Tokyo offers numerous summer events where you can experience its history and culture: fireworks lighting up the night sky, lively food stalls, and traditional Bon Odori dances. Why not head out and enjoy the unique charm of the season?
This festival, organized by the Shitamachi Tanabata Festival Executive Committee, is held annually on “Kappa-bashi Main Street,” which stretches approximately 1.2 km from the west end of Asakusa’s Sixth District, across the Tool Street, and on to Ueno. With numerous Tanabata decorations, stalls run by local shops, and a variety of performers, the entire length of the street is filled with a lively, handmade atmosphere, and the shopping district reaches its peak bustle of the year. The main events take place on July 4 and 5.
Japan’s largest morning glory market is held at Iriya Kishimojin (Shengen-ji Temple). Its origins are said to date back to the late Edo period, when a nurseryman displayed morning glories on the grounds of Iriya Kishimojin. Centered around Iriya Kishimojin, approximately 30 morning glory vendors and about 100 food stalls line Kototoi Street, drawing large crowds from early in the morning.
A festival at Yasukuni Shrine that began in 1947, inspired by ancient Japanese beliefs. Numerous lanterns are displayed on the shrine grounds to comfort the spirits of those who died in war. During the festival, dedication ceremonies such as the Awa Odori and Aomori Nebuta are held. Although there are no street stalls, food trucks are available at the “Garden of Rest” in the Outer Garden and the Central Plaza.
The Kagurazaka Summer Festival retains the atmosphere of the Edo period. Centered around Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple, the Hoozuki Market takes place on July 22 and 23, featuring festival games such as super ball scooping and yo-yo fishing within the temple grounds. An Awa Odori dance competition is also held on July 24 and 25.
This is one of Tokyo’s most iconic fireworks festivals, where spectators watch the display while walking along the bridges and surrounding roads near the launch site. It is said to have originated from the “Ryogoku River Opening” (the predecessor to the Sumida River Fireworks Festival), which began in 1733 when restaurants around Ryogoku Bridge set off fireworks—following a water deity festival held by the shogunate in 1732 to mourn the victims of a great famine and epidemic and to pray for the warding off of plagues.Scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
Since the first Tachikawa Summer Fireworks Festival, held in 1954 on the banks of the Tama River near Hino Bridge, this event has been a beloved summer tradition in Tachikawa for over 60 years, cherished by Tachikawa residents and many people living in the Tama region. The “Minna no Hara” meadow and its surroundings—where the fireworks are particularly beautiful—are designated as paid viewing areas. The event runs from 7:15 PM to 8:15 PM.
This fireworks festival features Tokyo’s largest fireworks, the “Shaku-go-sun” shells. The program is packed with highlights, including a competition of new fireworks designs by 10 of Japan’s top pyrotechnicians, a 300-meter-long “Niagara Falls” display, and a joint fireworks display with the Toda Bridge Fireworks Festival on the opposite bank. The event begins at 7:00 PM and is scheduled to end at 8:30 PM; it will be canceled in case of severe weather.
This is a ticketed fireworks display where 10,000 fireworks light up the night sky to the accompaniment of music. Since 2011, the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival has continued to donate a portion of its proceeds to support reconstruction efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake. This year, the festival will also hold a charity event to pray for recovery from the Kumamoto Earthquake. Fireworks begin at 7:30 p.m. and are scheduled to end at 8:30 p.m.
Organized by the Azabu-Juban Shopping District, this summer festival is often called Tokyo’s most well-attended summer festival. Every year, it features food stalls from popular local restaurants, as well as traditional night market stalls selling cotton candy, shaved ice, shooting galleries, and goldfish scooping. It attracts many families.
A summer tradition in Koenji where 10,000 people dance and the cheers of 1 million people ring out. It began in 1957 in the shopping district as an effort to revitalize the town, expanded to adjacent shopping districts and surrounding neighborhood and residents’ associations, and has become firmly established as one of Koenji’s major events.You can also obtain a ticket for a special reserved seating area by making a sponsorship contribution of 15,000 yen (for the Central Performance Stage) or 10,000 yen (for any of the Junjo, Tōen, or Minami Performance Stages).
