Japanese Festivals and Fireworks Displays in 2024

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Festivals and fireworks displays are quintessential to Japanese summers. This article lists the schedule of various events held across Japan in the summer and autumn of 2024.

Written by

Mayu

Previous experience as an editor at a women's media company in Japan. I lived in Australia for a while and joined MATCHA after returning to Japan. In charge of editing, promoting sponsored content, and creative direction. I love watching Western TV series.

Festivals and Fireworks Displays Scheduled for 2024

Summer in Japan is a time of vibrant festivals and firework displays that give us a chance to forget about the heat typical for this season.

If you visit Japan during July and August, don't miss out on these exciting events. While rare, some of these festivals are held in autumn, too! Read on to learn about festivities scheduled to be held this year.

Japanese Festivals and Fireworks in 2024

1. Festivals and Traditional Events
2. Firework Displays in 2024
3. Acces and Tips to Enjoy Japan's Summer Traditions

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Festivals and Traditional Events in 2024

Japanese Festivals and Fireworks Displays Scheduled in 2024

As of June 2024, the official dates for most festivals from June to August have been announced.

Region/Festival	Annual Schedule	2024 Schedule
Tokyo/Sanja Festival	Mid-May	May 17 - 19
Kyoto/Aoi Festival	May 15	May 15
Kyoto/Gion Festival	July 1 - 31	July 1 - 31
Fukuoka/Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival	July 1 - 15	July 1 - 15
Osaka/Tenjin Festival	July 24 - 25	July 24 - 25
Aomori/Nebuta Festival	August 2 - 7	August 2 - 7
Akita/Kanto Festival	August 3 - 6	August 3 - 6
Miyagi/Sendai Tanabata Festival	August 6 - 8	August 6 - 8
Kochi/Yosakoi Festival	August 9 - 12	August 9 - 12
Tokushima/Awa Odori	August 12 - 15	August 11 - 15
Nagasaki/Nagasaki Kunchi Festival	October 7 - 9	October 7 - 9
Gifu/Takayama Festival (Autumn)	October 9 - 10	October 9 - 10
Saitama/Chichibu Night Festival	December 1 - 6	December 1 - 6

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Firework Festivals in 2024

Nagahama Kita-Biwako Great Fireworks Festival

Fireworks displays are held annually from June to August. The dates for all the events scheduled in 2024 have been announced.

Region/Fireworks Display	Annual Schedule	2024 Schedule
Tokyo: Edogawa Fireworks Festival	August 5	August 24
Tokyo: Sumida River Fireworks Festival	End of July	July 27
Tokyo: Katsushika Fireworks Festival	End of July	July 23
Tokyo: Adachi Fireworks Festival	End of July	July 20
Osaka: Tenjin Festival Fireworks Display	End of July	July 25
Saitama: Kumagaya Fireworks Display	Early August	August 10
Osaka: Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival	Early August	August 3
Niigata: Nagaoka Fireworks	Early August	August 2 - 3
Shiga: Nagahama Kita-Biwako Great Fireworks Festival	Early August	August 8
Hyogo: Kobe Minato Hanabi Festival	Early August	October 21 - 25
Chiba: Kisarazu Port Festival Fireworks Display	August 15	August 15
Kyoto: Miyazu Toro Nagashi Fireworks Display	Mid August	August 16
Akita: All Japan Fireworks Competition	Last Saturday in August	August 31
Ibaraki: Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Competition	November 4	November 2

Access and Tips to Enjoy Japan's Summer Traditions

Festivals and fireworks are a signature staple of summer in Japan.
Kyoto's Gion Festival, Osaka's Tenjin Festival, and Tokyo's Kanda Festival, all with a long history, are hailed as the three major festivals in Japan. The Awa Odori Festival in Tokushima, where participants will be dancing all night, and the National Fireworks Competition in Akita, a prefecture renowned for pyrotechnics, will also be welcoming spectators.

There are many types of rail passes for overseas visitors, such as the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited rides on the Shinkansen and limited express trains.

These passes are perfect for those interested in traveling all over Japan or touring a specific region. They are all different, so use them in accordance with your itinerary.

MATCHA has partnered with KLOOK, a site handling rail passes and reservations for numerous programs. Do look for a pass that fits your plans.

There is also a budget-friendly Nippon Rent-A-Car 10% Discount Coupon from MATCHA for tourists visiting Japan.

We hope that you'll enjoy the popular festivals and firework displays in Japan this summer!

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All pictures from Pixta.
This article is a revised 2024 edition of the original published in 2020.

Written by

Mayu

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