Bizarre Japan

STRANGE SPOTS & WILD FESTIVALS

C A L E N D A R

Festival Calendar — Japan's Wildest Days

May 2026 – April 2027

May 2026

11

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

Nabekaburi Festival (Pot-on-Head Festival)Onta Ware Karausu Festival

4

Tado Taisha Age-Uma Shinji (Horse-Climbing Ritual, Tado Festival)Yansanma Festival (Kamo Festival, Bull-Riding Rite)

5

Mamada no Jagamaita (Straw Snake Festival)Sagami Kōnomachi Festival

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Shinmeigū Aburimochi Shinji (Roasted-Mochi Rite)Oshira-kō Ritual Gathering at Kudō-ji Temple

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Tsuruoka Tenjin Festival 'Bakemono Matsuri' (Monster Festival)

26

27

28

29

30

31

Akaidake Yakushi Doll Memorial Service (Ningyo Kuyo)Nasu Gojinka Festival (Sacred Fire Festival)

3Nabekaburi Festival (Pot-on-Head Festival)3Onta Ware Karausu Festival 4Tado Taisha Age-Uma Shinji (Horse-Climbing Ritual, Tado Festival)4Yansanma Festival (Kamo Festival, Bull-Riding Rite)5Mamada no Jagamaita (Straw Snake Festival)5Sagami Kōnomachi Festival

+ 5 more

Jun 2026

4

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Hamochi Festival Tsuburo Sashi (Fertility Dance)

16

17

18

19

Hitori-zumo (Single-Wrestler Sumo) at Oyamazumi Shrine — Rice-Planting & Harvest Festivals

20

21

22

Akasaki Festival (Yukata Festival)

23

24

Izawanomiya Otaue-e (Sacred Rice-Planting Ceremony)

25

26

27

28

29

30

15Hamochi Festival Tsuburo Sashi (Fertility Dance)19Hitori-zumo (Single-Wrestler Sumo) at Oyamazumi Shrine — Rice-Planting & Harvest Festivals 22Akasaki Festival (Yukata Festival)24Izawanomiya Otaue-e (Sacred Rice-Planting Ceremony)

Jul 2026

28

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

Lake Shikaribetsu White Snake Princess Festival (Hakujahime Matsuri)

5

6

7

Toko Yasaka Shrine Festival: Bull-Riding (Ushi-nori) and Kumo-mai

8

Kizakai Ōmonoimi Shrine Insect-Repelling Rite

9

10

11

Kowaura Gion Festival — Boat-Shaped Portable Shrine Procession (Kowaura Gion-sai / Funahoko Mikoshi)Shirongo Festival+2

12

Mizudome-no-mai (Rain-Stopping Dance)Hadame Mushi-okuri (Oiyare)

13

Minomura Mushi-okuri (Insect-Sending Fire Procession)

14

Nachi no Hifuri Shinji (Kumano Nachi Fire Festival)Shiokake Festival (Seawater-Splashing Ceremony)

15

16

17

Gion Festival — Yamahoko Junkō (Float Procession)Fuseda Kojima Matsuri (Little-Island Sea Festival)

18

Seki-juku Gion Summer Festival and Seki Float Procession

19

Hirakata Doro-inkyo (Mud Mikoshi)Takahashi Mushi-okuri (Insect-Sending Rite)

20

Osorezan Grand Festival Mino City Mushi-okuri (Ueno & Mitarai)

21

22

Uwajima Ushi-oni Festival

23

24

25

Ueki Shrine Gion Festival

26

Toyohama Tai Festival (Giant Sea Bream Parade)Ryugasaki no Tsukumai (Pole-Top Dance)+1

27

28

Sen'yōsai — Myth Rite at the Summit of Mt. Sentsūzan

29

30

Itsukushima Shrine Kangen-sai

31

4Lake Shikaribetsu White Snake Princess Festival (Hakujahime Matsuri)5Sabā-okuri 7Toko Yasaka Shrine Festival: Bull-Riding (Ushi-nori) and Kumo-mai 8Kizakai Ōmonoimi Shrine Insect-Repelling Rite 11Kowaura Gion Festival — Boat-Shaped Portable Shrine Procession (Kowaura Gion-sai / Funahoko Mikoshi)11Shirongo Festival

+ 22 more

Aug 2026

21

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

Kuwana Ishidori Festival (Japan's Loudest Festival)Yabuta Shrine Gannoyama Rite (Gion Festival Furyu Dance)

2

3

4

5

6

7

Suhōtei Festival (Giant Bamboo Banner Dance)Nishi-Iya no Jindai Odori (Jindai Dance of Nishi-Iya)

8

9

10

11

12

13

Shiraishi Odori Komukai Jinja Hachionji-sai — Fire Festival (Hi-Matsuri)+1

14

Ryōzan-ji Gohō Festival (Gōsama)Tottori Shan-shan Festival: Mass Umbrella Dance (Issei Kasa-odori)+1

15

Sakaki Matsuri (Sacred-Branch Fire Festival)Hayama Fire Festival

16

Kyōto Gozan Okuribi (Five Mountain Send-Off Fires)Kiraikyō — Demon-Visitation Hell Drama (Kōsaiji Temple)+1

17

18

19

20

21

22

Kariya Mandō Festival (Lantern Tower Balance Dance)Iki Daidai Kagura

23

24

25

Takinomiya no Nenbutsu Odori (Takinomiya Nenbutsu Dance)

26

Yoshida Fire Festival (Chinkasei and Susuki Festival)

27

28

Akusekijima no Boze (Visitation Deity Ceremony, Akuseki Island)

29

Noboribetsu Jigoku Festival

30

31

1Kuwana Ishidori Festival (Japan's Loudest Festival)1Yabuta Shrine Gannoyama Rite (Gion Festival Furyu Dance)7Suhōtei Festival (Giant Bamboo Banner Dance)7Nishi-Iya no Jindai Odori (Jindai Dance of Nishi-Iya)13Shiraishi Odori 13Komukai Jinja Hachionji-sai — Fire Festival (Hi-Matsuri)

+ 15 more

Sep 2026

13

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

Ikemura Sacred Rope Renewal (Kamimura–Ikemura Michikiri Village-Boundary Rite)

2

3

4

5

Tabanka Festival (Daihō Hachimangū Torch Festival)Waraji-Hiki Shinji — Giant Straw Sandal Ritual (Waraji-Hiki Shinji / Waraji Matsuri)

6

Katsuta no Shishimai (Katsuta Three-Lion Dance)

7

8

9

10

11

Satsuma Iōjima no Mendon (Visitation Deity Ceremony, Sulfur Island)

12

Chikuni Suwa Shrine Festival: Sasara-suri

13

Ōmi Nakayama Imo-Kurabe Festival (Taro Competition Ceremony)Hyoge Matsuri (The Hyoge Festival)

14

15

16

17

18

19

Mitsuke Tenjin Naked Festival (Yanahime Shrine Hadakamatsuri)Obama Hōze Festival (Hōjō Festival)

20

Okumakabuto Festival (Waku-bata Procession of the Twenty-Day Festival)

21

22

23

24

25

26

Nanakuri Shrine Autumn Festival Naked Fire Festival

27

28

29

30

1Ikemura Sacred Rope Renewal (Kamimura–Ikemura Michikiri Village-Boundary Rite)5Tabanka Festival (Daihō Hachimangū Torch Festival)5Waraji-Hiki Shinji — Giant Straw Sandal Ritual (Waraji-Hiki Shinji / Waraji Matsuri)6Katsuta no Shishimai (Katsuta Three-Lion Dance)11Satsuma Iōjima no Mendon (Visitation Deity Ceremony, Sulfur Island)12Chikuni Suwa Shrine Festival: Sasara-suri

+ 7 more

Oct 2026

14

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

Miyakojima Paantu (Shimajiri)Hojozu Hachimangu Festival: Hikiyama and Tsukiyama Rites

2

3

4

5

6

7

Nagasaki Kunchi (Grand Autumn Festival of Suwa Shrine)

8

9

Hida Takayama Autumn Festival (Hachiman Matsuri)

10

11

Nibu Festival (Laughing Festival)Kunda Festival (Fighting Mikoshi of Sumiyoshi Shrine)+1

12

13

14

Nada Kenka Matsuri (Fighting Festival)Kebesu Festival (Fire Ritual of Kushiku Shrine)

15

16

17

18

Tako-mai Shiki Shinji (Sacred Octopus Dance)

19

20

21

22

Kurama Fire Festival (Yuki Shrine Shinko-sai)

23

Ueno Tenjin Festival — Danjiri Float Procession (Ueno Tenjin-sai no Danjiri Gyōji)

24

25

Okayama Water-Throwing Festival

26

27

28

Katashina no Saru-oi Matsuri (Monkey-Chasing Festival)

29

30

31

1Miyakojima Paantu (Shimajiri)1Hojozu Hachimangu Festival: Hikiyama and Tsukiyama Rites 7Nagasaki Kunchi (Grand Autumn Festival of Suwa Shrine)9Hida Takayama Autumn Festival (Hachiman Matsuri)11Nibu Festival (Laughing Festival)11Kunda Festival (Fighting Mikoshi of Sumiyoshi Shrine)

+ 8 more

Nov 2026

11

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

Yagoro-don Festival

4

5

6

7

8

Takagawa Niida Shrine Hayameshikui (Speed Rice-Eating Rite)

9

10

Shiritumi Matsuri (Bottom-Pinching Festival)

11

12

13

14

Misono Hana Matsuri (literally 'Flower Festival', a Shugendo-influenced shrine ritual of the Oku-Mikawa region)

15

16

17

18

19

Bandai Festival of Ariuji Shrine

20

21

22

Isonokami Shrine Chinkon-sai (Soul-Vivification Ceremony)

23

Kida (Came) of the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival

24

25

26

27

28

Sakauba Hana Matsuri (literally 'Flower Festival', a Shugendo-influenced shrine ritual of the Oku-Mikawa region)Hofu Tenmangu Goshinko Festival (Hadakabo Matsuri / Naked Men Festival)

29

30

2Karatsu Kunchi 3Yagoro-don Festival 8Takagawa Niida Shrine Hayameshikui (Speed Rice-Eating Rite)10Shiritumi Matsuri (Bottom-Pinching Festival)14Misono Hana Matsuri (literally 'Flower Festival', a Shugendo-influenced shrine ritual of the Oku-Mikawa region)15Hongawa Kagura

+ 5 more

Dec 2026

11

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

Aenokoto of Oku-Noto Nakashitara Hana Matsuri (literally 'Flower Festival', a Shugendo-influenced shrine ritual of the Oku-Mikawa region)

6

7

8

Shirotori Shrine Omikan-yaki (Ohitaki Fire Festival)Yutoku Inari Shrine Autumn Grand Festival (Ohitaki Fire Ritual)

9

10

11

12

13

14

Arai Festival (Daikon-Throwing Festival)

15

Kasuga Wakamiya On-matsuri (The Unbroken Festival)

16

17

18

19

20

Toyohashi Donki Festival (Fox, Tengu, and Child-Chasing Rite)

21

22

Kashōsai (Fire-Walking Festival)

23

24

Kanezawa Hayama-gomori

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Koshikijima no Toshidon Akutai Matsuri (Curse / Bad-Mouth Festival)

5Aenokoto of Oku-Noto 5Nakashitara Hana Matsuri (literally 'Flower Festival', a Shugendo-influenced shrine ritual of the Oku-Mikawa region)8Shirotori Shrine Omikan-yaki (Ohitaki Fire Festival)8Yutoku Inari Shrine Autumn Grand Festival (Ohitaki Fire Ritual)14Arai Festival (Daikon-Throwing Festival)15Kasuga Wakamiya On-matsuri (The Unbroken Festival)

+ 5 more

Jan 2027

0

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Feb 2027

0

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Mar 2027

0

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Apr 2027

0

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30