Japanese Summer Festivals

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2018-07-17

As a land with over thousands of years of history, Japan is steeped in culture and tradition; Festivals are a great way for the kids to take part in these ancient traditions this summer. Vivid costumes, delicious and authentic street food, lively music, and unique and deeply nostalgic festival games… Japanese summer festivals known as matsuri in Japanese offer a splash of fun for everyone! Just make sure you ask the parents before taking the kids to one of these awesome festivals while babysitting.

Here is a list of family-friendly summer festivals you can enjoy this summer in Japan:

Gion Matsuri (Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto) July 1-31
The Gion Matsuri takes place throughout the entire month of July with its most popular events taking place on the 17th and the 24th. The festival dates back to 869 during the Jogan era and is most known for its massive floats that can weigh up to 12 tons.
Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Asakusa, Tokyo) July 28, 7:00-8:30 pm
The Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival is the oldest firework festival in the world, dating back to 1732. Roughly a million people flock to this festival every year to see the 20,000 spectacular fireworks that light up the sky. In order to cope with the crowds, we suggest finding rooftops for viewing or leaving early. There are a ton of different street vendors to choose from so enjoy the traditional Japanese festival cuisine!
Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori City, Aomori) August 2-7
As one of the designated top three Japanese festivals, the Nebuta Festival is a Japanese government designated “significant intangible folk cultural asset” event and attracts approximately 2.8 million people each year to Aomori. Each evening, a parade of enormous lantern floats with dancers and musicians march to the beat of the taiko drums across downtown Aomori. You can reserve seating for ¥4,000-7,000 or find a free seat on the sidewalk! ¥4,000-7,000 or find a free seat on the sidewalk!
Okinawa Eisa Matsuri (Various Locations, Okinawa) Aug. 31-Sept. 2
Starting in 1995, the Eisa dancers parade was originally a eisa dancing competition. Eisa is a form of dance originating from the Okinawa islands and is performed during the Obon Festival to honor the ancestral spirits. Enjoy Okinawan culture as you watch the 10,000 dancers put on a lively performance!
Awa Odori (Tokushima City, Tokushima) August 12-15
Awa odori is one of the most famous dances in all of Japan and many festivals are held nationwide during the Obon season in mid August. As a traditional dance originating from Tokushima prefecture roughly 400 years ago, the Awa Odori festival in Tokushima attracts about 1,230,000 spectators each year!