Japan in August – 16 Things to See and Do in 2024

August in Japan is the hottest month of the year, as many people flock to air-conditioned spaces such as shopping malls to escape the humidity. August is the time to put on a yukata (casual kimono), visit a local festival, and cool down with Japanese summer foods such as kakigori (shaved ice dessert), or juicy watermelon. 

August sees big crowds of people flock to beaches and river banks of towns and cities as they gather to admire the incredible displays of fireworks festivals. The Obon period, one of the busiest holiday periods of the Japanese calendar, also takes place in August as people travel across the country to reunite with their families and honor their ancestors with ceremonies, traditions, and festivals in some parts of the country.

If you’re visiting Japan in August, be sure to plan your travel carefully. Spend some time in the mountains to avoid the heat, or by the ocean for slightly cooler temperatures. Let’s take a look at a few opportunities for things to see and do in 2024 around Japan in August.

Planning a trip to Japan this year? Check out my 5 Day Tokyo Itinerary article for ideas on what to see and do in Japan’s capital! 

Average Temperatures in August Across Japan

As the summer enters its final month, Japan is at its hottest in August with some of the highest temperatures and levels of humidity of the year. Temperatures hover between 70 and 90 F in most places, and while the heat can be uncomfortable, it’s a good time to be adventurous and explore parts of the country that are a more bearable temperature. 

If you enjoy the sun, temperatures are generally warmer the further south you go. Places like Osaka and Hiroshima peak at around 91 F during the day, and fall to around 76 F at night. Further north in places like Aomori and Sapporo in Hokkaido, daytime temperatures are around 80 F, and can fall to around 65 F at night.

While Japan has many outdoor festivals and activities during August, they mostly take place in the afternoon or evenings after the sun has set and the air is much cooler. During the day, Japanese people tend to cover up when outside, preferring not to allow the sun to tan or damage their skin, so it is common on hot days to see people with long sleeves, large hats, sunglasses, and pants or leggings.

If you plan it well, August can be an amazing time to travel around Japan because there’s so much going on, just make sure to avoid traveling during the Obon period in the middle of August. 

Japan in August – 16 Things to See and Do in 2024

1. Adachi Fireworks Festival

The Adachi Fireworks Festival takes place in the North of Tokyo along the banks of the Arakawa River. It has become incredibly popular and more than 15,000 fireworks are set off during the event which takes place almost every year. The event took a brief break during Covid but returned in May last year drawing crowds of more than 600,000 people. There are two main areas for viewing the impressive fireworks finale, the Senju bank side and the Nishiarai side, however, they can get busy very quickly. The Nishiarai side is recommended for best viewing as the river bank is slightly larger.

• WHERE & WHEN: Arakawa Riverbed (Nishiarai Bridge), Adachi City, Tokyo. Late July.

• MORE INFORMATION: Hanabi.walkerplus.com

2. Asakusa Toro Nagashi

This evening event in Asakusa sees more than 2,500 lanterns, lit up with candles inside, float down the Sumida River to celebrate the Obon holiday and honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. The lanterns are released from Shinsui Terrace near Azumabashi Bridge where attendees usually gather. You are free to take part in the festivities and make your own lantern, which can be decorated with your ancestor’s names before lining up in Sumida Park to light your candle. Many people make a wish as they release their lantern into the river and watch it float away under the evening sky at around 5:30PM. 

• WHERE & WHEN: Shinsui Terrace, near Azumabashi Bridge, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0034. Mid August.

• MORE INFORMATION: e-asakusa.jp (Japanese)

3. Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival

Another of Tokyo’s major fireworks festivals, this one takes place inside Meiji Jingu Stadium near Gaienmae Station and can host up to a million attendees every year, including visitors watching from outside the stadium. As 10,000 fireworks light up the night sky during this event, bands performing live music on stage entertain the massive crowds. It is the only fireworks and live music combination event of its kind in Tokyo and is always a big hit.

• WHERE & WHEN: Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium, Shinjuku City, Tokyo. Mid-August. Event begins at 5PM, Fireworks begin around 7PM.

• MORE INFORMATION: Jinguhanabi.com (Japanese)

4. Experience Kawadoko Dining

During the Summertime, restaurants around Kyoto set up special outdoor dining platforms over the river. The platforms serve as a way of escaping the heat as the cool water flows beneath diners.

Popular locations around Kyoto where you will find this unique type of dining experience include Kamo River Noryo-Yuka, along the Kibune River, and in the town of Takao, in Ukyo Ward. These riverside dining terraces are extremely popular, so reservations are strongly advised if possible. If you’re on a budget you can always try the kawadoko at the Sanjo Ohashi branch of Starbucks.

• WHERE & WHEN: There are many restaurants along the Kamo River Noryo-Yuka, in Kyoto, that offer kawadoko dining between May and October.

• MORE INFORMATION: Kyoto.travel

5. Try the Famous ‘Flowing Noodles’ – Nagashi Somen

Around 30 minutes north of Kyoto city in the small rural village of Kibune, there is a restaurant called Hirobun where you can try nagashi somen, one of Japan’s most unique summer dining experiences. You will also find another called Chayakado, roughly 30 minutes South of Yokohama, and another located inside a ryokan called Choseikan

These special restaurants, set up during the summertime, allow customers to catch cold somen noodles with chopsticks as they flow down bamboo slides in ice-cold water. This fun dish is supposed to be the ideal way to help cool down the body during the hot summer months. 

Simply stand beside one of the open bamboo chutes with your chopsticks at the ready, then as the water carries the noodles down, you must quickly grab them before they pass by. This enjoyable and sociable way to enjoy food in Japan is also a way for people to celebrate nature, good company, and the end of summer.

• WHERE & WHEN: #1 Hirobun Inn, Kibune-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto. Between May and September. #2 Chayakado, Yamanouchi, Kamakura, Kanagawa. #3 Choseikan, Nagatoro, Nagatoro-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama.

• MORE INFORMATION: #1 Hirobun.co.jp, #2 Choseikan.com (Japanese), #3 Tabelog.com

6. Daimonji Fire Festival

This famous fire festival, also known as Gozan no Okuribi, takes place in the hills of the Higashiyama district of Kyoto every year on August 16th. During the festival, five giant bonfires in the shape of different Chinese characters are lit on the side of the mountains close to the city, which burn for around 30-40 minutes. The event marks the end of Obon season, the time of year when one’s ancestors return to visit family. It is believed that the fires help to guide the spirits of the ancestors back to the afterlife. 

Many restaurants in Kyoto offer Daimonji viewing packages where all the fires can be seen from an elevated position, otherwise your best bet is to head to the bank of the Kamo River with the rest of the crowds. 

• WHERE & WHEN: The event takes place in the area of Mount Zenki to the east of Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, at 8PM every year on August 16th.

• MORE INFORMATION: Discoverkyoto.com

7. Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival

More than 10,000 fireworks are released over Lake Biwa during this spectacular festival which takes place over Japan’s largest freshwater lake at the beginning of August every year. Expect good food, drink, plenty of entertainment, and large crowds! Fireworks light up the night sky as large water jets create a dazzling display over the lake. Seats are available to purchase online or from convenience stores in advance, but the event is free to attend. 

The festivities kick off after the sun goes down at around 7:30 PM, however with as many as 350,000 flocking towards the shores of the lake in search of the best viewing spots, you’ll want to make sure you arrive early.

• WHERE & WHEN: The event takes place in early August on the banks of Lake Biwa and can be best viewed from the area around Otsu Port in Kyoto. The closest station is Biwako-Hamaotsu station.

• MORE INFORMATION: Biwako-visitors.jp (English)

8. Kangen-sai Lantern Parade

The largest annual festival celebrated at Itsukushima Shrine on the popular island of Miyajima, is celebrated on June 17th of the lunar calendar, which generally falls around early August. As part of the celebrations, beautifully decorated boats are towed along the water close to the shrine as performers on board play classical Japanese court music on traditional instruments such as the koto, taiko drum, and the hichiriki, which is a type of flute.

The tradition dates back more than a thousand years when settlers to the area transported portable shrines across the water on boats from the mainland to the island to honor their Shinto deities. This popular event begins late in the afternoon and runs until midnight.

• WHERE & WHEN: Itsukushima Shrine, Island of Miyajima, Hiroshima. First week of August.

• MORE INFORMATION: Miyajima.or.jp

9. Peace Memorial Ceremony & Lantern Floating Ceremony

Every year on August 6th a ceremony is held in the Peace Memorial Park to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombing which took place in 1945 on this date. Following the ceremony, 10,000 lanterns bearing handwritten messages of peace are floated down the Motoyasu River past the Atomic Bomb Dome, creating a powerful and poignant experience. 

Members of the public can visit the event reception desk at Shinsu Terrace across from the Bombed dome memorial where, for a small fee of ¥800, they can write their own message to a loved one on one of the lanterns.

• WHERE & WHEN: The ceremony takes place at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima at 6PM on August 6th every year.

• MORE INFORMATION: Dive-hiroshima.com

10. Awa Odori

The largest dance festival in Japan, Awa Odori attracts more than one million spectators to Tokushima on Shikoku island, and takes place from the 12th to the 15th of August each year during the Obon holiday season. Selected groups of dancers and performers from across Japan and around the world come to dance along the closed-off streets of Tokushima city in a lavish and colorful procession.

The roots of this festival can be dated back to the 1500s, and both men and women participate in Bon Odori, the ‘Festival of the Dead’, the Buddhist holiday where deceased ancestors are said to return to visit relatives. While the period is celebrated throughout Japan, the festivities in Tokushima are known for their size and energy.

• WHERE & WHEN: Celebrations take place both during the day and between August 12th and 15th throughout Tokushima city.

• MORE INFORMATION: Awaodorimirai.com (English)

11. Yosakoi

Another of Japan’s biggest dance events is the Yosakoi festival held in the city of Kochi on Shikoku island. This four-day event takes place from August 9th to 12th with 200 teams totalling approximately 20,000 dancers participating in the event.

This vibrant and energetic style of dancing, known for its bright colorful outfits, huge team flags, and naruko clappers, originated in Kochi has since become popular all over Japan, although the Yosakoi festival in Kochi remains the most popular celebration of this dance every year. There are also open teams participating on August 10th and 11th that visitors can sign up for if you feel like taking part in the festivities!

• WHERE & WHEN: The event takes place in Kochi city center during the day from August 9th to 12th.

• MORE INFORMATION: Visitkochijapan.com

12. Visit a ‘Chilling’ Ghost House

There is a belief commonly held in Japan that giving yourself a good scare is an effective way to cool yourself down in the summer, which may help to explain the appearance of ghost houses and horror-themed walkthrough attractions that pop up all over the country during this time. Some of the scariest horror houses include the Obaken Escape House on the outskirts of Tokyo which takes place in an actual house, the Labyrinth of Fear, an abandoned hospital ward performing human experiments at Fuji Q Highland which takes around 50 minutes to complete, and Onryou Zashiki a murder house at the amusement park in Tokyo Dome. Be warned, none of these attractions are suitable for small children or the faint of heart!

13. Summer Sonic Music Festival

One of Japan’s biggest music festivals, Summer Sonic, takes place simultaneously in Tokyo and Osaka over August 17th and 18th. Entering its 25th year, the two-day festival features lineups from both Japanese and international artists, and often reaches a combined attendance of up to 300,000 visitors. The Tokyo event takes place in the ZOZO Marine Stadium, an outdoor baseball stadium in Chiba city, east of Tokyo, close to Tokyo Disney. The Osaka event will be held in Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita city in Osaka. While the events have often attracted a variety of musical lineups, the music is predominantly pop and rock based with many international stars making appearances over the years.

• WHERE & WHEN: The Tokyo event will be held at ZOZO Marine Stadium and the nearby Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, while the Osaka event will be held at the Expo Commemorative Park in Suita city. Both events open at 9AM and begin at 11AM on Saturday August 17th.

• MORE INFORMATION: Summersonic.com

14. Lake Yamanaka Fireworks Festival

Held on August 1st every year, this fireworks festival held over Lake Yamanaka, the largest lake of the Fuji Five Lakes region, sees crowds gather around the river bank close to the base of Japan’s most famous volcano to watch the sunset before thousands of fireworks are launched over the shimmering water. 

The event began as a way to honor the spirits of the dead at the beginning of the Obon holiday period and to ward off bad luck. Moments before the brilliant colorful display, a short Shinto ritual is performed over the water in honor of the returning spirits of ancestors.

• WHERE & WHEN: The bank of Lake Yamanaka, Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District. Thursday August 1st, fireworks display will begin at 8PM.

• MORE INFORMATION: Lake-yamanakako.com

15. Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri

Hirosaki city comes alive during the first week of August every year during one of the largest festivals in the Tohoku region in Northern Japan. Parades of huge fan-shaped lantern floats, large taiko drums, and street performers roll slowly through the city for four days and nights. Thousands of visitors line the streets to watch these intricately decorated washi paper lanterns light up the night sky. The event is capped on the fifth and final day as all the floats are paraded through the city before being placed on boats in the evening and pushed out into the bay beneath a huge fireworks display.

• WHERE & WHEN: Hirosaki City, first week of August, 2024.

• MORE INFORMATION: Hirosaki-kanko.jp (English)

16. Sendai Tanabata Festival

The Sendai Tanabata, also known as the Starlight Festival, is held every year from August 6th to 8th, and is one of the largest tanabata festivals in the country. The three-day event kicks off with a large fireworks display on the 6th, followed by an exhibition of large, handmade, brightly colored streamers that are hung from tall bamboo poles as they are paraded through shopping arcades. Some of the streamers can be as long as 5 meters, and are usually made by locals and nearby businesses. The parade is usually the main attraction of the festival, and in recent years vendors have started to appear along the parade route selling festival foods, drinks, and souvenirs. The event has been growing in popularity year-on-year, so be prepared for crowds!

• WHERE & WHEN: Ichibanchō arcade, Aoba Ward, Sendai city.

• MORE INFORMATION: Sendaitanabata.com

Dates to Avoid: Public Holidays

Mountain Day & Obon Period

Aside from Golden Week in May, Japan’s Obon period is one of the busiest and most expensive times of the year for domestic travel, with many people returning to their hometowns from the cities. During this period, it is said that spirits of relatives can return, so families gather together to visit their ancestor’s graves. Many families use this time to be together, and often travel across the country to return home. Because of this, the Obon holiday period, as well as the days leading up to and following it, can be an extremely busy time for public transport, particularly buses and trains, so if you’re planning to be in Japan during this time, try to plan your stays so that you keep your travel to a minimum on the dates below to avoid extra stress.

• WHEN: Tuesday August 13th to Friday August 16th.