Tokyo events for Monday, July 15 to Sunday, July 21, 2024.
This week is popping off with a seaside fireworks event in Kamakura before a host of international festivals at Yoyogi Park. Go farther afield to Saitama for your Japanese cultural fix this weekend at the annual Uchiwa Fan Festival.
Don’t skip any other of the major fireworks events this summer.
Mitama Matsuri
30,000 lanterns are strung up at Yasukuni Shrine. This week sees the last two days of the festival, but there will still be plenty of dancing, brass band performances, and more.
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Kamakura Fireworks Festival
The Kamakura Fireworks Festival takes place at Yuigahama and Zaimokuza beaches on the coast of Kamakura City and will see around 2,500 fireworks shot into the sky.
Fussa Tanabata Festival
There will be a wide range of events centered around Fussa Station such as performances and dances. Approximately 100 stalls manned by residents will line the street.
Brazil Festival
Celebrating its 17th year, Festival Brasil — also known as Brazilian Day Tokyo — pulls in an impressive crowd. You’ll get a taste of Brazillian music with samba, forró, bossa nova, and pagode, as well as more than 20 stands and food trucks. To top it all off, there will be performances from capoeira groups.
Ukraine Festival Tokyo
Discover the beauty of Ukrainian culture at Tokyo’s first-ever Ukraine Festival. One of the main highlights of the festival is a special guest appearance from Nazar Grabar, a Ukrainian actor who fought and was injured in the current conflict in Ukraine.
Yataiwan Festival
A play on the Japanese word yatai (food stall) and Taiwan, the Yataiwan Festival brings Taiwan’s night markets to Tokyo. Walk in the light of Tokyo Tower and sample a collection of Taiwan’s tastiest dishes. There is also a Fortune Telling Hall, a dragon light sculpture, and a main stage that features both traditional and modern arts from Taiwan.
| Advance sales: ¥500 | At the door: ¥500 | |
Handmade in Japan Festival Summer
Over 3000 artists from across Japan and abroad will have their creations on display. Whether you’re starting your Christmas shopping early, looking for birthday presents, or just something new, this is a great place to buy handmade crafts, support independent makers, and make sustainable shopping choices.
| Advance sales: ¥1,300 | At the door: ¥1,500 | |
Windmill Sunflower Garden
Bask in the sight of over 15,000 Vincent (named after the artist!) sunflowers in full bloom under the July sunshine. On top of being able to wander and explore the sunflower fields, guests can also rent bicycles to cycle around the area and take snaps on the photogenic paths or in the shadow of the Dutch-style windmill.
Uchiwa Fan Festival
Celebrate tradition and color at the Uchiwa Festival in Kumagaya, Saitama, one of the biggest festivals in the region attracting over 750,000 visitors each year. This traditional event, also known as the Kumagaya Summer Festival, is a celebration of culture and community and features dynamic parades, colorful street performances, and iconic uchiwa fans.
Kawasaki Daishi Fūrin-Ichi
Craftsmen from all over Japan gather in Kawasaki to display and sell thousands of chimes, which soothe your soul as they ring in the summer breeze. You can also bring old bells to their recycling corner and enjoy the festival food offerings.
Gonchan Exhibition: Look @ Me Now
See works from the artist behind Fuji Rock Festival’s iconic painted rocks. This is Gonchan (Robert Gordon McHarg III)’s first solo exhibition in Japan. See pieces that embrace humor and childlike wonder, along with a disregard for conformity.
Ueno Summer Festival
The Ueno Natsu Matsuri (Summer Festival) consists of various events and festivities over an approximately month-long period beginning in mid-July. The festival includes a paper lantern-floating festival (July 17 in 2024), an antique market, and various musical and dance performances.
Midtown Summer
Summer in Tokyo might be beautiful, but everyone needs a way to beat the heat. That’s why Tokyo Midtown is hosting Midtown Summer, an oasis in the city. The gardens’ trees and sunshades provide relief from the heat. If you stop by at night, see the area lit with unique illuminations.
Summer Night Museums
As the temperature gets to ridiculous highs, it’s the perfect time to hide out at an air-conditioned museum — at night. Many museums in Tokyo will open their doors after hours on Friday nights from 5 p.m. to either 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.
Enoshima Lanterns
Experience a beautiful series of illuminations and lanterns on Enoshima Island. Various locations, such as Enoshima Shrine, Iwaya Caves, Samuel Cocking Garden, and the Enoshima Sea Candle are illuminated with lanterns and light shows.
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