Events in Tokyo

A Tanabata festival in Tokyo, the Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri on Kappabashi-dori features a parade, performances, and street food amid bamboo decorations.

This annual market in Tokyo, held July 9-10 at Senso-ji Temple, sells ground cherry plants and thunder protection charms on a designated Day of Merit.

A spiritual festival in Tokyo, Mitama Matsuri is held at Yasukuni Shrine to honor war dead. It features 30,000 lanterns, art, and traditional performances in mid-July.

A fire festival in Wakayama, the Nachi Fire Festival on July 14 involves carrying large torches to a waterfall to purify portable shrines in a ritual for returning deities.

A cultural festival in Tokyo, the Kagurazaka Matsuri combines a Hozuki Market selling ground cherry plants with two nights of traditional Awa Odori dance performances.

An annual festival in Osaka, the Tenjin Matsuri occurs on July 24-25. It features land and river processions with boats, ritual drumming, and a large fireworks display.

A summer festival in Shimbashi, this event features bon dancing, a yukata contest, food stalls, and a beer garden for local office workers.

A dragon boat festival in Nagasaki where teams race 1,150 meters. The event features music, traditional dancing, and evening fireworks.

An Awa dance festival in Koganei is held on the last weekend of July. Approximately 25 groups perform synchronized routines in the evening.

An Okinawan Eisa dance festival in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Multiple teams perform traditional dances with drumming for approximately one million spectators.

A lantern floating festival in Chiyoda where over 2,000 lanterns are released onto the Chidorigafuchi Moat. The event is held for two nights in late July.

This Tokyo Bon Odori festival features synchronized folk dancing and taiko drumming. Participants dance around a central yagura tower at the West Exit of Ebisu Station.