Oct22027
Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks Festival
Autumn fireworks display over the Tama River at Futako-Tamagawa in Setagaya, held simultaneously with Kawasaki's display across the river.
19 events start this month
What's on in Japan in October 2027.
Festivals, fireworks, illuminations and seasonal events starting in October 2027, checked against official sources.
Oct72027
Nagasaki Kunchi
Autumn festival of Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki City, with dance performances by rotating districts, including dragon dances.
Oct72027
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2027 (YIDFF)
Asia's leading documentary film festival returns to Yamagata City from 7 to 14 October 2027.
Oct82027
Sawara Grand Festival, Autumn (Suwa Shrine)
Fourteen huge floats topped with 4-metre figures are pulled through the canal-side merchant town of Sawara to Sawara-bayashi music, a 300-year-old UNESCO-listed festival held in July and October.
Oct92027
Naha Great Tug-of-War Festival
Three-day festival centred on the giant rope tug-of-war on Route 58, preceded by the Hatagashira flag procession on Kokusai-dori.
Oct92027
Saijo Sake Matsuri
Japan's biggest sake festival in the brewing town of Saijo: seven breweries open their doors and a Sake Hiroba offers tastings of around 1,000 labels from every prefecture, drawing 200,000+ visitors.
Oct92027
Takayama Autumn Festival (Hachiman Matsuri)
Eleven festival floats and a portable shrine parade the northern old town for Sakurayama Hachimangu's harvest festival.
Oct112027
Hitachi Seaside Park Kochia Season
Season when the kochia bushes on Miharashi Hill at Hitachi Seaside Park turn red.
Oct152027
MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix 2027
Round 18 of the 2027 MotoGP world championship at Mobility Resort Motegi, race day Sunday 17 October.
Oct162027
Kawagoe Matsuri
Festival in Kawagoe's warehouse district with ornate floats and hikkawase musical face-offs between floats.
Oct162027
Nagoya Matsuri
Nagoya's main festival, built around a parade of the three unifiers, Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu.
Oct162027
Niihama Taiko Festival
Ehime's great autumn harvest festival, where teams of about 150 men carry ornate taiko drum floats through Niihama.
Oct162027
Nikko Toshogu Autumn Festival (Shuki Taisai)
Autumn grand festival at Nikko Toshogu Shrine with yabusame horseback archery and a procession of about 1,200 participants.
Oct222027
Jidai Matsuri
A procession of 2,000 Kyoto citizens in costumes from every era of the city's history, held on 22 October.
Oct222027
Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)
A 2,000-person, 2 km procession in meticulously researched costumes from the Meiji era back to the Heian court, departing the Imperial Palace at noon, founded in 1895 for Heian Shrine.
Oct222027
Okinawa Industry Festival (51st) - awamori and local products fair
Okinawa's biggest trade-and-consumer fair, 470+ exhibitors over three days at Onoyama Park, best known for its awamori pavilion with every distillery in the prefecture pouring limited releases.
Oct252027
Tokyo International Film Festival 2027 (40th TIFF)
The 40th, anniversary edition of TIFF is expected in late October 2027; dates not yet announced.
Oct302027
Miyazaki Jingu Grand Festival (Jimmu-sama)
Miyazaki's largest festival, a grand procession re-enacting Emperor Jimmu's eastern expedition from Miyazaki Shrine.
Oct302027
Roppongi Art Night 2027
The 2027 edition of Tokyo's all-night art festival is expected on the last weekend of October 2027.