Written by Patrick Balfe
Tokyo events for Monday, August 10, to Sunday, August 16, 2026.
One of Tokyo’s big three Shintō festivals takes over Koto this week and Japan’s fastest-growing music festival heads to Ibaraki for the long weekend. On top of that, there’s Summer Comiket, the Hakone Daimonji-yaki, the Asakusa Lantern Floating, and heaps more to look forward to over the next seven days.
Fukagawa Festival
The Fukagawa Festival is one of the big three Shintō festivals of Tokyo along with the Sanno Matsuri and the Kanda Matsuri. The not-to-miss events are the water-throwing and mikoshi (portable shrine) processions.
Summer Comiket
Comic Market, better known as Comiket, is one of Japan’s biggest annual pop culture events. It’s held twice per year, in summer and winter, at Tokyo Big Sight. The focus of the event is doujinshi — independently created and published manga.
LuckyFes: BABYMETAL, ILLIT, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and More
Catch BABYMETAL, ILLIT, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, MyGO!!!!!, and over 100 more acts at Japan’s fastest-growing music festival. Just under two hours from Tokyo, LuckyFes returns to Hitachi Seaside Park over the August 8–11 long weekend for its biggest edition yet.
Hakone Daimonji-yaki
This is the end of Hakone’s larger summer festival and events. There are many places in Hakone that will open up on the night of August 16 for spectacular, front-row views.
Asakusa Tōrō Nagashi Lantern Floating
2,500 lanterns with handwritten messages are floated down a slope into the waters on the east side of the Sumida River between Azuma-bashi Bridge and Kototoi-bashi Bridge at 6:30 p.m.
Asagaya Tanabata Festival
The Asagaya Tanabata Festival takes place every year in the Asagaya Pearl Center and is filled with dangling decorations and children’s cartoon characters. It’s celebrating its 70th event in 2026.
Tokyo Star Sky and Light Summer Festival
Tachikawa’s Shōwa Kinen Park is trying something new for summer 2026: a nine-night festival that swaps the usual one-off fireworks display for a mix of drones, music-synced fireworks and glowing lanterns out on the park’s big open field.
Nagatoro Funadama Boat Lantern Festival
The Nagatoro Funadama Boat Festival is a summer fireworks festival with a twist. While the fireworks display is as gorgeous as ever, the real stars of the show are the lantern boats on the river.
Chichibu Ondo Festival
Starting in the evening, dancers in colorful summer yukata line the streets of Minano in Saitama to perform the Chichibu Ondo, a folk dance originating in the area.
Azabudai Hills Summer Festival
Azabudai Hills is putting on its own version of a natsu matsuri, or Japanese summer festival. Restaurants from around the development serve special festival dishes from outdoor stalls, including fried noodles, shaved ice, spicy sesame jajamen, Indian food, and Peruvian dishes.
Candlelight Concert: A Tribute to Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli)
A string quartet will take you on a journey through Studio Ghibli hits such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke.
Tokyo River Clean-Up
Tokyo River Friends organizes regular litter-picking events on the banks of the Arakawa and Edogawa rivers. No reservation required — just show up at the appointed meeting spot.
Zama Sunflower Festival
Frolic through the fields and take photos of the beautiful sunflowers. If that isn’t enough, there will also be local businesses selling food, agricultural products, and cut sunflowers.
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