Events in August 2020
| Iomante Fire Festival | Gathering around a bonfire, Ainu people dance and sing to pray for peace and visitors’ health with Ainu ceremonial dress as they did in the ancient time. | Mar 18(Wed) to Nov 30(Mon) |
Hokkaido Lake Akan |
| Toyako Tourist Morning Market | People can buy the fresh specialty of Toyako Town at low price at the morning market which will be open from 6:00 am to 8:00 am. | late May to late Sep | Hokkaido Toyako Hot Spring |
| Rokko-san Light Art 「Lightscape in Rokko」 ~Summer Version~ | Rokko-san Light Art 「Lightscape in Rokko」 uses the LED to present the four seasons of Japan. Summer version shows the scene of bright summer night and bright moon. Many fireflies flying around in the dark and rainy days. Time: 18:00 ~ 21:00. | Jun 1(Mon) to Aug 31(Mon) |
Hyogo Rokko-san Garden Terrace |
| Flower of Niagara & Hana Highway and Hana Kofuji | You can enjoy flowers of Niagara Falls and flower streets from where Mt. Fuji can be viewed. The event is held at Oishi Park close to Lake Kawaguchi. | early Jun to mid Oct |
Yamanashi Lake Kawaguchi |
| Flower Story | The whole shopping street will be full of flowers with a giant flower bed in the center of the shopping street and flower pots displayed by every hotel and shop. | late Jun to early Oct |
Hokkaido Soun-kyo Gorge |
| Toyako Long-run Firework | Every night for 20 minutes starting at 8:45 pm, the Lake Toyako night sky becomes full of fireworks. The fireworks are moved while being launched, visitors can enjoy them from everywhere in the resort. | Jul 1(Wed) to Oct 31(Sat) |
Hokkaido Lake Toya |
| Ueno Summer Festival *Cancled for 2020 |
It features a different event everyday, like a toro nagashi paper-lantern floating ceremony, an ice-sculpture display, dance performances, stands to sell local specialties, antique market, and among them, Ueno Natsu Matsuri Parade is the highlight. | Jul 14(Sat)~ Aug 12(Sun) |
Tokyo Ueno Park |
| Sapporo Summer Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
Millions of people enjoy the most famous event in the summer of Hokkaido, with open-air beer gardens and various events such as bon dancing, handicrafts bazaar, masquerade contest. | Jul 20(Fri) to Aug 17(Fri) |
Hokkaido Odori Park |
| Toyako Hot Spring Summer Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
Temple festival will be hold from 19:00 to 21:00. There will also be Obon dances from 19:30 to 20:30, August 1 to 15, which visitors can join. | Jul 27(Fri) to Aug 15(Wed) |
Hokkaido Toyako Hot Spring |
| Sounkyo Fire Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
Ainu traditional ceremony which prays for bumper crop. The festival will be performing ainu traditional dance, Himatsuri-drum-beat, religious services of owl and the display of fireworks. | Jul 28(Sat) to Aug 15(Wed) | Hokkaido Soun-kyo Gorge |
| Summer Candle Night *Canlceld for 2020 |
About 2,000 candles will be lit up and placed in the garden of the church. The event starts at 19:30. | Jul 30(Sat) to Aug 31(Wed) | Nagano Karuizawa Kogen Church |
| Mother Farm Fireworks | 500 fireworks color the night sky beautifuly. Fireworks starts at 19:50. | Aug 1, 2, 8 to 10, 22, 23, 29, 39 | Chiba Mother Farm |
| Kusatsu Onsen Appreciation Festival | One of the 3 most famous hot spring festivals in Japan. The 2-day festival with dancing, music to give thanks for the area's hot springs. The highlight is the ritual performed by the hot spring goddess, a young woman selected by the townspeople. | Aug 1(Sat) and 2(Sun) | Gunma Kusatsu Hot Spring |
| Morioka Sansa Odori *Canlceld for 2020 |
Sansa Odori is the traditional festival dance to celebrate the banishing of a demon. Over 10,000 taiko drummers, flute players and dancers parade through the city in the largest taiko drum festival in the world. Visitors can join the festival as a dancer. | Aug 1(Wed) to 4(Sat) |
Iwate Morioka City |
| Hakodate Port Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
The largest summer event in Hakodate. There are fireworks and portable shrines parade. Wasshoi Hakodate is dancing parades. Over 20,000 dancers dressed in kimono or costumes dance Hakodate Port Dance, YOSAKOI and Hakodate local dance. | Aug 1(We) to 5(Sun) |
Hokkaido Hakodate City |
| Hirosaki Neputa Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of the four major festivals in Hirosaki. With the sounds of drums and festival music, about 80 floats of heroes and warriors from works of classical Chinese literature march through the streets shouting "Ya ya do!". | Aug 1(Wed) to 7(Tue) |
Aomori Hirosaki City |
| Aomori Nebuta Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
More than 20 large lantern floats depicting human figures are paraded through city streets. Each float is accompanied by haneto dancers chanting "Rassera, Rassera". Two hour fireworks display along the waterfront closes off the festivities. | Aug 2(Thu) to 7(Tue) |
Aomori Aomori City |
| Akita Kanto Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of five great festivals in Tohoku Region. The highlight is an impressive display of skill in which performers balance kanto (long bamboo poles) with arrays of paper lanterns attached to the end. Parades are held both at daytime and night. | Aug 3(Fri) to 6(Mon) |
Akita Akita City |
| Asagaya Tanabata Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
Known as one of the three greatest Tanabata festivals in Japan. People put up lots of huge paper dolls from the roof as well as the traditional decorations. Characters could be anything from popular cartoon characters. | Aug 3(Fri) to 7(Tue) |
Tokyo Suginami-ku |
| Odawara Sakawagawa Fireworks *Canlceld for 2020 |
5,000 fireworks in a variety of colors are launched. In the finale, a firework depicting Niagara waterfall as large as 300m appears along Odawara-ohashi Bridge and brilliantly decorates the summer night sky. | Aug 4(Sat) | Kanagawa Odawara Castle Park |
| Kawaguchiko Kojosai Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
The biggest and last firework festa in Fuji five lakes. The event is said to purify and wash away all evil. The highlight is afternoon concert, while over 5,000 fireworks bring the festival to a close as they light up the summer sky. | Aug 4(Sat) and 5(Sun) | Yamanashi Lake Kawaguchi |
| Kurayoshi Utsubuki Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
This festival lasts for two days and includes Japanese traditional dance performances, float parade, contests, a large fireworks show and food stands. | Aug 4(Sat) and 5(Sun) | Tottori Shirakabe Dozogun |
| Kurayoshi Utsubuki Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
This festival lasts for two days and includes Japanese traditional dance performances, float parade, contests, a large fireworks show and food stands. | Aug 4(Sat) and 5(Sun) | Tottori Shirakabe Dozogun |
| Sri Lanka Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
The largest Sri Lankan festival in Japan. More than 90 food stalls prodiving traditional Sri Lankan food, craft beer and black tea. The traditional dance performances are not to be missed. | Aug 4(Sat) and 5(Sun) | Tokyo Yoyogi Park |
| Goshogawara Tachi Nebuta *Canlceld for 2020 |
Tachi Neputa festival is a night festival where floats are carried around in a parade. “Tachi” means “standing” in Japanese and the floats can be as big as about 70 feet tall and weigh around 15 tons. | Aug 4(Sat) to 8(Wed) |
Aomori Goshogawara City |
| Hanagasa Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of five great festivals in Tohoku Region. Led by festival floats, about 10,000 dancers wearing the same costume per group and holding hanagasa hats adorned with Yamagata's unique safflowers parade through the streets of Yamagata City. | Aug 5(Sun) to 7(Tue) |
Yamagata Yamagata City |
| Takigi Noh | Takigi Noh is a Noh play that is performed on an open-air stage located in Izumi Shrine and illuminated by torchlight. | Every 1st Sat of Aug | Kumamoto Suizenji Jojuen Park |
| Sendai Tanabata Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of five great festivals in Tohoku Region and one of most famous tanabata celebrations in Japan. Thousands of colorful 3-5 meter long streamers decorate the city's shopping arcades, which come to resemble brightly colored forests. | Aug 6(Mon) to 8(Wed) |
Miyagi Sendai City |
| Oshino Hakkai Festival | Bon dance, Japanese drum, concerts, shows are performed to worship the gardian of Ohino Hakkai. The main events are mountain bon fire and thousands of fireworks launched with music. | Aug 8(Wed) | Yamanashi Oshino Hakkai |
| Jingugaien Fireworks *Canlceld for 2020 |
More than one million people to join this one of Tokyo’s three biggest fireworks. Approximately 10,000 fireworks will be hurled into the air over a paying audience within Jingu Stadium. There are also live music performance at the stadium. | Aug 11(Sat) | Tokyo Shinjuku-ku |
| Fukagawa Hachiman Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of the three largest festivals of Edo. About 50 portable shrines parade through main avenue. The festival is also known as "water-throwing festival", as spectators throw water on the portable shrine carriers to refresh them of the heat of summer. | Aug 11(Sat) to 15(Wed) |
Tokyo Koto-ku |
| Summer Candle Night *Canlceld for 2020 |
About 2,000 candles will be lit up and placed in the garden of the church. The event starts at 19:30. | Aug 13(Mon) to 17(Fri) | Nagano Karuizawa Kogen Church |
| Nara Great Bonfire Festival | It is said to be the largest bonfire festival in Japan. The event helps to enhance our pure mind and console the spirits of the dead. There are 108 fire grates arranged to form the letter "dai". 108 fire grates representing people's 108 earthly desires. | Aug 15(Sat) | Nara Nara City |
| Hakone Great Bonfire Festival | Torches are lit on Mountain Myojogatake which is 924 meter-high so that they form the shape of the Chinese character for 'big'. | Aug16(Sun) | Kanagawa Hakone |
| Daimonji Bonfire | Daimonji Bonfire (Daimonji Gozan No Okuribi) is Kyoto's major event in summer, in which gigantic Chinese characters and other motifs are depicted by fires located on five mountains that surround Kyoto to illuminate the surroundings. | Aug 16(Sun) | Kyoto Kyoto City |
| Kawaguchiko Lantern Floating *Canlceld for 2020 |
Lantern Floating at Lake Kawguchi has its history since 1981. All is welcome to write message on lantern and float own lantern. More than 900 lanterns carry prayers and hopes for a world of harmony and peace. | Aug 16(Thu) | Yamanashi Lake Kawaguchi |
| Miyajima Water Fireworks *Canlceld for 2020 |
About 5,000 fireworks are launched from the sea, not only casting brilliant reflections on the surface of the sea but also silhouetting Shrine’s big torii. Fireworks present spectacular scenes which are complying with each year's theme. | Aug 25(Sat) | Hiroshima Itsukushima Shrine |
| Asakusa Samba Carnival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of Tokyo’s best known events, attended annually by about 500,000 spectators. The parade features thousands of musicians and dancers in elaborate costumes, most of who go on foot, but some ride atop elaborately decorated floats. | Aug 25(Sat) | Tokyo Taito-ku |
| Tokyo Koenji Awa Dance Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
The festival sees more than 10,000 dancers and musicians parade through shopping promenades and streets around Tokyo’s Koenji Station. It attracts around 1.2 million visitors each year, and is second in size to Tokushima’s Awa Odori Festival. | Aug 25(Sat) and 26(Sun) | Tokyo Suginami-ku |
| Azabu Juban Noryo Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
One of the most popular in the city, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Dozens of stalls that line the streets to offer traditional goods and foods. Parade, music, dance, taiko drum and other shows are also planned. | Aug 25(Sat) and 26(Sun) | Tokyo Minato-ku |
| Harajyuku Omotesando Genki Festival Super Yosakoi *Canlceld for 2020 |
Over 6,000 dancers in more than 100 teams performing the Yosakoi dance on the various stages located in Meiji-jingu, Harajuku station and Yoyogi Park. Foods and drinks sold in the street can be enjoyed while watching the performances. | Aug 25(Sat) and 26(Sun) | Tokyo Harajuku Omotesando, Yoyogi Park |
| Nepal Festival *Canlceld for 2020 |
The largest Nepal Festival in Japan. You can find a variety of Nepalese local food, drink and handicaft products. Nepal folk dances and fortune telling are also enjoyable. Time 10:00~20:00. | Aug 26(Sat) and 27(Sun) | Tokyo Yoyogi Park |
