Written by Greg Lane
Researched by Alexandra Ziminski
Traditionally, during the hottest months of summer, Japanese people honor the spirits of the dead. One such festival based around this idea is the Mitama Matsuri at the politically complex Yasukuni Shrine.
What happens?
30,000 lanterns are strung from towers of metal scaffolding to create a spectacular approach along the promenade leading to the main shrine. The festival runs for four days, starting on July 13, and there will be dancing, brass band performances, and more.
Schedule 2025
A lot is happening, but here are some of the highlights:
Suggested Activity
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- Nebuta floats and Awa Odori dance: On July 14, from 6:30 p.m. there will be a Nebuta float procession, and an Awa Odori dance procession at 7 p.m.
- Mikoshi shaking: On July 15, there will be performances on the Noh theater stage in the afternoon and mikoshi (portable shrine) jostling at 6:30 p.m.
- Kagura dance: A sacred dance will be performed on July 16 at 4 p.m.
The lanterns will turn off at 9:30 p.m. each night.
How to get there
The shrine is a 5-minute walk from Kudanshita Station on the Tokyo Metro Honzomon and Tozai Lines as well as the Toei Shinjuku Line.
Jul 13–Jul 16, 2026
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9:00am – 8:00pm
みたままつり
Free
Official site
⚠️ Link in Japanese
- 0.6 km from Ichigaya Station Namboku Line (N9)Yurakucho Line (Y14)Shinjuku Line (S4)Chūō-Sōbu Line (JB25)
- 0.7 km from Kudanshita Station Hanzomon Line (Z6)Tozai Line (T7)Shinjuku Line (S5)
- 0.9 km from Iidabashi Station Namboku Line (N10)Tozai Line (T6)Yurakucho Line (Y13)Oedo Line (E6)Chūō-Sōbu Line (JB24)
Typical weather at this time:
High: 32 ºC
Low: 24 ºC
