Three Tohoku Festivals!
Tanabata in Sendai, Nebuta in Aomori, and Kanto in Akita

Looking for ideas for your summer vacation in Japan? Japanese travel favorites like Tokyo and Kyoto turn uncomfortably hot and humid every summer, which makes it a perfect time to venture off the beaten path and enjoy some of Japan’s less famous hidden gems. If you’re searching for the perfect summer destination in Japan, a trip through Tohoku in breezy northern Japan might just be the answer.

While anywhere you go in Tohoku is likely to be pleasant during the warmer months of the year, in Japan, summertime is festival time. Three major festivals are held throughout northern Japan every year, dubbed the “Three Great Festivals of Tohoku,” and each has its own unique history and traditions. Visit the Nebuta Festival of Aomori, the Kanto Festival of Akita, or the Tanabata Festival of Sendai (in Miyagi) for an unforgettable Japanese festival experience – or with a little careful planning, you might be able to fit all three of them onto one week-long itinerary!

① The Nebuta Festival of Aomori

Japan’s festival of lanterns! Packed with glowing lights and massive parade floats, the Aomori Nebuta Festival (青森ねぶた祭, Aomori Nebuta Matsuri) was officially designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the Japanese government in 1980. Every year, the festival is held from August 2nd to 7th, and it consistently attracts over 3 million visitors from around Japan, and the world (making it, by far, the largest of Japan’s Nebuta events). Large “nebuta” (ねぶた) lanterns are carried down the streets of Aomori like parade floats, depicting Japanese gods, characters from mythology, or legendary historical figures.

The festival is so long-lived that its origins are murky, but a popular theory suggests that the celebrations were first initiated by the 8th-century shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who used a cacophony of drums and flutes to distract enemies in battle. Others suspect that the Nebuta Festival is an offshoot of the Tanabata Festival, an event with roots in ancient Chinese legend.

Join in for an immersive festival experience!

Traveling visitors can actually be a part of the Nebuta Festival, too, with just a little planning! You’ll need to buy or rent an outfit to participate (shop list here, we recommend reservations), check for meeting points, and arrive at least ten minutes before the procession gets moving.

Aomori Nebuta Festival (青森ねぶた祭)
Official Website
2026 Dates:
　August 1 | “Nebuta Eve” | 17:00 – 21:00
　August 2~3 | Children’s Nebuta | 19:00~
　August 4~6 | Large Nebuta | 18:45~
　August 7 | Large Nebuta & Fireworks | 13:00~ & 19:15 – 21:00

② The Kanto Festival of Akita

A truly impressive feat of strength and coordination, the Akita Kanto Festival (秋田竿燈まつり) begins with almost 300 long poles decked with huge hanging lanterns being lifted into the air to the sound of bamboo flutes, as a ritual warding off evil and a tribute to the gods. Each of the poles, called “kanto,” ranges from 5 to 12 meters long (16 to 39ft), and they’re about as heavy as you might expect. But each is carried by just one person, who balances their pole and all its lanterns on their palm, their lower back, their shoulder, or even their forehead! Considering the skill, and luck, that it takes to balance a 12m pole and dozens of lanterns right between your eyes, it’s easy to believe that Japan’s gods are there at the festival too – enjoying the celebrations, and lending the participants a little luck while they’re at it!

Akita Kanto Festival (秋田竿燈まつり)
Official Website
2026 Dates:
　August 3 | Main Evening Event | 19:00~
　August 4~5 | Daytime Events | 9:00 – 15:40
　August 6 | Daytime Events | 9:20 – 15:00
^{*Advance tickets may be necessary.}

③ Tanabata Festival of Sendai (Miyagi)

The Japanese Tanabata traditions have a long history, drawing on an ancient legend of star-crossed lovers who rush through the heavens and meet in the sky just once a year, in mid-summer. The Sendai Tanabata Festival (仙台七夕まつり), held in Miyagi Prefecture, was first established in the 17th century by Date Masamune, a powerful regional ruler who founded the city of Sendai itself.

While most Tanabata celebrations are held on the 7th day of the 7th month each year (July 7th), Sendai chooses to celebrate a month later in order to stay faithful to the traditional lunar calendar, and the festival lasts from the 6th to the 8th of August. During the festivities, the streets of Sendai see a flood of around 2 million visitors, arriving in droves to admire the colorful festival streamers and lively parades.

Sendai Tanabata Festival (仙台七夕まつり)
Official Website
2026 Dates:
　August 6~8

Where will your travels take you in Japan this summer? Tell us all about which Japanese festival you would most love to visit, and don’t forget to follow us on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook!