Soma Nomaoi: A Thousand-Year Samurai Horse Festival Thunders Through Fukushima (May 22-25, 2026)
Over a thousand armored horsemen charge across the fields of Minamisoma in one of Japan's oldest and most spectacular festivals. Soma Nomaoi combines samurai pageantry, horse racing, and sacred Shinto rituals in a four-day spectacle that has thundered on for over a millennium.
May 5, 2026
Sapporo's Lilac Festival & Early Summer in Hokkaido: Purple Blooms and Cool Mountain Air (May 2026)
While the rest of Japan braces for rainy season, Sapporo's 400 lilac trees burst into bloom along Odori Park. A guide to the festival, Hokkaido's best food, beer, onsen, and cool early-summer escapes.
May 5, 2026
Kagoshima in Early Summer: Sakurajima, Iris Gardens & the Warmth of Southern Kyushu (June 2026)
While most visitors head to Tokyo or Kyoto, Kagoshima offers a dramatically different Japan: an active volcano you can watch from your hotel room, Edo-era gardens with ocean views, steaming sand baths, and a subtropical warmth that arrives weeks before the rest of the country. Early summer is the perfect time to explore.
May 4, 2026
Shinshu Wine Country: A Tasting Tour Through Nagano’s Alpine Vineyards (Late May – June 2026)
Nagano Prefecture is Japan’s rising star in winemaking. A new bus tour running from May 30 to June 21 lets you taste ten local wines while soaking in views of the Japanese Alps. Combine it with Craft Fair Matsumoto and a hike to Kamikochi for the ultimate Shinshu weekend.
May 4, 2026
Firefly Season Begins: Fussa Hotaru Festival & Where to Chase the Glow Near Tokyo (Late May 2026)
Late May marks the start of Japan’s magical firefly season. The Fussa Hotaru Festival on May 31 offers a rare chance to see fireflies within Tokyo’s city limits, alongside riverside stalls and live performances. Here’s your complete guide to chasing the glow.
May 4, 2026
Game Market 2026 Spring: Inside Japan’s Biggest Tabletop Gaming Convention (May 23–24)
Game Market is Japan’s largest tabletop gaming convention, held twice a year at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. The Spring 2026 edition brings together hundreds of indie designers, publishers, and tens of thousands of board game fans for a weekend of playtesting, shopping, and pure analog joy.
May 4, 2026
Southeast Asian Feasts in the Park: Vietnam and Laos Festivals at Yoyogi Park, Tokyo (May 2026)
Two weekends, two countries, one park. Yoyogi Park hosts the Laos Festival (May 23-24) and Vietnam Festival (May 30-31) back to back, offering a delicious tour of Southeast Asian street food, culture, and live music without leaving Tokyo.
May 3, 2026
Late May Fireworks Double Feature: Adachi Hanabi and HANABI MAGIC Mt. Fuji (May 30, 2026)
Tokyo's summer fireworks season kicks off early with two spectacular shows on the same night: the beloved Adachi Fireworks on the Arakawa River and the cinematic HANABI MAGIC at Lake Kawaguchi with Mt. Fuji as a backdrop.
May 3, 2026
Hida Takayama Sake Brewery Nonbe Matsuri: A Tipsy Walking Tour Through Japan's Little Kyoto (May 29 - Jun 21, 2026)
Seven historic sake breweries in Takayama open their doors for a three-week tasting festival through the atmospheric old town streets of Gifu's mountain city. A deep guide to the breweries, local food pairings, and what else to see.
May 3, 2026
Pokemon GO Fest 2026 Tokyo: Catch, Walk & Explore Japan's Capital (May 29 - Jun 1)
Pokemon GO Fest returns to Tokyo for a four-day outdoor event that turns the city into a massive augmented-reality playground. Everything trainers need to know about tickets, walking routes, and real-world sightseeing.
May 3, 2026
Hiroshige's Tokaido at MOA Museum: Ukiyo-e Prints & an Atami Seaside Escape (May 15 – Jul 7, 2026)
The MOA Museum of Art in Atami presents Hiroshige's Tokaido woodblock prints alongside modern photography, making a perfect excuse for a seaside art-and-onsen day trip from Tokyo.
May 1, 2026
79th Hita River Opening Festival: Fireworks & Dragon Boats on Oita's Mikuma River (May 23–24, 2026)
The 79th Hita River Opening Festival kicks off summer on the Mikuma River with fireworks, boat races, and riverside revelry in one of Kyushu's most charming castle towns.
May 1, 2026