Festivals are often based around a specific event, with entertainment, food stalls, and carnival
games. Some are based around temples or shrines, others include hanabi (fireworks). There are a
variety of numerous local festivals (matsuri) in Japan because almost every shrine celebrates one
of its own.
Most festivals are held annually and celebrate seasonal holidays, historical events, or a shrine's
deity. Some festivals hold celebrations over a period of several days. An important element of
Japanese festivals are parades in which the local shrine's kami (Shinto deity) is carried through
the town in a mikoshi (a divine palanquin). This may include elaborate floats, accompanied by
flute and drum music by the people sitting on the floats. It is the only time of the year when the
kami leaves the shrine.
These processions are usually organized at the neighborhood level. While in the area, one can
always find matsuri booths selling food, such as takoyaki, games, such as Goldfish scooping, and
souvenirs. Sumo matches, karaoke contests, and other forms of entertainment are often
organized in conjunction with matsuri. If the festival is next to a lake, renting a boat is also a
featured attraction.
Chubu | Nagano | Nozawa Onsen
Dosojin Matsuri
Dosojin Matsuri is one of the three biggest fire festivals in Japan and is annually held on January 15.
Chubu | Shizuoka | Izu Peninsula
Atami Plum Garden Festival
The Atami Plum Garden Festival is annually held from mid- January to early March with thousands of visitors attending the festivities.
Hokkaido | Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival starts at the end of January and lasts all the way to mid-February.
Chubu | Shizuoka | Izu Peninsula
Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival
The Kawazu Cherry Blossom attracts more than 1.5 million visitors, who attend the annual festival.
Hokkaido | Asahikawa
Asahikawa Winter Festival
Second largest snow festival in Hokkaido; famous for having the largest snow sculptures.
Tohoku | Akita | Yokote
Yokote Kamakura Snow Festival
Yokote Kamakura Festival has been around for over 400 years. It is a way to honor the water deities and pray for a bountiful harvest.
Hokkaido | Sapporo
Sapporo Snow Festival
For one week in February in Hokkaido’s capital, the Sapporo Snow Festival is held.
Kansai | Nara | Nara City
Omizutori
Omizutori is a one of the oldest traditional Japanese Buddhism Festival that takes place each year in Nara.
Chubu | Gifu | Takayama
Takayama Sanno Spring Festival
The Takayama Festival known as one of Japan’s three most popular festivals and is held twice a year in the spring and autumn.
Hokkaido | Matsumae
Matsumae Park Cherry Blossom Festival
Most popular cherry blossom viewing spot in Hokkaido with over ten thousand cherry trees.
Kansai | Kyoto | Kyoto City
Ho-Taiko Hanami Gyoretsu
Ho-Taiko Hanami Gyoretsu" (Toyotomi Hideyoshi's cherry blossom-viewing parade) is held on the second Sunday of every April.
Kyushu | Fukuoka | Fukuoka City
Hakata Dontaku Festival
This colorful festival takes place on May 3 and 4 in the city of Fukuoka in northern Kyushu.
Kansai | Kyoto | Kyoto City
Aoi Matsuri
The Kyoto Aoi Festival is one of the most famous festivals in the city. It is annually held on May 15 and is the festival of the two Kamo Shrines.
Kanto | Tokyo | Northern Tokyo
Asakusa Sanja Matsuri
The Sanja Matsuri, a symbolic festival of Tokyo, is one of the largest festivals of mikoshi (portable shrines) held in Asakusa.
Kanto | Tokyo | Central Tokyo
Kanda Matsuri
100 portable shrines gather for this festival and a procession of 300 people parades through the streets of Tokyo.
Kanto | Tokyo | Central Tokyo
Sanno Matsuri
A procession of 300 people dressed in ancient costumes parades through the heart of Tokyo.
Kansai | Kyoto | Kyoto City
Gion Matsuri
The Gion Festival is Kyoto’s largest annual festival. It is a celebration that lasts for the whole month of July with different events happening.
Kansai | Osaka | Osaka City
Tenjin Matsuri
Tenjin Matsuri is one of the top three festivals in Japan along with Gion Matsuri and Kanda Matsuri.
Kyushu | Fukuoka | Fukuoka City
Hakata Gion Yamakasa
A festival filled with dance and float racing in Kyuzhu.
Tohoku | Akita | Akita
Kanto Matsuri
The Kanto Matsuri is one of the three great festivals in the Tohoku region and it is an event about praying for a bountiful harvest.
Tohoku | Miyagi | Sendai
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri is one of the Three Great Summer Festivals in Tohoku and draws a couple of million people to the event.
Shikoku | Tokushima | Tokushima City
Awa Odori
One of the largest dance festivals in Japan celebrated in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku Island.
Tohoku | Aomori | Aomori
Nebuta Matsuri
Nebuta matsuri is a large papier mache lantern float parade in Aomori and is one of the three largest festivals in the Tohoku region.
Chubu | Niigata | Sado Island
Earth Celebration
The Earth Celebration is an annual music festival held by the famous Kodo Taiko Group, who is based on Sado Island.
Kyushu | Nagasaki | Nagasaki
Nagasaki Kunchi
A 400 year old festival heavily influenced with Dutch, Chinese and Portugal cultures.
Chubu | Gifu | Takayama
Takayama Hachiman Autumn Festival
The Takayama Festival known as one of Japan’s three most popular festivals and is held twice a year in the spring and autumn.
Kansai | Kyoto | Kyoto City
Jidai Matsuri
The Jidai Matsuri celebrates the founding of Kyoto and is held every year on October 22.
Kanto | Saitama | Chichibu
Chichibu Yomatsuri
Chichibu Yomatsuri is one of the top three float related festivals in Japan.
