Festivals of Japan 2026: month-by-month calendar

January and February: snow and New Year

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Shogatsu (New Year)	All Japan	1–3 January	Shrine visit in the first hours of the year (hatsumode). Meiji-jingu in Tokyo receives 3 million people in 3 days.
Sapporo Snow Festival	Sapporo (Hokkaido)	Early Feb.	Monumental ice sculptures in Odori Park. Structures up to 15 m high. One of the most spectacular winter festivals in the world.
Setsubun	All Japan	3–4 February	End of the seasonal winter. At the temples, beans are thrown to drive away demons (mame-maki). Photogenic scenes in Nara and Kyoto.
Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival	Nagano	15 January	Men of the village defend a wooden shrine while others try to burn it. A 500-year tradition.
Yokote Kamakura	Akita (Tohoku)	15–16 February	Snow igloos (kamakura) decorated with candles, in which children invite visitors to amazake and mochi. Intimate and photogenic atmosphere, with more than 400 years of tradition.
Nagasaki Lantern Festival	Nagasaki	Chinese New Year (Jan–Feb)	Around 15,000 lanterns light up Nagasaki's Chinatown for a little over two weeks, coinciding with the first 15 days of the Chinese New Year. The date changes each year with the lunar calendar.

Price note: the Shogatsu period (31 Dec–3 January) is the most expensive of the year in Japan. Hotels triple their prices and reservations are impossible without months of notice. If you can, avoid 31 December and 1 January for leisure trips.

March, April and May: sakura season

The cherry blossom (sakura) is the most popular event in the Japanese calendar. The whole country picnics under the cherry trees (hanami), hotels sell out weeks ahead and the parks fill with people on blue mats with bento. If you are going to plan the trip around the bloom, you have the detail of dates and best spots in the guide to cherry blossoms in Japan.

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Hanami (sakura)	All Japan	Mar–May (varies by region)	Kyoto and Tokyo bloom around 28 Mar–10 Apr. Hokkaido in May. The best spots: Maruyama Park (Kyoto), Shinjuku Gyoen (Tokyo), Hirosaki (Aomori).
Takayama Matsuri (spring)	Takayama	14–15 April	One of the 3 best festivals in Japan. Floats (yatai) several centuries old parade through the streets of this city in the Japanese Alps.
Ashikaga Wisteria	Ashikaga (Tochigi)	Apr–May	Tunnels of colourful wisteria blooming in cascades. One of the most photographed floral spectacles in the world.
Golden Week	All Japan	29 Apr–5 May	The longest holiday week of the year in Japan. Trains, hotels and attractions are packed. Sky-high prices. Locals travel en masse.
Hamamatsu Kite Festival	Hamamatsu (Shizuoka)	3–5 May	Festival of giant kites on the coast with flute and drum music. A 430-year tradition.

During Golden Week (29 Apr–5 May) prices soar to double or triple. The shinkansen are full weeks ahead. If you travel during Golden Week, book 2–3 months in advance.

June and July: the great matsuri summer

July is the most intense month of the matsuri calendar: the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, the Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka and the start of the fireworks season (hanabi) coincide. If you travel in summer, it is the best time of year to experience a Japanese festival from start to finish.

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Gion Matsuri	Kyoto	All July (parades 17 and 24)	The most famous festival in Japan (1,100 years of history). Three-storey floats (yamaboko) process through central Kyoto. Night atmosphere in the streets from the 14th to the 16th.
Tanabata	All Japan (Sendai the biggest)	7 July (Sendai: 6–8 August)	Star festival: the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi. Paper decorations hung on bamboo throughout the city. Sendai has the biggest Tanabata festival in the country.
Hakata Gion Yamakasa	Fukuoka	1–15 July	Runners carry 1-tonne wooden structures through the streets of Fukuoka. The final race on the 15th (Oiyama) is spectacular.
Tenjin Matsuri	Osaka	24–25 July	River procession with illuminated boats and fireworks. One of Japan's three great matsuri along with Gion and Kanda.
Fireworks (hanabi)	All Japan	Jul–Aug	The fireworks season runs from July to August. The biggest: Sumidagawa (Tokyo, last Sat. of July), Nagaoka (Niigata, 2–3 August) and Tsuchiura (Ibaraki).

August: Obon and the fireworks season

August is the hottest and most festive month in Japan. The Obon (13–16 August) is the period when the Japanese return to their home towns to honour their ancestors. The tourist-destination cities become relatively empty while the rural towns come alive.

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Obon	All Japan	13–16 August	Week of returning to one's roots. Bon Odori (circle dances around a tower) in every neighbourhood. Tokyo becomes relatively quiet; rural towns fill up.
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri	Aomori (Tohoku)	2–7 August	Huge paper lanterns (nebuta) of warrior figures, 5–6 m high, parade at night. Considered one of the 3 best matsuri in Japan.
Awa Odori	Tokushima (Shikoku)	12–15 August	The largest dance festival in Japan: more than 100,000 dancers in the streets to the rhythm of the shamisen. A 400-year tradition.
Daimonji Gozan Okuribi	Kyoto	16 August	Five bonfires on the mountains around Kyoto form the characters for "Great" (大), a boat, a torii and more. Phenomenal seen from the city at nightfall.
Nagaoka Fireworks	Nagaoka (Niigata)	2–3 August	The largest fireworks in Japan: the Phoenix (Foenikkusu) are launched from both banks of the river simultaneously.

During Obon (13–16 August), long-distance trains and the shinkansen are at 100% capacity several days beforehand. Reserve seats at least 1 month in advance if you travel on those dates.

September to December: autumn and Japanese Christmas

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Momiji (autumn leaves)	Kyoto, Nikko, Tohoku	Oct–Nov	Japan's second great seasonal spectacle. The red and yellow leaves last 2–3 weeks. Tofuku-ji and Eikan-do in Kyoto; Rinno-ji in Nikko. Dates and spots in the momiji guide.
Takayama Matsuri (autumn)	Takayama	9–10 October	The autumn edition of the Takayama float festival, linked to the Hachiman shrine. The yatai travel through the northern part of the old town among the Japanese Alps.
Jidai Matsuri	Kyoto	22 October	Historical parade with 2,000 participants dressed in costumes from every era of Japan, from the Heian period to the Meiji era.
Kurama no Hi Matsuri	Kyoto (Kurama)	22 October	Fire night in the small village of Kurama: torches all along the path, drums and dances. One of the most haunting and photogenic festivals in Japan.
Japanese Christmas (kurisumasu)	Tokyo, Osaka	24–25 December	Japan does not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but it celebrates it as a commercial and romantic one. The illuminations (Christmas lights) in Shinjuku, Harajuku and Odaiba are spectacular.
Omisoka (New Year's Eve)	All Japan	31 December	The temples ring the bell 108 times at midnight (joya no kane) to purify the 108 human sins. Tokyo's Zojo-ji with views of Tokyo Tower is especially photogenic.

The three great festivals of Japan

You will see several festivals advertised as "one of the three great ones in Japan". It is not a contradiction: there are several different classifications, each with its own criterion. The most famous is the Nihon Sandai Matsuri (the three great national festivals):

Festival	City	Approx. dates	What it is
Gion Matsuri	Kyoto	All July	The most famous and oldest (more than 1,100 years). Three-storey yamaboko floats through the city centre.
Tenjin Matsuri	Osaka	24–25 July	River procession with illuminated boats and fireworks over the Okawa River.
Kanda Matsuri	Tokyo	Mid-May (odd years)	Dozens of mikoshi (portable shrines) travel through central Tokyo from the Kanda Myojin shrine. It alternates in odd years with the Sanno Matsuri.

There are also regional and thematic classifications that use the "top 3" too:

Three most beautiful float festivals — Gion Matsuri (Kyoto), Takayama Matsuri (spring edition on 14–15 April and autumn on 9–10 October) and Chichibu Yomatsuri (Saitama, 2–3 December).
Three great ones of Tohoku — Aomori Nebuta, Sendai Tanabata and Akita Kanto, all in early August, frequently combined into a single route through the north.

Tips for planning a trip with festivals

Book hotels well in advance during major festivals — during the Gion Matsuri, the sakura and Obon, hotels in the main cities sell out 2–3 months ahead. Book with a flexible date search and free cancellation to secure options.
Prices rise during the big matsuri — hotels apply a surcharge during the key festival days. A room costing 8,000 ¥ can cost 15,000–20,000 ¥ during the Gion Matsuri or Golden Week.
The exact dates change each year — the sakura in particular varies by up to 2 weeks depending on the previous winter. Check the official forecasts in January each year (the Japan Meteorological Corporation publishes the bloom forecast).
Local festivals vs famous festivals — local neighbourhood matsuri (cho-nakai matsuri) have much more atmosphere and fewer tourists than the famous festivals. Ask at the hotel if there is one during your stay.
Arrive early at the big festivals — for the Gion Matsuri and the large fireworks, get to the spot 2–3 hours in advance to get a good place. Some events have paid areas (haiku-seki) with better views.
Appropriate clothing — many locals wear a yukata (light summer kimono) at the July and August matsuri. You can rent one in many shops in Tokyo and Kyoto for 3,000–6,000 ¥, all included.
Fit the festival into your route — start from a base itinerary (7 days, 10 days, 14 days or 21 days) and adjust the dates to coincide with the matsuri you want to see.

See also When to travel to Japan? Itineraries by duration Complete Kyoto guide Complete Tokyo guide Complete Osaka guide

How to experience a matsuri: what to expect on the ground

A matsuri is not a spectacle you watch from a seat: it is a crowd, heat, street food and processions crossing streets closed to traffic. Knowing how it works avoids stress and lets you enjoy it like a local.

The yatai: the festival's gastronomic heart

The streets fill with yatai (street stalls) with the summer classics: takoyaki (octopus balls), yakisoba, yakitori, okonomiyaki, kakigori (shaved ice with syrup), choco-banana and beer. They are cash only: bring coins and small notes, because hardly any yatai accepts a card or IC card. A couple of phrases in Japanese help you order without trouble; you have them in the guide to basic Japanese phrases.

Where to position yourself and how to move

Do not block the floats' route. The parade routes (yamaboko, mikoshi) are marked and supervised; follow the staff's instructions and do not cross when a float is approaching.
Arrive with margin. For the big ones (Gion Matsuri, fireworks) the best spots are taken 2–3 hours ahead. Some events sell paid seats (yuryo-seki) with a guaranteed view.
Watch out for the last transport. After the fireworks, the stations are overwhelmed. Consider waiting 30–40 minutes for the rush to die down rather than squeezing onto the packed platform.

What to carry with you

At the summer matsuri it is hot and humid: bring cash, a small towel, a fan (uchiwa), water and, if you can, a yukata (rented in Tokyo and Kyoto for 3,000–6,000 ¥). For what to pack for a trip with festivals, see the guide to what to bring to Japan.

See also Basic Japanese phrases What to bring to Japan

Plan your trip around the festivals The planner distributes the nights between cities, calculates the budget and links to hotels for each stop.

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Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to see the sakura in Japan?

The exact dates vary each year, but generally: Tokyo between 25 March and 8 April, Kyoto between 28 March and 10 April, Osaka similar to Kyoto, Hiroshima in early April and Hokkaido in early May. The bloom peak lasts 7–10 days. The Sakura Navi app and the Japan Meteorological Corporation website publish updated forecasts from January.

What is the Gion Matsuri and when is it?

The Gion Matsuri is the most famous festival in Japan, held in Kyoto throughout July for more than 1,100 years. The highlights are the Yoiyama (nights of 14–16 July, night atmosphere in the streets) and the Yamaboko Junko float parade (17 and 24 July). The floats (yamaboko) are up to three storeys tall and decorated with historical tapestries of great value. Find out more in the Gion guide.

What are the three great festivals of Japan?

The Nihon Sandai Matsuri (the three great national festivals) are the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto (all July), the Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka (24–25 July) and the Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo (mid-May, odd years). There are also regional classifications: the three most beautiful float festivals (Gion, Takayama and Chichibu) and the three great ones of Tohoku (Aomori Nebuta, Sendai Tanabata and Akita Kanto), which is why several festivals are advertised as "one of the three great ones".

What is Obon and how does it affect travel?

Obon (13–16 August) is the period when the Japanese return to their home towns to honour their ancestors. Long-distance trains and the shinkansen sell out beforehand. Hotels in the home towns (small and rural towns) rise in price. Tokyo and Osaka become relatively quiet. For tourist travellers, August is possible but with very early reservations.

How can I watch the fireworks (hanabi) in Japan?

The big fireworks festivals of July and August have limited capacity. The Sumidagawa Fireworks in Tokyo (last Saturday of July) requires arriving at the spot 3–4 hours ahead. Some events have paid areas (2,000–5,000 ¥) with better views. Buying a bento and a beer at the konbini and finding a bridge or park with good views is as good as or better than the paid areas.

Are there winter festivals in Japan?

Yes. The snow festivals are spectacular: the Sapporo Snow Festival (February) has monumental ice sculptures, the Yokote Kamakura (Akita) has snow igloos with candles, and the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival (January) in Nagano is one of the most unique in the world. The Shogatsu period (1–3 January) has a lot of atmosphere at the temples with the New Year visits. Check when to travel to Japan to choose the best season.

What do you wear to a matsuri?

There is no obligation to dress in any special way. Many Japanese wear a yukata (light summer kimono) at the July and August matsuri — it can be rented in Tokyo and Kyoto for 3,000–6,000 ¥. For the autumn and winter matsuri, the usual warm clothing is enough. Comfortable walking shoes are essential: matsuri involve a lot of standing.

Is Golden Week a good time to visit Japan?

It depends. Golden Week (29 April–5 May) has good weather, plenty of activities and a festive atmosphere. But it is the most crowded period of the year: hotels at double or triple price, sold-out trains, attractions with 1–2 hour queues. If you travel during Golden Week, booking 2–3 months in advance is essential. If you can avoid it, the week before or after is much quieter. Check when to travel to Japan for more details.

What do you eat at the stalls (yatai) of a matsuri?

The yatai (street stalls) are the gastronomic soul of the festival: takoyaki (octopus balls), yakisoba, yakitori, okonomiyaki, kakigori (shaved ice with syrup), choco-banana and cold beer. They almost always work cash only, so bring coins and small notes because most do not accept a card or IC card. A few phrases in Japanese make ordering easier: you have them in the guide to basic Japanese phrases.

Are there food festivals in Japan?

Yes, many. The Sapporo Autumn Fest (from mid-September to early October, in Odori Park) brings together the best of Hokkaido cuisine. The Sapporo Ramen Show, dedicated to ramen, is held in May. Most summer matsuri have yatai (street stalls) with takoyaki, yakitori, kakigori (shaved ice) and other classics of Japanese street food. To delve deeper into the country's cuisine, see the guide to what to eat in Japan.

Festivals of Japan: calendar by month