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Festival calendar

An event moves occupancy and rate across its whole region, so each entry carries its prefecture and month. The quiet months matter as much as the peaks.

January

  • Hatsumode— · nationwide · Religious rite
  • Wakakusa YamayakiNara · Nara · Matsuri
  • Toka EbisuOsaka · Osaka · Matsuri
  • Grand Sumo, New Year BashoTokyo · Tokyo · Sport
  • Sapporo International Art WeekSapporo · Hokkaido · Art
  • Ice Festival, Lake ShikotsuChitose · Hokkaido · Snow and ice

February

  • Sapporo Snow FestivalSapporo · Hokkaido · Snow and ice
  • Otaru Snow Light PathOtaru · Hokkaido · Snow and ice
  • Yokote KamakuraYokote · Akita · Snow and ice
  • Namahage SedoOga · Akita · Matsuri
  • Setsubun MantoroNara · Nara · Religious rite
  • Nagasaki Lantern FestivalNagasaki · Nagasaki · Matsuri

March

  • OmizutoriNara · Nara · Religious rite
  • Anamori Inari Hatsu-umaKirishima · Kagoshima · Matsuri
  • Kanamara / spring ritesKawasaki · Kanagawa · Religious rite

April

  • Miyako OdoriKyoto · Kyoto · Matsuri
  • Takayama Spring FestivalTakayama · Gifu · Matsuri
  • Kanamara Hanami season— · nationwide · Cherry blossom
  • Hirosaki Cherry Blossom FestivalHirosaki · Aomori · Cherry blossom
  • Nagoya Castle SpringNagoya · Aichi · Cherry blossom
  • Yayoi MatsuriNikko · Tochigi · Matsuri

May

June

  • Sanno MatsuriTokyo · Tokyo · Matsuri
  • Yosakoi SoranSapporo · Hokkaido · Matsuri
  • Atsuta FestivalNagoya · Aichi · Matsuri
  • Hyakumangoku MatsuriKanazawa · Ishikawa · Matsuri

July

  • Gion MatsuriKyoto · Kyoto · Matsuri
  • Tenjin MatsuriOsaka · Osaka · Matsuri
  • Sumidagawa FireworksTokyo · Tokyo · Fireworks
  • Soma NomaoiMinamisoma · Fukushima · Matsuri
  • Hakata Gion YamakasaFukuoka · Fukuoka · Matsuri
  • Mount Fuji climbing season opensFujiyoshida · Yamanashi · Sport
  • Nachi Fire FestivalNachikatsuura · Wakayama · Religious rite

August

  • Aomori NebutaAomori · Aomori · Matsuri
  • Akita KantoAkita · Akita · Matsuri
  • Sendai TanabataSendai · Miyagi · Matsuri
  • Awa OdoriTokushima · Tokushima · Matsuri
  • Yamagata HanagasaYamagata · Yamagata · Matsuri
  • Nagaoka FireworksNagaoka · Niigata · Fireworks
  • Kyoto Gozan OkuribiKyoto · Kyoto · Religious rite
  • Fuji Rock FestivalYuzawa · Niigata · Music
  • Summer SonicChiba / Osaka · nationwide · Music
  • Yosakoi MatsuriKochi · Kochi · Matsuri

September

  • Owara Kaze no BonToyama · Toyama · Matsuri
  • Kishiwada DanjiriKishiwada · Osaka · Matsuri
  • Tokyo Game ShowChiba · Chiba · Trade fair
  • Tourism EXPO Japan— · nationwide · Trade fair

October

  • Kobe Jazz StreetKobe · Hyogo · Music
  • Jidai MatsuriKyoto · Kyoto · Matsuri
  • Kurama Fire FestivalKyoto · Kyoto · Religious rite
  • Nagasaki KunchiNagasaki · Nagasaki · Matsuri
  • Nada no Kenka MatsuriHimeji · Hyogo · Matsuri
  • Tokyo International Film FestivalTokyo · Tokyo · Film
  • Takayama Autumn FestivalTakayama · Gifu · Matsuri
  • Autumn colour, Tohoku and Alps— · nationwide · Autumn colour

November

  • Karatsu KunchiKaratsu · Saga · Matsuri
  • Autumn colour, Kyoto and Nikko— · nationwide · Autumn colour
  • Setouchi Triennale (autumn session)Naoshima · Kagawa · Art
  • Tori-no-ichiTokyo · Tokyo · Matsuri
  • Yamayaki preparations · NaraNara · Nara · Religious rite

December

  • Chichibu YomatsuriChichibu · Saitama · Matsuri
  • Kasuga Wakamiya On-MatsuriNara · Nara · Matsuri
  • Namahage OhmisokaOga · Akita · Matsuri
  • Joya no Kane— · nationwide · Religious rite
  • Kobe LuminarieKobe · Hyogo · Art

Events are placed in the month they normally fall. Fixed-date festivals hold; those tied to bloom, foliage or snow move by up to three weeks between years and are placed at their typical peak.