Travel-G (2025)

24/07/2025

Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori 2025
Tokyo's best summer dance festival
Venue: Koenji
When: Aug 23rd - Aug 24th 2025

If you're in Tokyo at the end of August, make sure you save some time to see the Koenji Awa-Odori. Over 12,000 dancers in 180 groups perform in the streets of Koenji and more than a million revellers gather over the weekend to join in the party, usually from 5pm to 8pm.

https://koenji-awaodori.com/language/eng.html

https://travel-g.net/japan-1

24/07/2025

Nara Tokae Lantern Festival 2025
Wish upon a lantern
Venue: Nara
When: Aug 5th - Aug 14th 2025

Nara is home to the World Heritage Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Shrine and Nara Park. There are several fire festivals (or festivals in which fire plays an important role) at Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Shrine and a few other temples and shrines in Nara at the beginning of August. Seeing all those festivals is difficult so Nara has made it possible for many people to see and participate in a Japanese fire festival with the Tokae Lantern Festival.

"Toka" means light flower in Japanese and refers to the shape the wax of a burned out candle forms. The more flowerlike the shape the luckier it is for the person who lit the lantern. "E" is a meeting or a gathering, so Tokae is a meeting of light flowers. You're invited not only to view but to participate in the Tokae. For a donation of ¥500 anyone can light a their own lantern and place it on the festival grounds in Nara Park.

It runs from August 5th to August 14th and coincides with festivals at the aforementioned temples and shrines. It takes place all over Nara City with the majority of the events being centred around the Ukigumoenchi to the south of Todaiji. Come wish upon a lantern!

https://www.toukae.jp/

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23/07/2025

Swinging Taiko at the Tsuribashi Festival 2025
Totsukawa-Mura's Yuredaiko redefines stage fright
Venue: Tanize Suspension Bridge
When: Monday - Aug 4th 2025

Does the idea of taking the stage give you cold feet? Can you imagine if your stage was a wobbly Indiana-Jones-movie suspension bridge? That suspension bridge is the stage for the taiko drummers performing in Totsukawa-Mura's Yuredaiko.

The suspension bridge in question is the Tanize no Tsuribashi, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Japan at 297.7 meters in length, and one of, if not the tallest. The walkway sits 54 meters above the river below. The Yuredaiko (literally swinging/swaying taiko drums) is one of the big events to happen at the Tsuribashi Matsuri (Suspension Bridge Festival) in Totsukawa-Mura. The festival takes place on August 4th every year from 4pm and features, in addition to the taiko, rock bands, ukulele and Tsugaru shamisen performances, and performances by local dance teams. The festival finishes with fireworks at 9pm.

http://totsukawa.info/joho/event/index.html

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22/07/2025

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi 2025
Five mountain bonfires in Kyoto
Venue: Kyoto City's Mountains
When: Saturday - Aug 16th 2025

The Kyoto Gozan Okuribi ritual marks the end of Obon and sees five large fires lit on the mountainsides around Kyoto City on the evening of August 16th, said to guide deceased ancestors who have returned to visit the living back to heaven.

The fires—resembling kanji glyphs but also familiar symbols—are lit to the east, north and west (in this counter-clockwise order) from 8pm at five-minute intervals, with the center of the city providing several vantage points to view all five around 8:25pm. Each bonfire lasts around 30 minutes, so the final fire at Toriigata lasts until 8:50pm. The bonfires are lit as follows:

8pm Daimonji (大)
8:05pm Myōhō (妙 and 法)
8:10pm Funagata (boat)
8:15pm Hidari-Daimonji (大)
8:20pm Toriigata (torii gate)

https://ja.kyoto.travel/event/major/okuribi/

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21/07/2025

Gion's Hassaku, Kyoto 2025
Loyalty and courtesy on a hot summer day
Venue: Hanamikoji Dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 600-0000
When: Friday - Aug 1st 2025

The first of August is a very special day in Kyoto’s Gion neighbourhood. Named after a term which designates the first day of the eighth month of the ancient Japanese calendar, Gion’s hassaku is a very rare chance to see many of the geiko (a local term in Kyoto for geisha) and maiko from Japan’s most renowned geisha district. Despite the hot and muggy weather, they will parade down the streets of Gion to offer tea house owners who supported them during the previous year a word of thanks and a small gift as a token of their gratitude.

https://en.japantravel.com/kyoto/kyoto-gion-hassaku-geiko/7751

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20/07/2025

Niwaka Lantern Festival 2025
Colorful floats at local summer festival on the Noto Peninsula
Venue: 27-11 Ukawa, Noto, Hōsu-gun, Ishikawa 927-0302
When: Late Aug 2025

You might have heard of Kiriko in Wajima but do you know Niwaka? A procession of colorfully painted floats marks the end of summer in Ukawa, a fishermen’s village on the Noto Peninsula. This is the time when the locals give thanks to the gods for a good fishing season. Like many summer festivals in Japan, this festival is related to the local shrine, Sugahara Shrine, and the whole local community is involved.

Niwaka is a type of Kiriko lantern. Whereas Kiriko are long and slim in Wajima, Niwaka in Ukawa Village, now part of Noto Town in Oku Noto, are more roundish (7m x 5m) and they feature colorful paintings.

In particular, Benzaiten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, is prayed to for a good catch and an accident-free season. Locals say that Benzaiten selects one of the warriors painted on the Niwaka during the climax of the festival in front of the Benzaiten Shrine which is a taiko competition that lasts from midnight until 3 am.

The story goes that Niwaka, which literally means “unexpected”, was built and decorated by locals in Ukawa Village when they expected Lord Maeda, the daimyo (over-lord) for this area. The Maeda Clan was one of the most powerful samurai clans in Japan during the Edo Period (feudal period). They were the Daimyo of Kaga Domain, nowadays part of Ishikawa Prefecture, and they had their castle in Kanazawa.

In the middle of the 19th century Lord Maeda, the 13th, was on his round of inspections and passed through the area when the locals held their annual “harvest celebrations”, a festival that is reaching back about 400 years. They wanted to surprise their Lord and created these large, colorful lanterns.

The lanterns are decorated with paintings of warriors. The criteria for choosing the motif are to depict powerful and handsome warriors. The Niwaka are painted anew every year. It takes two months to complete the painting. Each is a piece of folk art.

Currently, there are nine Niwaka. Initially, it was just two wards in this community, but now there are nine wards engaged, hence, nine Niwaka. The ward leader decides what the painting should on the lantern should be each year.

Next local boys and girls in typical festival outfits gather near the Niwaka. They take turns beating taiko drums for a while for spectators to enjoy.

Around 8 pm the locals enjoy fireworks that brighten up the night sky just behind the shrine. The fireworks add even more light and atmosphere to the place where the colorful, illuminated Niwaka wait to be taken around.

After the fireworks, the procession of Niwaka starts at around 9 pm, and it continues until the early morning of around 3 am. The large cards and lanterns are moved one by one past the shrine and then in the opposite direction along the small roads of the village. While the starting point was Sugahara Shrine, the finishing point is Kawase Shrine.

Niwaka Matsuri takes place every year on the fourth Saturday in August. Preparations are going on throughout the day, but celebrations begin after dark. The nine Niwaka are lined up in front of Sugahara Shrine. Each Niwaka consists of a movable wooden base with wheels and a large lantern on it.

The doors and windows of many traditional townhouses are open and visitors can observe the locals enjoying dinner with family members and friends. Walking through the village one can feel a jolly and exciting atmosphere building up. During the procession, the inhabitants of the houses come out and join in or sit in front of the houses to watch the spectacle. There are about 4,500 inhabitants in Ukawa and about 2,000 guests join the festival each year.

Compared to many other summer festivals in Japan, the Niwaka Festival is very local and most of the attendants are members of the community and friends rather than guests. With no big crowds like elsewhere, and the Niwaka fireworks close up, this festival is truly a unique experience for foreigners to witness.

https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/kiriko/

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19/07/2025

Wajima Grand Festival 2025
Parading mikoshi and kiriko around town till midnight
Venue: Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture
When: Aug 22nd - Aug 25th 2025

The Wajima Grand Festivals are the highlight of late summer in the Wajima area of the Noto Peninsula. The festive activities center around some local shrines. One of them is the Juzo Shrine in the Kawai-machi area of Wajima. The festivals are kicked off by the Okutsuhime Shrine Festival. These festivals take place, one after another, from August 22 to 25 each year.

The Juzo Shrine is the center of the next festival. It involves a parade of a mikoshi and of 30 kiriko around the local area from 8 pm until midnight. It is said that this parade is in remembrance of a journey done by a Shinto Deity. The kiriko are carried back and forth for the whole evening, accompanied by the shouting of washoi and taiko drumming and the sounds of the Japanese flute.

The climax of this festival is a “race” of mikoshi that leads to one of three taimatsu. Taimatsu are ten meter high torches, which are set alight at the base and the flame is travelling up the stem of the torch to its top. The top of the torch is shaped like a hat. There are gohei, sacred white paper stripes, attached. Gohei are a typical sight at shrines and at Shinto festivals in Japan; they mark sacred space.

The mikoshi is carried around the taimatsu. Then the carriers of the mikoshi start to compete with each other to try and catch one of these gohei after the flames have brought down the top of the torch. Those who are lucky to catch a gohei are said to receive good fortune. There is a stiff competition to catch these lucky charms.

Festivals at the Sumiyoshi Shrine in Fugeshi-machi and at the Wajimasaki Shrine in Wajimazaki-machi conclude the festive days. If you enjoy Japanese summer festivals, then the Wajima Grand Festivals are not to be missed. Since they take place in the evenings, you can spend the day checking out some of Wajima's attractions, such as the Wajima Morning Market and Wajima lacquerware.

https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/index.html

https://travel-g.net/

18/07/2025

Nagaoka Festival 2025
Hanabi (Fireworks) with a story
Venue: Shinano Riverside
When: Aug 2nd - Aug 3rd 2025

What makes Japanese fireworks different from all the others around the world? For one, they reflect Japan’s culture. All have themes and the crowds really get into the mood. You see blue mats everywhere and special food tents wherever the people gather. After each set of fireworks there is enthusiastic clapping and cheering.

During the months of July and August there is pretty much a Hanabi in every region of Japan almost weekly.

I have attended the Yokohama fireworks twice and they were spectacular, but to know the themes and stories really makes them special.

We arrived in Nagaoka mid-morning on 2 August and the festival was already in full swing. On the main street from the station there were vendors selling all types of Hanabi souvenirs and of course food tents everywhere.

Next a parade was led off by the Nagaoka Fireman’s band followed by several children’s bands.

We decided to walk to the river where our seats were reserved for the fireworks to see how long it would take and found out that both bridges would be closed to traffic after 7 p.m., with one of the bridges opening back up at 8:30, we knew would could never make our 9:10 Bullet train back to Tokyo especially from the other side of the river. We ended up purchasing two more tickets for the east side of the river near the Chousei Bridge, which still required a 30-minute walk to the station.

Hundreds of people were already claiming space for the free sections and it was still 7 hours before the fireworks show.

Back near the station we watched an outstanding baton twirling performance, all types of dance shows and then some floats. This consumed most of the afternoon and now it was impossible to find a place to sit down. Went over to the Aeon department store and found a coffee shop on the top floor that served some good food. By the time we finished our meal it was overrun with people waiting to get a seat. At 5 p.m. we walked to our reserved spot for the fireworks. It had rained and we needed to wipe the blue mat before sitting down. For our reserved area I counted 50 mats holding approximately 60 people for a total of 3000. This area was just a dot compared to all the seating places along the river.

The festival and fireworks began in 1946 to commemorate the victims of war and recently from the earthquake that hit Nagaoka in 2004. Nagaoka was 80 percent destroyed by the bombing on 1 August,1945. The people rallied together and rebuilt their city and in 1946 began the remembrance fireworks praying for those lost and for peace.

Every year the Nagoaka fireworks are displayed in Hawaii in remembrance of American victims of war and our friendship.

The Nagaoka Hanabi are in the top three in all of Japan. The crowds over two nights exceed a million spectators along a two-kilometer area of the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan.

The display has nine themes over two hours. One being the Sho-Sanjakudama, two 36-inch diameter shells weighing 660 pounds illuminating a 2,132 feet long Niagara Falls.

We were at ground level and it was difficult to take pictures of the falls. The highlight for us was the Phoenix Fireworks wishing for a complete recovery from the earthquake disaster. The Phoenix shaped fireworks span over 1.7 miles in a straight line.

We had to leave about 45 minutes early in order to catch our train. Even as we pulled out of the station we could still see the fireworks high in the sky.

This festival is held for three days every 1-3 August. It begins with a lantern floating ceremony on the Kaki River to remember and comfort the souls of the bombing victims. Everyday is filled with festivities topped off on 2 and 3 August with the fireworks.

https://www.club-t.com/en/sp/special/japan/nagaoka/4/

https://travel-g.net/

17/07/2025

Okazaki Fireworks Festival 2025
A heartwarming display of designer fireworks in Aichi
Venue: Otogawa & Yahagi River
When: Saturday - Aug 2nd 2025

Fireworks Festivals or Hanabi-kai are some of the most spectacular festivals in Japan. Put on mostly during summer time, the multicolor fireworks light up the sky in many decorative ways. Okazaki is one of those places, and hosts such a festival every year on the first Saturday of August.

This old castle town has a remarkable history for being the birthplace of the Sh**un Ieyasu Tokugawa. Here, the tradition of making gunpowder for fireworks is still continuing and every year this festival comes with new designs for spectators. Interestingly, on this single day they light about 20,000 fireworks in the sky above the Ottawa River, by the Okazaki Castle area.

People come from different cities all over Aichi Prefecture to view these fireworks which make the Okazaki Fireworks Festival so vibrant and warm. Usually people reserve their places one day before near the banks of the Otogawa river, so it becomes very crowded. Reserved seating is also available and provides the best view of the fireworks. It is expensive, though.

Eventually when the evening time comes, around 18:50, the illumination starts. It's a kind of grand celebration of summer when people of every age gather with their family. Food, drinks, and the fresh aroma of homemade sushi and onigiri will make you feel very happy.

The festival continues until 21:00, and this 2-hour show will definitely steal your heart with the various unique designs of fireworks. This festival best represents the culture of Okazaki. If you are a person who values traditions and culture then you must visit this place especially for this summer fireworks festival!

https://okazaki-kanko.jp/feature/hanabitaikai/hanabitokusyu

https://travel-g.net/

16/07/2025

Uozu Tatemon Festival 2025
A UNESCO-recognized tradition of light, sound, and spirit
Venue: Suwa Shrine, Uozu, Toyama
When: Aug 1st - Aug 2nd 2025

The Uozu Tatemon Festival is held each year on the first Friday and Saturday of August, and it's an event that illuminates the summer nights with tradition, energy, and community spirit. The festival was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2016, and originated around 300 years ago as a way to pray for safety at sea and good fishing catches.

At the heart of the Tatemon Festival is the Tatemon itself—a structure made up of over 90 lanterns which are arranged in a triangular shape around a towering 16-meter-high pillar. The Tatemon weighs around 5 tons and measures 10 meters in length, and requires a team of about 80 participants to pull it. As this happens, the sound of traditional taiko drums and flutes fills the air, creating an atmosphere that draws spectators into the heart of Uozu’s proud tradition.

Can't time a visit to Uozu to coincide with the festival? Visitors can also view miniature versions of the Tatemon on permanent display at the Ariso Dome and Niikawabunka Hall, helping to preserve the legacy of this dynamic event.

There is no admission fee to enjoy the atmosphere of the festival, but bringing along some yen is highly recommended—there are various stalls set up for the event selling food and drink items, and they accept cash only.

https://visit-toyama-japan.com/en/festivals/50039

https://travel-g.net/

15/07/2025

Nagoya Castle Summer Festival 2025
Party at the castle
Venue: Nagoya Castle
When: Mid Aug 2025

Summer in Japan can be as hard on the locals as it is on travelers. The heat and humidity bear down during the day, making being outside unpleasant. In recognition of that, the Nagoya Castle Festival doesn’t start until 5, when the sun is well on its way down for the day.

Admission is 500yen for adults and free for children. You’re given a schedule and an uchiwa - a flat Japanese fan – on your way in.

The entertainment on stage and guests vary from night to night, and a more popular entertainer might draw a larger attendance at the festival.

There are festival games running down the main stretch of the path toward the castle. The highlight of the games, in my opinion, was that there were options like archery and shuriken (ninja star) throwing. Those aren’t exactly standard festival sightings in Japan.

By far and away outweighing the number of games is the number of food stands. A few are the typical small, colorful stands common around local festivals, but most of them were massive semi-permanent stands erected to last the two weeks of the festival.

At the end of the main street, down past the bridge for the entrance to the castle, there is a stage set up with lanterns. This is the typical set-up for Obon Odori, the traditional dancing that goes with the Obon holiday in Japan. People in colorful, matching yukata dance in circles around the stage with dance leaders and musicians on top. Anyone can join in, and festival-goers in normal clothes are often interspersed.

Festival food is a bit pricey, but generally worth it. The Satsuma-imo (sweet potato) sticks are very starchy and a lot to eat, so they’re good for sharing. My friends and I got our snacks and beer and settled at some tables provided near a food area so we could watch the dancing. Some overly-friendly locals decided to top off our cups several times and engaged us in friendly, curious conversation. It was a good time.

Other things to see at the festival are the castle lit up at night and the live performances of the non-musical variety. The main path to the castle is closed, but there are several places from which you get a fantastic view of the castle lit up at night. Entertainment performances we saw included someone making balloon shapes, a comedic performer whose partner was a macaque (a Japanese monkey), and a performer who balanced, juggled, and solved a Rubik’s Cube behind his back.

It’s a great way to experience a Japanese festival in a convenient location where the subway pops you out right in front of the venue. Eat the festival food unlike anything you get at home, enjoy the entertainment, and know when you’ve had enough to drink. Have fun!

https://www.nagoyajo.city.nagoya.jp/fes2024-2025/summer/

https://travel-g.net/

14/07/2025

Oita Godo Tanabata 2025
Explosive finale to Oita’s summer festival
Venue: The Oita River bank near Benten-ohashi Bridge
When: Aug 1st - Aug 2nd 2025

Oita Godo Shimbun Fireworks display is Oita City’s most popular fireworks performance. Held on the last day of the Oita Tanabata Festival - one of the largest summer festivals in the prefecture – the fireworks are a spectacular way to wrap up the summer celebrations. The fireworks take place at the Benten Ohashi Bridge on the Oita River.

Watch in wonder at the soaring “fire flowers” reflected beautifully on the surface of the river. What makes Oita’s fireworks so pleasurable is the wide area from which to watch – spectators can relax on the green space on the banks of the river to watch the show. The great variety of fireworks synchronized with music are a crowd pleaser. Approximately 6000 shots are planned every year, lighting up the night sky of the prefecture's capital.

Viewing is free from the river bank, but paid admission to the best seats is available through the Oita Godo Shinbun newspaper office.

https://www.city.oita.oita.jp/o154/tanabata2025.html

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