Tokyo, the busiest city in Japan, might have some of the best festivals that the whole of Japan has to offer. With its exciting blend of traditional Japanese culture and multi-cultural influences from all around the world, Tokyo has both Japanese festivals, as well as international events with a twist! A tour around Japan in 2025 will not only allow you to see iconic landmarks, but also to take part in some of the best festivals and events that take place from June to December!
Summer: June to August
Tanabata Festivals
July 7th is usually when Tanabata is held, celebrating the legend of the star-crossed lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi (the stars Vega and Altair), who only meet once a year on this day. While Tanabata is celebrated all around Japan from July to August, Tokyo also has its fair share of festivities happening all over the city! Wishes can be written on strips of paper called tanzaku that are tied to bamboo trees. Sometimes, shrines have special charms or amulets for this occasion which can be bought if you visit around this season.
The Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri is one of the most well-known Tanabata festivals, taking place in Old Tokyo. It is held along Kappabashi Hondori, near Asakusa, and usually takes place in the first weekend of July. The streets are decorated with colorful streamers, and there is a parade with dance and musical performances, food stalls, and places where visitors can write their wishes on tanzaku to put up on the bamboo trees lining the streets!
Also read: Taste Tokyo: 10 Street Foods and Where to Find Them
Summer and Obon Festivals
Obon is an annual Buddhist event that takes place in August in Japan. It is usually spent commemorating one’s ancestors, who are believed to temporarily visit our world during this time. Lanterns are hung around houses and streets to guide the visiting spirits, and as many Japanese people return to their hometowns to spend time with their families, many festivals are also held as a celebration of family, and life. At thesefestivals, there are the usual food stalls and more lanterns, but also game venues, confectionary stalls, and crowds of people who gather to perform the obon-ōdori (Obon dance) together. In Tokyo, there are many Obon festivals that take place in Ebisu, Shibuya, Tsukiji, and at the Kanda Shrine. However, the most popular event has to be the Nakano Bon Odori Matsuri.
Photo by Nakano Bonodori
At the Nakano Bon Odori Matsuri, visitors can dance to folk songs from all over Japan! Famous celebrities, musicians, and dancers perform at this Obon festival, so the event usually features an impressive lineup of musical artists and performances. The event is completely free for the public to attend, as well! It is usually held at Nakano Central Park, on a weekend during the Obon Holiday in August, and it would be an unforgettable experience to add to your list of places in your 2025 Japan Tour!
Fukagawa Festival (One of Tokyo’s 3 Greatest Festivals)
Also known as the mizu-kake matsuri, or water-throwing festival, the Fukagawa Matsuri distinguishes itself from the other great festivals of Tokyo thanks to its ritual of splashing water on the mikoshi while it moves along. While the festival happens annually, the grandest parade takes place every three years – so the next grand parade won’t take place till 2026.
In 2025, though, you can still participate in a slightly smaller version of this celebration. The festival generally takes place around the weekend closest to August 15, and while the massive mikoshi won’t be paraded around this year, you can still view it at the Tomioka Hachimangū Shrine. Water-throwing will still take place with smaller mikoshis on the Sunday during the parade – so visit for a chance to get splashed!
Fireworks Festivals
For most Japanese people, no summer is complete without seeing some fireworks! Tokyo has many fireworks festivals throughout the summer, but one of the most well-known is the Sumida River Fireworks festival.
Photo by Sumindagawa Fireworks Festival Website
This event sets off at least 9,000 rounds of fireworks each year! In 2024, they even had a Pokémon-themed fireworks display. With their creativity and innovation, guests are treated to spectacular displays every year. If you plan on visiting in 2025, this spectacle is usually held in the last weekend of July, so be on the lookout for announcements starting about a month before!
Autumn: September to November
Autumn is the time of year when the trees don their beautiful red and yellow hues, and this is also the time for outdoor activities and autumn leaf viewing (kōyo in Japanese). Even so, there are still plenty of festivals to see in Tokyo from autumn till the end of the year.
Shiba Daijingu Daradara Festival
The Shiba Daijingu Daradara Matsuri runs for 11 days, making it one of the longest traditional festivals in the whole country. The festival is held in the autumn, on the street leading up to the Shiba Daijingu Shrine, near Tokyo Tower. Festivities first began in the Edo period (1603-1868), as a celebration and prayer to the Ise gods to grant a good harvest—but the tradition continues to this day, as a time-honored example of the Japanese’s rich and thriving cultural heritage.
In 2025, this festival will run from September 11 – 21, with the main day of festivities falling on Sunday. This is when the mikoshi will be carried in a parade around the area. There will also be dancing, and food stalls lining the streets to celebrate the event with many delicious and local bites!
Sea Lights Festival
The Sea Lights Festival at the Odaiba Marine Park takes place after sunset, when about 20,000 paper lanterns are lit up with candlelight to create beautiful displays. With the night scenery of Tokyo’s city lights in the background, and with the stillness of Tokyo Bay in the foreground, this is a peaceful, magical sight to behold.
The festival is free, and it usually takes place on October 5th and 6th of every year. There is usually a theme each year, so the lantern displays will change, showcasing designs made by residents, volunteers, and visitors of the park. At the event, there are live music and dance performances at the Marine House, special food and drinks, plus a variety of Japanese paper lanterns that you can take pictures with.
Halloween in Tokyo
Halloween has become a massive event for Tokyo in the last 5-10 years, and Halloween events can take place during the whole month October. Ikebukuro has a Halloween Cosplay Festival, but there is also a yōkai (monsters) parade at the Kōenji Festival that anyone can join and participate in for a small fee.
At the Kōenji Festival, there are also live music and dance performances, pro-wrestling events, as well as the related Kōenji Beer Festival, where street food sold by vendors can be paired with local brews from Tokyo’s burgeoning craft brewery scene. If you’re planning a 2025 Japan tour, be sure to include the Kōenji Festival in your plans, so you can experience the wonderful atmosphere and maybe even dress up for Halloween!
Oktoberfest
In a brilliant display of the city’s multicultural residents, Tokyo has four main Oktoberfest events, running from April through October. These are held in Hibiya, Odaiba, Shiba Park, and at the Jingu Gaien, respectively. Oktoberfest festivals in Japan range from one week, to over 20 days in length!
Oktoberfest is held annually in Tokyo, with the one in October running 2-weeks long, and held at the Jingu Gaien. Guests can enjoy German draft beers, delicious food, and live performances! There is also official merchandise from the event available for purchase, such as towels, t-shirts, and the ceramic beer mug of the year!
Winter: December
Winter Illuminations
During the winter, you’ll be able to see parts of Tokyo lit up for the winter and for Christmas. From the middle of November until the beginning of January, places like Tokyo Midtown, Marunouchi, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Dome, Omotesando, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and elsewhere will be lit up in colorful fairy lights that the Japanese refer to as “illuminations”! One area that is especially magical is Yomiuri Land’s Jewellumination.
Yomiuri Land is an amusement park that has rollercoasters, a carousel, and a Ferris wheel, but they also have the largest illumination show in the entire Kantō region. There are also fountain shows that are lit up with laser and strobe lighting, plus live dance performances and lit up fairy-light tunnels! This is a fantastic place to take pictures while you enjoy the beautiful atmosphere!
Christmas Market
Tokyo is also famous for its annual Christmas Market, which takes place at the Meiji Jingu Gaien every year from the middle of November until Christmas Day.
Supported by the German Embassy and Tourist Association, the Christmas Market features a huge, real Christmas tree that is flown in from Germany every year. Merchandise from the market is also very popular, and they make new ceramic mugs for visitors to purchase as souvenirs for each year. Selling authentic glühwein and other Christmastime German food, this is a Christmas event in Tokyo that is not to be missed!
Hagoita Market
The Asakusa Senso-ji Temple has an event called the Hagoita Market that takes place at the end of the year.
It is held every year from December 17th – 19th, and they are known for selling wooden paddles, or hagoita, which can be as small as 15cm or as large as over 2m long! Hagoitas were traditionally given as presents around the end of the year during the Taisho era (1912-1926). Even today, the Japanese consider them good luck charms for the new year ahead. Asakusa’s Senso-ji temple is lined with shops selling a variety of food, souvenirs, and seasonal cultural lucky charms like the hagoitas, making it a gem to add to your list of places to tour in Japan in 2025!
With so many events and festivals happening all year round in Tokyo, you can truly take your pick when choosing what to do during your trip! With the city’s unique blend of traditional practices and cross-cultural connections, you can rest assured that every experience will be a memorable one. 2025 might just be the perfect time to go on a Japan tour, and experience Tokyo’s unforgettable festival scene!