Japan in July – 15 Things to See and Do in 2025!

Japan in July is a vibrant and colorful time of year, with festivals, fireworks, and seasonal treats marking the full onset of summer. 

The weather is typically hot and humid, with occasional showers as the rainy season ends, temperatures in Tokyo and other major cities hover between 77°F and 95°F (25°C and 35°C). 

Highlights include beach barbeques, fireworks, and seasonal foods such as kakigōri (shaved ice dessert), chilled somen noodles, and many summer festivals.

Pro travel tips for this month: book accommodation early, stay hydrated, and carry a mini towel; they’re handy and commonly used in the sweltering heat.

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!

Japan in July – 15 Things to See and Do in 2025!

1. Gion Matsuri, Kyoto

One of Japan’s oldest and most famous festivals, Gion Matsuri, can trace its roots back over a thousand years. Held throughout July in Kyoto’s Gion district, the festival features religious rituals and cultural events centered around the Yasaka Shrine. Highlights include the Yamahoko-Junko, grand float processions on July 17 and 24, and the Mikoshi-Togyo, evening parades of portable shrines carrying the shrine deities towards downtown Kyoto. 

Tip: The month-long event is often busy with visitors from around the world hoping to take part in the cultural events and religious purification ceremonies, so arrive early on procession days to make sure you get a good viewing spot.

• WHERE & WHEN: Yasaka Shrine, Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. Tuesday, July 1st to Thursday, July 31st, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Yasaka-jinja.or.jp

2. Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka

Tenjin Matsuri, one of Japan’s three major festivals alongside Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and Tokyo’s Kanda Matsuri, honors the deified scholar Tenjin and began more than a thousand years ago as a way to appease his spirit after exile. Though celebrated at Tenjin shrines nationwide, the two-day Osaka festival is the most famous and is one of the Kansai region’s largest summer events. 

The first day of the festival features live music and dance performances, as well as several Shinto ceremonies. On the final day, thousands in traditional period dress join a lively parade of portable shrines leading through the city streets towards the Okawa River, where the celebration ends in the evening with a large fireworks display.

• WHERE & WHEN: Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, Tenjinbashi, Kita Ward, Osaka. July 24-25, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Osakatemmangu.or.jp

3. Sumida Fireworks Festival, Tokyo

This grand fireworks festival, held on the last Saturday of July, dates back almost 300 years and has become a beloved Tokyo tradition, attracting more than a million visitors each year.

Held along the banks of the Sumida River, close to the Tokyo Skytree, more than 20,000 fireworks are released throughout the event, which includes an impressive pyrotechnics competition. 

Pro tip: visitors can arrive hours ahead of the event, often bringing their own seats, so get there early and pick out a spot for the best viewing along the riverbank or at Sumida Park, if you can.

• WHERE & WHEN: Along the banks of the Sumida River, Tokyo. 7 PM, Saturday, July 26, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Sumidagawa-hanabi.com

4. Official Beginning of Fuji Climbing Season

Mount Fuji’s climbing season runs from early July to September 10, although the exact dates vary slightly each year, depending on weather conditions. 

There are four main trails to the summit. The Yoshida Trail, which is the most popular and accessible, opens in early July. The other three trails, Gotemba, Fujinomiya, and Subashiri, open around mid-July. Even during climbing season, weather conditions at the summit are cold and windy, and become too hazardous for safe climbing by early September.

From the 2025 climbing season, if you plan to climb Mount Fuji, you are required to obtain a permit and pay a mandatory fee of ¥4,000 to climb Mount Fuji. Climbers must make an online reservation and pay the fee in advance on the official Mount Fuji climbing website here.

Still planning to hike up Japan’s highest peak? Take a look at my Tokyo to Mount Fuji Day Trip article to get the most out of your visit.

• WHERE & WHEN: Tuesday, July 1 to Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Fujisan-climb.jp

5. Mitama Matsuri, Tokyo

One of Tokyo’s most popular summer festivals, Mitama Matsuri, is held at Yasukuni Shrine each year to honor the spirits of deceased ancestors. During the four-day event, the main approach to the shrine is lit by walls of more than 30,000 glowing lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere after sunset. 

Some of the event highlights include traditional musical and dance performances, such as Taiko drumming and bon-odori dancing, as well as stalls selling popular summer festival snacks such as kakigori (shaved ice) and yakisoba. The evening lantern illumination can get quite busy, but it is still the best time to visit if you are willing to brave the crowds.

• WHERE & WHEN: Yasukuni-jinja Shrine, Chiyoda, Tokyo. July 13-16, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Yasukuni.or.jp

6. Tanabata (Star Festival) (Nationwide)

Also known as the Star Festival, this popular Japanese summer festival is inspired by an ancient Chinese legend about two lovers, turned into stars, who are separated by the Milky Way and allowed to meet only once a year on the night of Tanabata.

Celebrations take place all across Japan. Many people write wishes on colorful pieces of paper, tie them to bamboo branches, and hang them up. Larger celebrations can include live music, festival food and drink stalls, candle illuminations, and fireworks displays. Tanabata is celebrated as a time to make personal wishes and enjoy the beginning of summer.

• WHERE & WHEN: Dates and locations of major Tanabata festivals include:
  
  • Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa. July 4-6, 2025
  • Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri, Asakusa & Ueno, Tokyo. July 7, 2025
  • Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival, Ichinomiya, Aichi. July 24-27, 2025
  • Takehara Tanabata Festival, Takehara, Hiroshima. Early July 2025

• MORE INFORMATION: Shitamachi-tanabata.com

7. Nachi Fire Festival, Wakayama

This spectacular annual fire festival is held at Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine every year on July 14. It marks the movement of the original shrine from the nearby Nachi Waterfall and honors the divine will of water. The festival’s main event, also known as the Nachi Fan Festival, features twelve portable shrines that are said to transfer the spirit of the enshrined Shinto deity from the shrine to the mountain. During the procession, 12 large torches are carried by men in white robes to purify the path to the waterfall. Both the mikoshi (portable shrines) and the large torches are impressive sights to behold.

In addition to the mikoshi and fire torch rituals, other festivities include performances of traditional folk dances, rice planting, and a procession of shrine attendants in traditional clothing.

• WHERE & WHEN: Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture. July 14, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Kumanonachitaisha.or.jp (Japanese)

8. Gujo Odori, Gifu

Dating back over 400 years to the Edo period, Gujo Odori is one of Japan’s longest-running dance festivals. It started as a way to bring together people of different social classes in the town of Gujo Hachiman, now part of the present-day Gujō City. The festival takes place between mid-July and early September, and features traditional dance performances and live music with taiko drums and shamisen.

The atmosphere is festive and energetic, with a relaxed and inclusive feeling. Dance performances are known to continue through the night, and participation by locals and visitors alike is strongly encouraged, with dancers and musicians often spilling into the streets.

• WHERE & WHEN: Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture. Saturday, July 12 to Saturday, September 6, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Tabitabigujo.com

9. Ueno Summer Festival, Tokyo

Held in Tokyo’s famous Ueno Park in late July, the Ueno Summer Festival is a celebration of Japanese traditions, culture, and music. The event features live music performances, food stalls, and evening lantern displays. The festival fuses elements of traditional and modern Japanese culture. Last year’s festival featured a VR haunted house, an antique market, ice sculptures, live comedy shows, a display of 2,000 wind chimes, and more.

It is a popular family event for families looking to enjoy the cooler evening outdoor weather during the summer, and it can get very busy. Conveniently located near Ueno Station, close to Ueno Zoo and the Tokyo National Museum, it can be the ideal way to wrap up a busy day of sightseeing.

• WHERE & WHEN: Ueno Park, Taito City, Tokyo. Late July, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Ueno.or.jp

10. Katsushika Fireworks, Tokyo

The 59th annual Katsushika Summer Fireworks Festival will be held along the Edogawa River in Katsushika City, Tokyo, drawing over 750,000 spectators. As night falls, around 15,000 fireworks will illuminate the sky in a spectacular hour-long display.

Couples and families often arrive early to set up spots along the riverbank, bringing picnic blankets or grabbing snacks from nearby food stalls. The festival and relaxed summer atmosphere make it a fun outing for all ages. The event is just a 10-minute walk from Shibamata Station, and conveniently located near the old-fashioned Shibamata neighborhood, known for its retro charm and traditional shopping street. 

• WHERE & WHEN: On the banks of the Edogawa River, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: City.katsushika.lg.jp

11. Hakata Gion Yamakasa, Fukuoka

Hakata Gion Yamasaka is a historic festival held every July in the Hakata District of Fukuoka. For more than 700 years, the event has been held to honor the three local Shinto Gods of the Kushida Shrine. 

The highlight of the festival is Oiyama, which takes place on the final day of the festival. Teams of men in traditional happi coats race each other through the streets while carrying elaborately decorated floats called kakiyama on their shoulders. The display is cheerful, energetic, and filled with the sounds of spectators cheering them on. In the days leading up to the race, huge decorative floats are carried through the city to various display points, showcasing beautiful, detailed designs of Japanese legends.

• WHERE & WHEN: Kushida Shrine, Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka. July 1-15, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Hakata-yamaksa.net

12. 2025 Nagasaki Port Festival, Nagasaki

The Nagasaki Port Festival is an annual large summer celebration held around the last weekend of July to honor the port’s impact on local maritime heritage and culture. For two days, the city comes to life with celebrations that include live music performances, dance shows, festival stalls, and parades along the waterfront. 

One of the festival highlights is a large fireworks display that illuminates the night sky and reflects off the water of Nagasaki Bay. The popular event is attended by around 300,000 people each year, and is a celebration of Nagasaki’s unique legacy as one of Japan’s oldest trading ports.

• WHERE & WHEN: Nagasaki Port and Nagasaki Seaside Park, Late July, 2025 (2025 date to be confirmed).

• MORE INFORMATION: Minatomatsuri.com

13. Sapporo Summer Festival, Hokkaido

This popular annual summer event takes place in the capital of Japan’s northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, and for several weeks, the center of Sapporo is transformed into a hub of festivities that attracts more than a million visitors each year. At the center of the event, the festival’s large beer garden in Odori Park offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy locally brewed beer, food, and cold drinks under the summer sun.

A highlight of the festival, the Hokkai Bon Odori, features hundreds of people dressed in yukata performing a traditional dance to honor the spirits of their ancestors. The festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and reflects Sapporo’s warm hospitality.

• WHERE & WHEN: Odori Park, Downtown Sapporo. July 18 to August 16, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Sapporo.travel

14. Furano Lavender Season, Hokkaido

The city of Furano in central Hokkaido is known for its spectacular lavender season, which peaks around mid-July to early August. During this period, the countryside is filled with rolling purple hills that attract visitors from all over Japan.

One of the most popular sites to visit is Farm Tomita, located in the Sorachi District of Nakafurano Town. It is known for its famous Lavender East field, one of the largest lavender fields in Japan. Visitors are free to explore the aromatic purple fields, purchase fragrant souvenirs, or taste lavender-flavored ice cream, chocolate, or other snacks at the nearby cafes. 

The farm is open from 9 am to 4:30 pm, and can be reached via the special Furano-Biei Norokko-go train on the JR Furano Line, which stops at the farm in the summer. 

• WHERE & WHEN: Farm Tomita, Nakafurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido. The best viewing season is mid-July 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Farm-tomita.co.jp

15. Tobata Gion Yamagasa Festival, Kitakyushu

Takes place over the last weekend in July. The festival is known for its impressive displays of huge illuminated floats. 

During the day, the floats are decorated with gold and silver embroidered cloth and paraded through the streets of Tobata Ward in Kitakyushu. After the sun sets, the cloth is replaced with hundreds of illuminated lanterns, transforming the floats into 10-meter-high illuminated pyramids. The floats are then carried through the streets by around 100 participants to the rhythm of drums and gongs. It is an impressive display of stamina, community, and local spirit.

Since 2016, the festival has been designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage and attracts around 200,000 visitors each year. 

• WHERE & WHEN: Aso Park, Tobata Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. July 25-27, 2025.

• MORE INFORMATION: Crossroadfukuoka.jp

Conclusion

There are no national holidays in Japan in July, and while it’s a busier season than June, it’s still easier to navigate than the busy Obon holidays in August. However, crowds are to be expected at summer festivals and schools break for summer in July.

Early July can see some lingering rain from the tail end of the rainy season, especially in central and southern Japan, although it disappears quickly. Despite the heat and humidity, if you want to experience vibrant summer festivals, fireworks, and delicious seasonal foods, then it’s worth the trip! Just try to minimize the time you spend outdoors during the day.