Autumn leaves 2026
Koyo starts in the mountains in late September and reaches Tokyo and Kyoto in late November.
Find autumn leaves spots →
Winter illuminations 2026
Most of Japan's big light displays run from November through February.
See winter illuminations →
Cherry blossoms 2027
The sakura front moves from Okinawa in January to Hokkaido in May.
Find cherry blossom spots →
Fireworks festivals
Japan's summer fireworks season peaks in late July and August.
See fireworks festivals →Karasawa Cirque, Northern Japan Alps — photo via Pakutaso
Japan's seasonal events, dated and verified
Cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, illuminations, fireworks, snow festivals, sumo and more across Japan, with dates checked against official sources — updated regularly.
Find events by where you're staying
Map simplified from Japan location map.svg by Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa), CC BY-SA 3.0
Or browse by city: Events in Tokyo · Events in Kyoto · Events in Osaka · Events in Nagoya · Events in Hiroshima · Events in Fukuoka · Events in Sapporo · Events in Kanazawa · Events in Sendai · Events in Okinawa · All cities
Popular right now
The events and spots our readers have been looking at most over the past four weeks.
Tue, Nov 10 – Sat, Nov 28, 2026Kifune Shrine Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves6:00 AMFree
Thu, Nov 5 – Mon, Nov 30, 2026Showa Kinen Park Autumn LeavesAutumn leavesFree
Fri, Nov 20 – Thu, Dec 10, 2026Rikugien Gardens Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves9:00 AMFree
Mon, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Kamikochi Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves
Fri, Sep 25 – Sat, Oct 10, 2026Senjojiki Cirque Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves¥1,660
Thu, Oct 1 – Tue, Oct 20, 2026Jozankei Onsen Autumn LeavesAutumn leavesFree
Apr 26, May 24, Jul 20, Jul 26, Aug 5, Aug 9, Aug 18, Aug 24, Sep 13, Oct 12, Oct 25, Nov 8, Nov 23, Dec 6, Dec 25, 2026Atami Marine Fireworks FestivalFireworks8:20 PM
Tue, Sep 15 – Thu, Oct 15, 2026Sounkyo Gorge Autumn Leaves (Daisetsuzan)Autumn leavesFree- Thu, Oct 29 – Sun, Apr 4, 2027Yomiuriland JewelluminationIllumination4:00 PM¥3,100
- Mon, November 23, 2026Nagano Ebisuko Fireworks FestivalFireworks6:00 PM
Coming up
- Apr 26, May 24, Jul 20, Jul 26, Aug 5, Aug 9, Aug 18, Aug 24, Sep 13, Oct 12, Oct 25, Nov 8, Nov 23, Dec 6, Dec 25, 2026Atami Marine Fireworks FestivalFireworks8:20 PM
- Tue, Apr 28 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks FestivalFireworks8:45 PM
- Fri, Sep 11 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026USJ Halloween Horror NightsFestival
- Tue, Sep 15 – Thu, Oct 15, 2026Sounkyo Gorge Autumn Leaves (Daisetsuzan)Autumn leavesFree
Tue, Sep 15 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves- Fri, Sep 25 – Tue, Oct 20, 2026Bandai-Azuma Skyline Autumn Leaves (Jododaira)Autumn leaves
- Fri, Sep 25 – Sat, Oct 10, 2026Senjojiki Cirque Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves¥1,660
- Thu, Oct 1 – Tue, Oct 20, 2026Jozankei Onsen Autumn LeavesAutumn leavesFree
- Mon, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Kamikochi Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves
- Wed, Oct 7 – Fri, Oct 9, 2026Nagasaki KunchiMatsuri7:00 AMFree
- Fri, Oct 9 – Sat, Oct 10, 2026Takayama Autumn Festival (Hachiman Matsuri)MatsuriFree
Sat, Oct 10 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026Naeba Dragondola Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves9:00 AM¥4,000,
Autumn Leaves
Koyo starts in the mountains in late September and reaches Tokyo and Kyoto in late November.
- Tue, Sep 15 – Thu, Oct 15, 2026Sounkyo Gorge Autumn Leaves (Daisetsuzan)Autumn leavesFree
- Tue, Sep 15 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves
- Fri, Sep 25 – Tue, Oct 20, 2026Bandai-Azuma Skyline Autumn Leaves (Jododaira)Autumn leaves
- Fri, Sep 25 – Sat, Oct 10, 2026Senjojiki Cirque Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves¥1,660
- Thu, Oct 1 – Tue, Oct 20, 2026Jozankei Onsen Autumn LeavesAutumn leavesFree
- Mon, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026Kamikochi Autumn LeavesAutumn leaves
Winter Illuminations
Most of Japan's big light displays run from November through February.
- Sat, Oct 17 – Mon, May 31, 2027Nabana no Sato Winter IlluminationIllumination
- Typically Oct 17 – Feb 15Kinpaku Kirara (Gold-Leaf Snow Guards)IlluminationFree
- Typically Oct 18 – Feb 14Ashikaga Flower Park: Flower FantasyIllumination¥1,400
- Fri, Oct 23 – Sun, May 23, 2027Southeast Botanical Gardens: Okinawa Tropical IlluminationIllumination5:00 PM¥2,500
- Thu, Oct 29 – Sun, Apr 4, 2027Yomiuriland JewelluminationIllumination4:00 PM¥3,100
- Wed, Nov 11 – Fri, Dec 25, 2026Tokyo Disney ChristmasIlluminationFree
Snow & Winter Festivals
The Sapporo Snow Festival, ice festivals and snow-lantern nights, mostly in January and February.
- Jan 11, Jan 17, Jan 24, Jan 31, 2027Shirakawa-go Winter Light-UpWinter festival5:30 PM
- Fri, January 15, 2027Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire FestivalWinter festivalFree
- Sat, Jan 30 – Tue, Feb 23, 2027Chitose Lake Shikotsu Ice FestivalWinter festival10:00 AM¥1,000
- Thu, Feb 4 – Thu, Feb 11, 2027Sapporo Snow FestivalWinter festivalFree
- Sat, Feb 6 – Sat, Feb 13, 2027Otaru Snow Light PathWinter festivalFree
- Sat, Feb 6 – Thu, Feb 11, 2027Asahikawa Winter FestivalWinter festivalFree
Browse by type
- Cherry BlossomsThe sakura front moves from Okinawa in January to Hokkaido in May — typical bloom windows for each spot.
- Autumn LeavesKoyo starts in the mountains in late September and reaches Tokyo and Kyoto in late November.
- Winter IlluminationsMost of Japan's big light displays run from November through February.
- Fireworks FestivalsSummer fireworks festivals peak in late July and August, with a few running into autumn.
- Traditional Festivals (Matsuri)Float parades, fire festivals and shrine fairs — Japan's big matsuri, with this year's dates and times.
- Snow & Winter FestivalsThe Sapporo Snow Festival, ice festivals and snow-lantern nights, mostly in January and February.
- Christmas MarketsGerman-style markets in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Sapporo and beyond, from late November to December 25.
- New Year in JapanHatsumode shrine visits, temple bells on New Year's Eve, year-end markets and what's open over the holiday.
- Sumo & SportsAll six Grand Sumo Tournaments with ticket sale dates, plus the Tokyo Marathon.
- Anime, Game & Pop Culture ConventionsComiket, Tokyo Comic Con, AnimeJapan, Tokyo Game Show and more, in date order.