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

7

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M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

Nabekaburi Festival (Pot-on-Head 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)

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

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

Nasu Gojinka Festival (Sacred Fire Festival)

3Nabekaburi Festival (Pot-on-Head Festival)4Tado Taisha Age-Uma Shinji (Horse-Climbing Ritual, Tado Festival)4Yansanma Festival (Kamo Festival, Bull-Riding Rite)5Mamada no Jagamaita (Straw Snake Festival)15Oshira-kō Ritual Gathering at Kudō-ji Temple 25Tsuruoka Tenjin Festival 'Bakemono Matsuri' (Monster Festival)

+ 1 more

Jun 2026

3

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W

T

F

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1

2

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4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

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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

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 24Izawanomiya Otaue-e (Sacred Rice-Planting Ceremony)

Jul 2026

13

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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

9

10

11

Nunakuma Shrine Otebi Fire Ritual

12

Mizudome-no-mai (Rain-Stopping Dance)

13

14

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

15

16

17

18

19

Hirakata Doro-inkyo (Mud Mikoshi)

20

Osorezan Grand Festival

21

22

Uwajima Ushi-oni Festival

23

24

25

26

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

27

28

29

30

31

4Lake Shikaribetsu White Snake Princess Festival (Hakujahime Matsuri)7Toko Yasaka Shrine Festival: Bull-Riding (Ushi-nori) and Kumo-mai 11Nunakuma Shrine Otebi Fire Ritual 12Mizudome-no-mai (Rain-Stopping Dance)14Nachi no Hifuri Shinji (Kumano Nachi Fire Festival)14Shiokake Festival (Seawater-Splashing Ceremony)

+ 7 more

Aug 2026

15

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

Kuwana Ishidori Festival (Japan's Loudest Festival)

2

3

4

5

6

7

Suhōtei Festival (Giant Bamboo Banner Dance)

8

9

10

11

12

13

Komukai Jinja Hachionji-sai — Fire Festival (Hi-Matsuri)Takizawa no Houka Odori (Takizawa Houka Dance)

14

Ryōzan-ji Gohō Festival (Gōsama)Ohinata no Hitoboshi (Ohinata Fire-Whirling Festival)

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)

23

24

25

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)7Suhōtei Festival (Giant Bamboo Banner Dance)13Komukai Jinja Hachionji-sai — Fire Festival (Hi-Matsuri)13Takizawa no Houka Odori (Takizawa Houka Dance)14Ryōzan-ji Gohō Festival (Gōsama)14Ohinata no Hitoboshi (Ohinata Fire-Whirling Festival)

+ 9 more

Sep 2026

8

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M

T

W

T

F

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1

2

3

4

5

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

6

7

8

9

10

11

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

12

Chikuni Suwa Shrine Festival: Sasara-suri

13

Hyoge Matsuri (The Hyoge Festival)

14

15

16

17

18

19

Mitsuke Tenjin Naked Festival (Yanahime Shrine Hadakamatsuri)

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

5Tabanka Festival (Daihō Hachimangū Torch Festival)5Waraji-Hiki Shinji — Giant Straw Sandal Ritual (Waraji-Hiki Shinji / Waraji Matsuri)11Satsuma Iōjima no Mendon (Visitation Deity Ceremony, Sulfur Island)12Chikuni Suwa Shrine Festival: Sasara-suri 13Hyoge Matsuri (The Hyoge Festival)19Mitsuke Tenjin Naked Festival (Yanahime Shrine Hadakamatsuri)

+ 2 more

Oct 2026

8

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M

T

W

T

F

S

1

Miyakojima Paantu (Shimajiri)

2

3

4

5

6

7

Nagasaki Kunchi (Grand Autumn Festival of Suwa Shrine)

8

9

10

11

Nibu Festival (Laughing Festival)

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

26

27

28

29

30

31

1Miyakojima Paantu (Shimajiri)7Nagasaki Kunchi (Grand Autumn Festival of Suwa Shrine)11Nibu Festival (Laughing Festival)14Nada Kenka Matsuri (Fighting Festival)14Kebesu Festival (Fire Ritual of Kushiku Shrine)18Tako-mai Shiki Shinji (Sacred Octopus Dance)

+ 2 more

Nov 2026

6

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M

T

W

T

F

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1

2

3

Yagoro-don Festival

4

5

6

7

8

Takagawa Niida Shrine Hayameshikui (Speed Rice-Eating Rite)

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Bandai Festival of Ariuji Shrine

20

21

22

23

Kida (Came) of the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival

24

25

26

27

28

Hofu Tenmangu Goshinko Festival (Hadakabo Matsuri / Naked Men Festival)

29

30

2Karatsu Kunchi 3Yagoro-don Festival 8Takagawa Niida Shrine Hayameshikui (Speed Rice-Eating Rite)19Bandai Festival of Ariuji Shrine 23Kida (Came) of the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival 28Hofu Tenmangu Goshinko Festival (Hadakabo Matsuri / Naked Men Festival)

Dec 2026

7

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W

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1

2

3

4

5

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

16

17

18

19

20

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

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

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

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)20Toyohashi Donki Festival (Fox, Tengu, and Child-Chasing Rite)31Koshikijima no Toshidon

+ 1 more

Jan 2027

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Feb 2027

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Mar 2027

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Apr 2027

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