What areas of Japan do you cover?

All 47 prefectures — from Hokkaido to Okinawa. We specialize in both iconic destinations (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) and off-the-beaten-path regions like Tohoku, Shikoku, and the Seto Inland Sea islands.

Do you help with visa applications?

Yes. We provide end-to-end visa assistance — document preparation, application review, and guidance through the process. We support tourist, business, and medical visas.

How does camping car rental work?

We provide fully equipped campervans with English GPS, comprehensive insurance, unlimited mileage, and a custom route plan. Pickup and drop-off can be arranged at major airports or city locations.

How far in advance should I book?

We recommend at least 4-8 weeks for standard trips. Cherry blossom season (late March – mid April) and autumn foliage (November) should be booked 3-6 months ahead. Corporate events need 2-3 months lead time.

What's included in tour packages?

Our packages typically include accommodation, transport, guide services, key attraction tickets, and a detailed day-by-day itinerary. Flights and meals can be added. Every package is customizable.

Japanese Festival Calendar 2026-2027: Month by Month

January to March — Winter Celebrations

January: Hatsumode (New Year shrine visits nationwide, Jan 1-3) is Japan's biggest annual event — Meiji Jingu draws 3 million visitors. Toka Ebisu in Osaka (Jan 9-11) celebrates the god of business prosperity at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine. February: Sapporo Snow Festival (early Feb) fills Odori Park with massive ice sculptures. Setsubun (Feb 3) features bean-throwing at temples nationwide. Yokote Kamakura Festival in Akita (Feb 15-16) builds hundreds of snow igloos. March: Omizutori at Todai-ji, Nara (Mar 1-14) is a dramatic fire ceremony on the temple balcony. Hina Matsuri (Mar 3) displays elaborate imperial dolls in homes and shops.

Tip: Sapporo Snow Festival requires hotel bookings 3-4 months in advance — the city fills completely during the week-long event. Stay in Otaru (30 min by train) as an alternative.

April to June — Spring Festivals

April: Cherry blossom festivals transform parks across Japan. Takayama Spring Festival (Apr 14-15) parades elaborate floats through the old town. Kanamara Matsuri in Kawasaki (first Sunday in April) is a famously uninhibited fertility festival. May: Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa, Tokyo (third weekend) carries 100 portable shrines through the streets in Tokyo's wildest festival. Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto (May 15) is a stately imperial procession with 500 participants in Heian-period costume. June: quieter month but Sanno Matsuri in Tokyo (mid-June, biennial) rivals Kanda Matsuri as the capital's grandest.

Tip: Sanja Matsuri is the most energetic festival accessible from central Tokyo — the atmosphere in Asakusa is electric as teams carry heavy mikoshi (portable shrines) through packed streets.

July to August — Summer Matsuri Season

July: Gion Matsuri in Kyoto (entire month, float procession Jul 17 and 24) is Japan's most famous festival with 1,000-year-old towering wooden floats. Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka (Jul 24-25) features river boat processions and fireworks. Sumida River Fireworks in Tokyo (late Jul) launch 20,000 fireworks. August: Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori (Aug 2-7) parades enormous illuminated paper floats through streets. Awa Odori in Tokushima (Aug 12-15) is Japan's largest dance festival with 100,000 dancers. Kanto Matsuri in Akita (Aug 3-6) balances 12-meter bamboo poles with 46 lanterns. Obon (Aug 13-15) honors ancestors nationwide.

Tip: August festivals in Tohoku (Nebuta, Kanto, Tanabata) can be combined in one trip — they run consecutively and are all accessible by Shinkansen from Tokyo.

September to October — Autumn Celebrations

September: Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri near Osaka (mid-Sep) races massive wooden carts through narrow streets at dangerous speeds — Japan's most thrilling festival. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Reitaisai in Kamakura (Sep 14-16) features yabusame (horseback archery). October: Nagasaki Kunchi (Oct 7-9) showcases Chinese dragon dances from the city's multicultural heritage. Takayama Autumn Festival (Oct 9-10) parades night floats lit by hundreds of lanterns. Jidai Matsuri in Kyoto (Oct 22) recreates 1,000 years of Japanese history in a 2-km costume procession from the Imperial Palace.

Tip: Kishiwada Danjiri is genuinely dangerous — the 4-ton wooden carts are pulled at full speed around corners. Spectators should stay well behind barriers and follow marshal instructions.

November to December — Year-End Festivities

November: Shichi-Go-San (Nov 15) brings children aged 3, 5, and 7 to shrines in colorful kimono — Meiji Jingu and Senso-ji are the best spots for seeing the tradition. Tori-no-Ichi fair at Otori Shrine, Tokyo (November rooster days) sells ornate kumade rakes for business fortune. December: Chichibu Night Festival (Dec 2-3) in Saitama parades illuminated floats with fireworks in winter — one of Japan's three great float festivals. Omisoka (Dec 31) features joya no kane — temple bells rung 108 times at midnight to cleanse 108 earthly desires. Join locals at any neighborhood temple for the atmospheric countdown to the New Year.

Tip: For New Year's Eve, choose either a temple bell ceremony (solemn, spiritual) or a Shibuya/Roppongi countdown (party atmosphere). Both are unforgettable but very different experiences.

Japanese Festival Calendar 2026-2027: Month by Month

January to March — Winter Celebrations

April to June — Spring Festivals

July to August — Summer Matsuri Season

September to October — Autumn Celebrations

November to December — Year-End Festivities

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