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This translation was generated by AI and may contain wording that differs from the facts. Please check the Japanese original or official sources for anything important. Japanese original
Key points
- Tohoku's big three: Aomori Nebuta (2–7 August), Akita Kanto (3–6 August) and Sendai Tanabata (6–8 August).
- Awa Odori (Tokushima, 12–15 August): the whole city dances, and visitors can join in.
- Gozan no Okuribi (Kyoto, 16 August): giant bonfires shaped like characters light the mountains at the end of Obon.
🌤 Weather and temperature
Tokyo averages about 27 °C, the hottest month of the year. Typhoons approach more often, so keep an eye on forecasts.
| City | Average temperature | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 22.3 °C | 127 mm |
| Tokyo | 26.9 °C | 155 mm |
| Osaka | 29 °C | 113 mm |
| Fukuoka | 28.4 °C | 211 mm |
| Naha | 29 °C | 240 mm |
Monthly averages based on Japan Meteorological Agency normals (1991–2020).
🚄 Crowds, holidays and prices
Obon (around 13–16 August) brings Japan's biggest travel rush: shinkansen, highways and airports are packed and hotel prices rise.
🏮 Festivals and events
- Hakodate Port Festival (Hokkaido · August 1–5)
Famous for its squid dance. Opens with a fireworks display - Aomori Nebuta Festival (Aomori · August 2–7)
Five-metre-tall illuminated "nebuta" floats and leaping "haneto" dancers. One of Tohoku's three great festivals - Morioka Sansa Odori (Iwate · August 1–4)
Holds the world record for the most taiko drums played at once. Dancers chant "Sakkora choiwa yasse" - Sendai Tanabata Festival (Miyagi · August 6–8)
Lavish paper streamers fill the shopping arcades. Dates back to the era of Date Masamune. One of Tohoku's three great festivals - Akita Kanto Festival (Akita · August 3–6)
Performers balance 50 kg bamboo poles hung with 46 lanterns on their foreheads and shoulders. One of Tohoku's three great festivals - Omagari Fireworks (National Fireworks Competition) (Akita · Last Saturday of August)
Japan's top fireworks competition, where pyrotechnicians from across the country show off their skills. Daytime fireworks too - Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (Yamagata · August 5–7)
Over 10,000 dancers wave safflower-decorated hats to shouts of "Yassho, makasho" - Fukushima Waraji Festival (Fukushima · Early August)
A 12-metre straw sandal is carried through the streets. Rooted in the faith of Haguro Shrine - Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori (Tokyo · Last weekend of August)
Second only to Tokushima in scale. Around 10,000 dancers and a million spectators - Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks (Niigata · August 2–3)
Giant 90 cm shells and the "Phoenix" display over the Shinano River. Fireworks of remembrance and postwar recovery; one of Japan's three great fireworks shows - Noto Kiriko Festivals (Ishikawa · July–October (across the Noto Peninsula))
Giant lantern floats (kiriko) over 10 m tall are carried through the streets. Resuming across the region after the 2024 earthquake - Gujo Odori (Gifu · Mid-July to early September (all-night dancing August 13–16))
Japan's longest Bon dance, spanning 32 nights. A festival you join rather than watch - Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival (Nagano · August 15)
Around 40,000 shells launched from the lake. Famous for the booms echoing off the mountains - Gozan Okuribi (Kyoto · August 16)
Five giant bonfires, including the famous "Dai" character, send off the spirits of Obon - Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks (Osaka · Early August)
Osaka's biggest fireworks show, run by citizen volunteers on the banks of the Yodo River - Tottori Shan-Shan Festival (Tottori · Mid-August)
Dancers twirl umbrellas hung with bells. Holds the Guinness record for the largest simultaneous umbrella dance - Awa Odori (Tokushima) (Tokushima · August 12–15)
400 years of history. Japan's largest Bon dance, with around 100,000 dancers and 1.3 million visitors - Yosakoi Festival (Kochi · August 9–12)
Around 18,000 dancers with wooden "naruko" clappers in hand. Born in 1954 as a rival to Awa Odori - Yamaga Lantern Festival (Kumamoto · August 15–16)
A thousand women in yukata dance gracefully with golden lanterns on their heads in the "Thousand Lantern Dance" - Okinawa Zento Eisa Festival (Okinawa · The weekend after Lunar Obon (late August to early September))
Youth associations from across the islands compete in eisa, dancing to pounding drums. Okinawa City
Dates change from year to year; always check the official announcement.
🌸 Flowers and autumn colours
- Hokuryu Sunflower Village (Hokkaido · Late July to mid-August)
2 million sunflowers across 23 hectares. One of the largest sunflower fields in Japan
🍣 Seasonal food and traditions
- Seafood in season: Cutlassfish, greater amberjack, sardines
- Produce in season: Aubergines, bitter melon, grapes, Asian pears, figs
- Traditions and daily life: Obon (13th–16th), fireworks displays, summer Koshien baseball, Mountain Day, homecoming rush, end-of-war memorial day
📍 Where to go this month
Aomori Nebuta Festival
Giant illuminated floats 5 m tall and 9 m wide parade through the night. Anyone in costume can join as a 'haneto' dancer.
Awa Odori Dance Festival
For four days in mid-August the city of Tokushima dances in a 400-year-old Bon festival. 'Fools who dance, fools who watch.' Visitors can join the 'niwaka-ren' and dance too.
Summer Fireworks Festivals
Fireworks every summer weekend nationwide. Shells that open to 800 m wide, yukata, food stalls; paid seats from a few thousand yen.
Ishigaki Kabira Bay
A three-star Michelin Green Guide bay. Glass-bottom boats glide over coral and tropical fish.
Climbing Mount Fuji
Early July to early September only. Five to seven hours from the 5th station to the summit; the classic plan is a nap in a mountain hut and sunrise at the top. Since 2025: ¥4,000 fee and reservation.
Koshien Stadium Baseball
Japan's baseball shrine since 1924. The summer high-school tournament crowns the best of 4,000 schools; Hanshin Tigers fans are the loudest in the country.
🧳 What to pack
Summer (Jun–Aug)
- Breathable clothes, a hat and sunscreen: humidity over 70% and up to 35 °C
- A folding umbrella: rainy season June–July, typhoons August–September
- Cooling wipes and a hand fan, available at any convenience store
- A light layer for strongly air-conditioned trains and shops
💡 Travel tip
Avoid Obon if you can — or at least avoid travelling on its peak days — and transport and hotels become much easier.
🗓 Other months
January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Frequently asked questions
When is Obon?
In most regions it is around 13–16 August. It is not a public holiday, but many companies close and people travel home, causing heavy crowds.
Are there typhoons in August?
August and September are peak typhoon months. Flights and trains can be suspended, so get travel insurance and keep some slack in your plans.
