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Gion Matsuri floats moving along a street in Kyoto

Culture & history

Festivals & seasonal events

Snow sculptures, floats, dances, sumo. Stations and trains nearby get very crowded on event days. Dates change each year, so check the official information.

Travel tips

  • Our Service & crowds page lists events that are expected to cause crowding.

9 places to go

Tap a pin to jump to that place's description.

Hokkaido

  1. 1

    Sapporo

    Station

    Sapporo Snow Festival (February): huge snow sculptures in Odori Park.

    Go hereDetails

Tohoku

  1. 2

    Aomori

    Station

    Aomori Nebuta Festival (early August): giant illuminated floats parade through the city.

    Go hereDetails
  2. 3

    Sendai

    Station

    Sendai Tanabata Festival (August): shopping arcades filled with huge streamers.

    Go hereDetails

Kanto

  1. 4

    Senso-ji Temple (Kaminarimon)

    Attraction

    Sanja Matsuri (May): portable shrines are carried all around Asakusa.

    Go hereDetails
  2. 5

    Ryogoku Kokugikan (Sumo Hall)

    Attraction

    Grand sumo tournaments in Tokyo (January, May and September).

    Go hereDetails

Kansai

  1. 6

    Gion / Yasaka Shrine

    Attraction

    Gion Matsuri (July): tall floats move through the streets of Kyoto.

    Go hereDetails
  2. 7

    Nara Park

    Attraction

    The burning of Mount Wakakusa (January) and the Omizutori rite at Todaiji (March).

    Go hereDetails

Shikoku

  1. 8

    Tokushima

    Station

    Awa Odori (August): the whole city turns into lines of dancers.

    Go hereDetails

Kyushu

  1. 9

    Hakata

    Station

    Hakata Dontaku (May) and Hakata Gion Yamakasa (July).

    Go hereDetails

From people who went

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Event dates, operating days, reservation rules and opening hours can change. Please check the official information before you go.

Photo and data credits

Gion Matsuri floats moving along a street in Kyoto 江戸村のとくぞう (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Odori Park in autumn and central Sapporo, seen from the TV Tower redlegsfan21 (CC BY-SA 2.0) / Downtown Sendai beyond the trees, seen from the Sendai Castle site Enirac Sum (Public domain) / Kaminarimon gate and its red lantern at night Maarten Heerlien (CC BY 2.0) / The vermilion west gate of Yasaka Shrine facing Shijo Street DXR (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Deer drinking under autumn leaves in Nara Park Marek Ślusarczyk (CC BY 3.0) / Fukuoka Tower and the Momochi waterfront Hirho (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cropped and resized.