Dec42026
Sendai Pageant of Starlight
Winter illumination lighting the zelkova trees along Jozenji-dori Avenue in central Sendai.
31 events
What's on in Tohoku.
Events across the Tohoku region, checked against official sources.
Dec262026
Zao Juhyo (Tree Ice) Season and Light-Up
Season for viewing juhyo, fir trees coated in ice and snow above Zao Onsen, with night light-ups on selected dates.
Jan142027
Dontosai Festival (Osaki Hachimangu)
New Year decorations are burned in a giant sacred bonfire while groups of 'hadaka-mairi' pilgrims in loincloths walk silently through the winter night to the shrine; unique to Miyagi.
Jan292027
Lake Towada Winter Story
A lakeside winter festival at Yasumiya on Lake Towada with winter fireworks on every open night, a snow park and food stalls from both sides of the prefectural border.
Feb62027
Hirosaki Castle Snow Lantern Festival
Around 150 snow lanterns and some 300 candle-lit mini kamakura set around the keep and snow-covered grounds of Hirosaki Castle.
Feb122027
Aizu Painted Candle Festival
Around 10,000 hand-painted Aizu candles lit in the snow around Tsuruga Castle and the Oyakuen garden for two nights.
Feb122027
Namahage Sedo Festival
Namahage demons descend by torchlight from the snowy mountain to Shinzan Shrine for sacred dances and drumming, one of the Michinoku 'five great snow festivals'.
Feb122027
Yokote Kamakura Festival
About 100 kamakura snow huts are built across central Yokote for a New Year custom with a history of about 450 years.
Feb132027
Ouchi-juku Snow Festival
The thatched-roof post town of Ouchi-juku under deep snow, with snow lanterns lining the street, traditional performing arts and fireworks.
Feb132027
Tadami Furusato Snow Festival
A snow festival in one of Japan's heaviest snowfall towns, built around a giant illuminated snow stage sculpture in front of Tadami Station.
Feb172027
Hachinohe Enburi
A 800-year-old rice-planting prayer dance where groups in horse-head headdresses sweep the ground to wake the earth; some 30 troupes parade on the first morning and perform across the city for four days.
Apr22027
Ogawara Sakura Festival (Hitome Senbonzakura)
An 8 km tunnel of 1,200 cherry trees along the Shiroishi River with snow-capped Mt Zao behind, voted Miyagi's finest blossom spot and lit up at night.
Apr152027
Kakunodate Cherry Blossom Festival
Weeping cherries over black-fenced samurai houses and a 2 km tunnel of somei yoshino along the Hinokinai River.
Apr172027
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry blossom festival at Hirosaki Park, where about 2,600 trees of 52 varieties bloom around Hirosaki Castle and its moats.
Apr242027
ARABAKI ROCK FEST.27
Tohoku's largest rock festival, around 50,000 fans over two days in a national park setting at the foot of Mt Zao, mixing major Japanese rock acts with regional artists.
May152027
Sendai Aoba Festival
Sendai's spring festival honouring Date Masamune, with sparrow dancing on the Saturday and a samurai procession and yamaboko floats on the Sunday.
May292027
Soma Nomaoi
A thousand-year-old cavalry festival of armoured horsemen racing and scrambling for sacred flags in the Soma plain.
Jun122027
Chagu Chagu Umakko
About 60 farm horses in brilliant dress and hundreds of bells parade 14km from Takizawa to Morioka.
Aug12027
Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri
Summer festival in Hirosaki with about 80 fan-shaped illuminated neputa floats paraded through the castle town.
Aug12027
Morioka Sansa Odori
Dance parade in Morioka with large groups of dancers, flute players and taiko drummers on Chuo-dori.
Aug22027
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
Summer festival in Aomori City with large illuminated nebuta floats paraded through the streets with haneto dancers.
Aug32027
Akita Kanto Matsuri
Summer festival in Akita City where performers balance tall bamboo poles hung with paper lanterns on their palms, foreheads, shoulders and hips.
Aug52027
Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri
Evening dance parade in Yamagata City with dancers holding hats decorated with safflowers.
Aug62027
Fukushima Waraji Festival
Fukushima's summer festival, where Japan's largest straw sandal, 12 metres long and weighing two tons, is paraded and danced through the city centre.
Aug62027
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
Tanabata festival in central Sendai with large handmade paper and bamboo decorations hung in the shopping arcades.
Aug212027
Akagawa Fireworks Festival
A design fireworks competition on the Akagawa riverbed in Tsuruoka, where pyrotechnicians from across Japan compete.
Aug282027
Omagari Fireworks (National Fireworks Competition)
Japan's national fireworks competition, where pyrotechnic companies from across the country compete on the Omono River at Omagari.
Sep102027
Hanamaki Festival
A 430-year-old autumn festival with gas-lit Furyu floats and a world-record parade of over 100 portable shrines.
Sep112027
Jozenji Streetjazz Festival
Some 700 amateur and professional bands play free on dozens of open-air stages under the zelkova trees of central Sendai over one September weekend.
Sep182027
Aizu Festival
Aizu's biggest festival, with a 500-strong procession of Aizu domain lords and samurai from Tsurugajo Castle.
Oct72027
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2027 (YIDFF)
Asia's leading documentary film festival returns to Yamagata City from 7 to 14 October 2027.