The fireworks burst in the sky, which is so vast that it seems to swallow the small temple. Shooting off only 150 fireworks, this festival may seem small in comparison to others, but the the grandeur cannot be matched. This event ends just as the month of September starts, marking the time when the leaves start to change colors, giving the mountains vibrant fall colors.

Snow Machine Hakuba
2022-09-01 - 2022-09-15
Snow Machine came to Japan in 2019! Being the first-ever major winter music festival being held on a Japanese ski field. Snow Machine, a sister festival of the popular Australian “Wine Machine” is organized by Australia-based Falcona and Hakuba.com. About Hakuba The Hakuba Valley sits 250km west of Tokyo in the heart of the Japanese Alps. It’s the most popular ski area in Honshu and hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. The Valley consists of 10 resorts accessible with the same lift pass. Festival Venues The festival will have multiple stages throughout the Hakuba Valley, including stages on the resort, the main stage in the Happo-One Village, and late-night stages at venues throughout the three main villages, Happo, Echoland, and Wadano. How to Buy Tickets Festival tickets are currently being sold at Snow-Machine.com and include accommodation and lift passes to three of the best resorts in the Valley. Guest can customize their packages by choosing various types of accommodation, additional services such as lessons and ski hire, and can even book flights through the festival organizers. Event Report Snow Machine Lineup Snow Machine will feature huge Australian names such as Peking Duk, Hermitude, MC Lilly, The Jungle Giants, Client Liasion, and more! Popular Japanese artists performing at Snow Machine include Kenji Takimi, DJ Kentaro, and Shinichi Osawa. A Look at Last Season: Music in Hakuba Last year, Hakuba.com hosted Tom Tilley and Hugo Gruzman, Hot Dub Time Machine, and Hayden James for three separate shows throughout the winter season. The artists all performed multiple performances at various venues giving fans several intimate snow-filled dance parties. Building on the success of last year, the ski town of Hakuba will open its doors to some of the most popular Australian and Japanese artists over 4 days. The festival is sure to be a huge draw for snow lovers in Japan and around the world.

Lantern Festival in Nozawa Onsen
2022-09-08 09:00 - 2022-09-09 23:00
Each year, on the 8th and 9th of September, Nozawa Onsen comes alive for the amazing Lantern Festival. Festivals are something that Nozawa Onsen village does well and while January’s Fire Festival may get all the hype due to coinciding with plenty of powder snow, September’s Lantern Festival is a local favorite and a great chance to explore Nagano in early Autumn. September 8th During the early evening on September 8th, Oyu Dori (Nozawa’s main street) springs to life with street vendors and a parade featuring drums, flute players, dancing, and an age-old Japanese folk pantomime. Being the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, the performance is said to dispel evil in favor of good luck while ensuring a bountiful rice harvest. All the while, villagers and tourists can enjoy themselves as the sake flows. September 9th On the 9th, the men in their “Yaku” (bad luck) years, shake off their hangovers and carry a heavy “Omikoshi” through the village. The villagers donate bottles of sake to the action taking place which not only adds to the spectacle but also the time it takes for the men to complete their mission of carrying the Omikoshi to the Shrine. Everybody is on hand to cheer them on and help them up the stairs of the Shrine around sunset. All in all, it’s a magic time to be in the village. Get your friends together and escape the city for a taste of traditional culture and friendly locals. If you happen to know someone visiting Japan over the weekend of the 8th & 9th of September, make sure to let them know. Nozawa Holidays are doing a cheap 2-night package at Villa Nozawa but of course, you can always extend it. 2-night stay at Villa Nozawa (shared bathroom), free use of public onsens, kitchen available to use; ¥9,000pp 2-night stay at Villa Nozawa (ensuite room), free use of public onsens, kitchen available to use; ¥13,000pp 2-night stay at Villa Nozawa (shared room), free use of public onsens, kitchen available to use; ¥6,000pp There are also some self-contained options available at Nozawa Central, Nozawa House, and Harvest House. Please feel free to contact Nozawa Holidays with any questions at stay@nozawaholidays.com. Nozawa Onsen Nozawa is now world-renowned for its “Powder Snow” in Winter and is one of the top ski resorts in Japan. However, it is also a magic little mountain village to visit in the “Green Season”, not just for this festival but any time from April to November when the snow returns. Some of the great outdoor activities to explore include: Hiking Mountain biking – rent a bike from 2000 yen a day Kayaking, stand-up paddle and rafting Yoga and Meditation Golf, Tennis, Soccer Relaxing in an onsen Accommodation rates during that time are as low as 3000 yen per person per night. Here is a link to more details https://www.nozawaholidays.com/summer-nozawa-green-season/ Nozawa Holidays’ yoga retreat is coming up in August and October. Spots are limited. https://www.nozawaholidays.com/yoga-retreat “

The Hanamaki Festival
2022-09-10 - 2022-09-11
The Hanamaki Festival is one of the 3 biggest in Iwate, the other 2 being Sansa Odori in Morioka and the Mizusawa Festival in Oshuu. The streets of downtown Hanamaki are usually rather quiet but for 3 days in September, they come to life with hundreds of floats and portable shrines. People of all ages participate in the fun from elementary school children to adults. There are many side activities as well during the festival. The festival is held in honor of Nobuchika Kita 1523-1613, the founder of Hanamaki, the festival started at the end of the 16th century. The festival has been held annually since. The festivities start around 17:00 on the second Friday of September until 21:00, on Saturday, it starts at noon and runs until 21:00 also. On the last day, Sunday, it starts at noon and ends at 19:00. During that time, you’ll see elaborately decorated floats featuring some ancient folk tales or historical events. It takes a couple of months to build the floats mostly made of paper-mâché; they have to be built to withstand the rain (it often rains during the festival). Many floats have live flames shooting out at several places; they are very impressive at night! All Junior High Schools are represented with a portable shrine (“mikoshi” in Japanese) in the parade, and there is fierce competition among the teams to impress the crowds. Most neighborhoods are represented by a float as well. A typical float has young children at the front playing the flute, next older children playing the shamisen, and adults at the back playing the drums. The melody played originated in Kyoto several centuries ago. There are also smaller portable shrines paraded through the streets of each neighborhood earlier in the day. All schools finish at noon on the Friday of the festival to allow children to participate in the parades. Each float is an absolute work of art; they are the main attraction of the festival. Another great feature of the festival is the Kagura Deer Dancers; there are several versions around Iwate but here the dancers are covered in deer-like costumes and perform drum dances on Kamicho (上町 – the main street where the festival takes place). Perpendicular to Kamicho is Toyosawa-cho, the street where all the food stalls and other vendors are located. You can find the usual festival foods like yakisoba, takoyaki, udon, cotton candy, and more. Each year new ones are being tried. You can also find all kinds of toys, goldfish, and some arts and crafts on sale on that street.

Jozenji Street Jazz Festival Sendai
2022-09-10 10:00 - 2022-09-11 18:00 | Sendai City Center, Sendai City Center, Sendai, Sendai, Japan
Jazz music is not everyone’s cup of green tea, so it was quite a shock to discover that the Jozenji Street Jazz Festival is one of Sendai’s biggest annual events. Starting back in 1987 on a department store stage, the festival soon moved outdoors into the streets. In recent years the growing festivities have assaulted the entire city with more than forty stages, hundreds of performers, and thousands of visitors. And here’s a secret: all kinds of music from rock, pop, gospel, Latin (you name it and they’ve got it) are performed—not just jazz. It is one of the most unique music festivals in Japan, and it’s all free!!! Looking at a map of the Jozenji Street Jazz Festival can be at first a bit overwhelming. While the event is always held two days over a weekend in September and the number of stages or their locations can change slightly each year, the hardest choice of the day is where to go. Stages stretch from few and far between around Tsutsujigaoka Park (one station away from Sendai station), through the main shopping arcade and pedestrian mall, all the way down to the main stages and headquarters of Kotaikoen Park. A long detour leads down Jozenji Street, from which the festival borrows its name. Jozenji Street is lined with large and beautiful Zelkova trees. The street is a symbol of the city. It stretches down to Nishikoen Park which hosts a flea market and World Kitchen area to sample international cuisine. Walking the entire course would take more than an hour. If it still hasn’t sunk in yet, the festival is huge! Two days might not even be enough to enjoy it all. Of course, do try to attend bands or genres of music you are interested in, but fill in any downtime by following your ears. Most travelers and locals get their jazz on by first starting at Sendai Station. Some people opt to go see the six or so stages behind the station and clustered in Tsutsujigaoka Park. Even if it is your first time in Sendai, it isn’t hard to find your way around. The event has an army of volunteers as well as hired security guards that move you in the right direction. It won’t be long until you start hearing music. You will be hearing it all day. The stages are set just far enough apart so that one performance does not interfere with another but just close enough so that visitors never experience silence. Smaller stages are placed along the center or edges of the covered shopping arcades (which provide great acoustics). These stages may only have one or two performers with a crowd of fewer than fifty people. It is nice knowing that a festival this large can still provide such intimate moments between musician and audience. Pass a few folk song artists and a blues performer (singing in English!) and you might hear angels. It’s a gospel choir singing from a second-floor balcony bridging over the mall walkway! This was a huge hit last year. Next, your friend pulls your sleeve towards the blaring of a trumpet. A small stage inside a store provides perfect acoustics. You just never know where the next stage will be. It’s all part of the fun. As the festival picks up energy the crowds get bigger and the music louder. Huge stages capable of hosting a few hundred people each center around Kotaikoen Park (located right outside Kotaikoen station, less than 10 minutes via subway from Sendai station). Even bigger performances occur during night performances which start around six in the evening. Japanese rock bands, a Japanese version of the Beatles(?), and Japanese taiko drumming kept the crowds moving until late in the evening. The Jozenji Street Jazz Festival is something every music lover needs to attend. Although not all performers are big superstars, all are very good at what they do. Pride is on the line and all performers give their best and sound great! Fun for everyone in a beautiful backdrop of greenery along with a free price tag means it is almost impossible not to have a good time.

Manjushage Festival
2022-09-17 09:00 - 2022-10-02 16:30
This carpet of over 5,000,000 bright red spider lilies beside the Koma River made it to the list of the top 30 reasons to visit Japan or really, the top 30 most beautiful places in Japan. So remarkable, in fact, that the Emperor and Empress of Japan came last year to see it for themselves. The entrance fee of ¥300 allows you to walk amongst the flowers and enter the festival area with all-day stage events and food and souvenir booths. Previous Event
Activities
Manjushage Festival, Koma
For fifty weeks of the year, the town of Koma (just 50 km from Ikebukuro, Tokyo) could be just about anywhere in rural Japan

Niseko Autumn Food Festival
2022-09-26 - 2022-10-09
Seasonal eating is great for a number of reasons – it’s fresher, cheaper, and more sustainable for our planet. The Niseko Autumn Food Festival celebrates this train of thought, and the event will include eighteen local restaurants and bars serving up a range of eats and drinks using autumnal produce. Along with the tastebud tempting goodies on offer, there will also be a variety of live stage performances during the four-day affair.

Czech Festival
2022-09-30 14:30 - 2022-10-02 18:00
The Czech Festival in Tokyo is Japan’s largest Czech-based event, and the multi-day affair includes a variety of ways to connect with this charming European country. There will be Czech products including accessories, character goods, toys, and books available to purchase, traditional Czech food and drinks on offer (including beer, wine, sausages, open sandwiches, stews, and more), music performances, tourism and culture information, and plenty more. The event takes place at the Adrift Shimokitazawa event complex, and admission is free of charge. Do note that the event hours for the 2022 festival differ from day to day if you’re planning on visiting: ⬇️ September 30th (Fri) from 2.30 pm – 8 pm October 1st (Sat) from 10 am – 8 pm October 2nd (Sun) from 10 am – 6 pm

Ikegami Oeshiki
2022-10-11 16:00 - 2022-10-13 23:00
Ikegami Honmonji Oeshiki Festival is one of Tokyo’s most famous and memorable festivals, with a history dating back more than 730 years. The festival celebrates the anniversary of the death of the famous Buddhist teacher and saint Nichiren. Oeshiki celebrations to honor Nichiren, founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, occur around Japan in mid-October, but the largest and most impressive takes place at Ota Ward’s Ikegami Honmonji Temple, where Nichiren passed away. The highlight of the festival is held on October 12th at 6 pm, the actual date of Nichiren’s death. The event, known as “Mando rite” (Mando meaning 10,000 lights), involves parades of people toting poles of cherry-blossom adorned lanterns on the two-kilometer route from Ikegami Station to the temple grounds. The huge floats are accompanied by matoi, Edo-era firemen, who provide music for the march on their flutes and drums. Over 300,000 people usually attend the festival every year to enjoy the magical atmosphere, but for those who can’t be there in person, the event is also broadcast online. For those planning to witness the parade of lanterns, it’s advisable to come early in order to secure a good seat along the route. During the festival, numerous food stands run by local residents serve up a variety of treats to the many visitors. Common festival foods include yakisoba, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, yakitori and more. Some events, such as catching goldfish, lotteries, and fortune tellers, are held throughout the neighborhood. The concessions are open for the entire three-day event, and the lively atmosphere is a fantastic place to make friends and mingle in the brisk autumn air. This article originally appeared on the Ota-City.com website and is republished with permission.
