Japanese Festivals Calendar 2026: Matsuri and Fireworks by Month
Japan's main festivals and fireworks in 2026, month by month. Still ahead: Nagasaki Kunchi, Takayama, Jidai Matsuri, the Tokyo Bay fireworks on Oct 24, Karatsu Kunchi, Chichibu Night Festival.
Japan's main festivals and fireworks in 2026, month by month, with dates checked against organisers and city pages. Many festivals move for rain or change times on the day, so check the official site before you go.
Still ahead (October 2026 to February 2027)
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 7–9 (Wed–Fri) | Nagasaki Kunchi | Nagasaki, Suwa Shrine |
| Oct 9–10 (Fri–Sat) | Autumn Takayama Festival | Takayama, Gifu |
| Oct 17–18 (Sat–Sun) | Kawagoe Festival | Kawagoe, Saitama |
| Oct 22 (Thu) | Jidai Matsuri | Kyoto, Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine |
| Oct 22 (Thu) | Kurama Fire Festival | Kurama, north Kyoto |
| Oct 24 (Sat) | Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks | Harumi Pier area, Tokyo |
| Nov 2–4 (Mon–Wed) | Karatsu Kunchi | Karatsu, Saga |
| Nov 7 (Sat) | Tsuchiura Fireworks Competition | Tsuchiura, Ibaraki |
| Nov 7 (Sat) and Nov 19 (Thu) | Tori-no-ichi | Asakusa's Otori Shrine, Hanazono Shrine and others |
| Dec 2–3 (Wed–Thu) | Chichibu Night Festival | Chichibu, Saitama |
| Feb 4–11, 2027 (Thu–Thu) | Sapporo Snow Festival | Sapporo |
- Jidai Matsuri and Kurama fall on the same day, one in daylight and one at night. You can't comfortably do both; see Jidai or Kurama.
- Tokyo Bay runs 17:30–19:00 with about 12,000 fireworks. It's the first show since 2015, and the first ever held in autumn.
- Tsuchiura moves to November 14 if the weather is bad.
- Sapporo: venues and the busiest days are in the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027 guide.
The 2026 calendar
The rest of 2026, including festivals that have already happened, for planning next year. Some fall on the same date every year (the Gion Matsuri processions, Nebuta, Kanto); others move with the weekend (Sanja, Kawagoe).
January
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 9–11 | Toka Ebisu | Osaka, Imamiya Ebisu Shrine |
| Jan 30 – Feb 8 | Kobe Luminarie | Kobe |
Kobe Luminarie has moved from December to late January and early February.
February
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 4–11 | Sapporo Snow Festival (76th) | Sapporo |
March
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1–14 | Shuni-e (Omizutori) | Nara, Todaiji Nigatsu-do |
April
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 5 | Kanamara Matsuri | Kawasaki, Kanayama Shrine |
| Apr 14–15 | Spring Takayama Festival | Takayama, Gifu |
May
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| May 3–4 | Hakata Dontaku | Fukuoka |
| May 15 | Aoi Matsuri procession | Kyoto, Imperial Palace to Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines |
| May 15–17 | Sanja Matsuri | Tokyo, Asakusa Shrine |
June
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 7–17 | Sanno Matsuri (procession Jun 12) | Tokyo, Hie Shrine |
Sanno's full festival runs every other year, and 2026 is one of them.
July
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 1–15 | Hakata Gion Yamakasa (final race early on the 15th) | Fukuoka |
| Jul 1–31 | Gion Matsuri (float processions Jul 17 and 24) | Kyoto |
| Jul 24–25 | Tenjin Matsuri (fireworks on the 25th) | Osaka, Tenmangu Shrine |
| Jul 25 | Sumida River Fireworks | Tokyo |
August
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2–3 | Nagaoka Fireworks | Nagaoka, Niigata |
| Aug 2–7 | Aomori Nebuta | Aomori |
| Aug 3–6 | Akita Kanto | Akita |
| Aug 5–7 | Yamagata Hanagasa | Yamagata |
| Aug 6 | Lake Biwa Fireworks | Otsu, Shiga |
| Aug 6–8 | Sendai Tanabata | Sendai |
| Aug 9–12 | Yosakoi | Kochi |
| Aug 11–15 | Awa Odori | Tokushima |
| Aug 16 | Gozan Okuribi | Kyoto |
| Aug 29 | Omagari Fireworks Competition | Daisen, Akita |
The Miyajima water fireworks were not held in 2026. Other shows are in the Japan fireworks guide.
September
| Date | Festival | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1–3 | Owara Kaze no Bon | Yatsuo, Toyama |
| Sep 19–20 | Kishiwada Danjiri (September festival) | Kishiwada, Osaka |
October to December
See "Still ahead" at the top.
FAQ
What festivals are left in 2026? Nagasaki Kunchi (Oct 7–9), autumn Takayama (Oct 9–10), Kawagoe (Oct 17–18), Jidai Matsuri and Kurama (Oct 22), Tokyo Bay fireworks (Oct 24), Karatsu Kunchi (Nov 2–4), Tori-no-ichi (Nov 7 and 19) and the Chichibu Night Festival (Dec 2–3).
Are the Tokyo Bay fireworks on this year? Yes, on Saturday, October 24, at Harumi Pier. It's the first show since 2015.
When is Gion Matsuri? All of July, every year. The float processions are on July 17 and July 24.
Is there a festival every month? Yes, though the biggest cluster is July and August, then October and November.
Culture Desk
The Standard Japan
Customs, festivals, pop culture and everyday Japan, explained for people who want to understand what they are looking at.
Facts are taken from primary sources (operators, venues, official tourism and government pages) and dates and prices are checked on the day of writing. Pages are revised when those sources change.
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Festivals, etiquette, pop culture, mascots, convenience-store culture
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