What’s On in Chubu, Japan
Central Japan — the soaring Japan Alps, Mt Fuji, historic post towns and Nagoya’s modern energy.
127 listings
Fuji Rock Festival
Japan's biggest outdoor music festival brings world-class acts to a spectacular mountain ski resort each summer.
Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up
UNESCO-listed thatched-roof farmhouses glow under floodlights against deep snow in a hauntingly beautiful winter spectacle.
Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park
Watch wild Japanese macaques soak in natural hot spring pools amid a snowy valley — one of Japan's most iconic wildlife sights.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Snow Wall (Yuki no Otani)
Walk through towering snow walls up to 20 metres high along the dramatic Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan Ryokan
The world's oldest hotel, in continuous operation since 705 AD, offering mountain hot springs and traditional Japanese hospitality.
Kawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival
Fiery maple canopies frame mirror reflections of snow-capped Mount Fuji across Lake Kawaguchi in Japan's most photographed autumn scene.
Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa
Ranked one of Japan's three great gardens, Kenroku-en captivates in every season — nowhere more so than under a canopy of winter yukitsuri rope-support sculptures.
Wajima Morning Market (Wajima Asaichi)
One of Japan's three great morning markets, Wajima's 1,000-year-old seaside bazaar overflows with lacquerware, dried seafood and Noto Peninsula crafts.
Takayama Autumn Festival (Takayama Matsuri – Hachiman)
Rated one of Japan's three most beautiful festivals, showcasing gilded yatai floats and mechanical karakuri puppets in a historic mountain town.
Matsumoto Castle
Japan's oldest surviving original wooden castle, a dramatic black-and-white 'crow castle' reflected in its moat against the snowy Northern Alps.
Higashi Chaya Geisha District, Kanazawa
Japan's largest and best-preserved geisha district outside Kyoto, with lattice-fronted ochaya teahouses, gold-leaf shops, and live shamisen music.
Doburoku Matsuri, Shirakawa-go
A 1,200-year-old harvest festival in the UNESCO gassho-zukuri village where sacred homemade doburoku rice wine is offered to the gods — and to guests.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival (Fuji Motosuko Resort)
Vast carpets of pink moss phlox (shibazakura) bloom beneath Mount Fuji in one of Japan's most photographed spring scenes.
Kanazawa Kenroku-en Yukitsuri Snow Canopies
Conical rope canopies called yukitsuri are rigged over Kenroku-en's century-old pine trees each winter to protect them from heavy snow.
Suwa Grand Shrine Onbashira Festival (Onbashira-sai)
Japan's oldest and most dangerous festival sees men ride giant sacred logs down a steep mountain slope every six years at Suwa.
Takayama Spring Festival (Sanno Matsuri)
Ornate Edo-period floats parade through a beautifully preserved mountain town in one of Japan's three greatest festivals.
Noto Kiriko Lantern Festival
Enormous illuminated cedar lantern floats tower over coastal fishing villages across the remote Noto Peninsula all summer long.
Ise Jingū Grand Shrine Pilgrimage
Japan's most sacred Shinto complex — two ancient shrines set in primeval cedar forest, rebuilt identically every 20 years for 1,300 years.
Hakuba Valley Ski & Snow Resort
Japan's premier Alpine ski destination — a 10-resort valley with Olympic pedigree, powder-perfect runs, and stunning Northern Alps backdrops.
Kawaguchiko & Fuji Five Lakes Area
The classic reflected-Fuji vista across Lake Kawaguchi is Japan's most iconic photograph — surrounded by wisteria, cherry blossoms, and maple forests.
Kiso Valley: Magome–Tsumago Nakasendō Post-Town Walk
Walk an 8-kilometre stretch of the Edo-era Nakasendō highway through pristine post-towns and cedar forest that feels like stepping into a 19th-century woodblock print.
Atsuta Matsuri (Atsuta Shrine Festival)
One of Japan's oldest shrine festivals, drawing over 650,000 visitors to Atsuta Jingū with fireworks and ritual performances.
Furukawa Matsuri (Okoshi Daiko Drum Festival)
A wild nighttime drum procession where a massive barrel drum is carried through the streets of historic Hida-Furukawa.
Owara Kaze no Bon
A hauntingly beautiful bon-odori festival where graceful dancers in deep-brimmed hats glide through misty mountain streets.
Nagoya Port Festival Fireworks (Nagoya Minato Festival)
One of Japan's largest port fireworks festivals, launching over 20,000 shells above Nagoya Harbour each summer.
Gujo Odori (Gujo Hachiman Bon Dance Festival)
Japan's longest bon-dance marathon, where locals and visitors dance together through the streets of Gujo Hachiman for 33 nights.
Toyohashi Gion Festival (Toyohashi Gion Matsuri)
A 500-year-old summer festival famed for its breathtaking hand-held fireworks and fiery cannonfire street performances.
Matsumoto Taiko Festival
Dozens of taiko drumming groups thunder through the streets of Matsumoto city in a pulse-pounding summer celebration.
Shizuoka Sincha Tea Harvest Festival (Shin-cha Matsuri)
Celebrate Japan's first spring tea harvest among vivid green terraced fields on the Makinohara plateau above Suruga Bay.
Takaoka Mikurumayama Festival
Seven magnificent wheeled floats carrying mechanical karakuri dolls parade through Takaoka's 400-year-old bronze-crafting streets.
Zenkō-ji Gokaicho (Honzon Kaichō)
Once every seven years, Zenkō-ji Temple opens its innermost sanctuary to reveal a hidden sacred image seen by no one for centuries.
Inuyama Festival (Inuyama Matsuri)
Thirteen glittering three-storey floats parade beside Japan's oldest original castle as karakuri puppets perform above cherry blossoms.
Hamamatsu Matsuri (Giant Kite Festival)
Hundreds of enormous kites battle for sky supremacy over the beaches of Hamamatsu as ornate festival floats parade through the night.
Nagaoka Grand Fireworks Festival (Nagaoka Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
One of Japan's top three fireworks displays, lighting up the Shinano River with colossal Phoenix shells over two nights.
Suwa Lake Fireworks Festival (Suwa-ko Hanabi Taikai)
Around 40,000 shells burst over Suwa Lake on Obon night, their reflections doubling the spectacle on still mountain waters.
Toyama Fireworks Festival (Toyama Hanabi Taikai)
A stunning pyrotechnic display over the Jinzu River where Tateyama's peaks form a dramatic alpine backdrop after dusk.
Gifu Nobunaga Fireworks Festival (Gifu Nobunaga Hanabi)
Named after warlord Oda Nobunaga, this riverside festival fires over 10,000 shells above the Nagara River where cormorant fishing boats drift below.
Ichinomiya Kisogawa Fireworks Festival (Ichinomiya Kisogawa Hanabi Taikai)
A beloved Aichi riverside fireworks night on the Kiso River, featuring powerful starmine bursts that light the sky above both Aichi and Gifu prefectures simultaneously.
Okazaki Sakura Fireworks Festival (Okazaki Sakura Matsuri Hanabi)
Spring fireworks burst over Okazaki Castle's cherry-blossom-lined moat in one of Japan's most romantic hanabi-and-sakura combinations.
Mishima Summer Festival Fireworks (Mishima Natsu Matsuri Hanabi)
Mishima's grand August fireworks fill the sky near the foothills of Mount Fuji, with over 15,000 shells launched from the banks of the Gennai River.
Kuwana Suigo Fireworks (Kuwana Suigo Hanabi Taikai)
Kuwana's waterway fireworks festival launches shells from boats on the Ibi River delta, surrounding spectators with reflections on all sides.
Numazu Grand Fireworks Festival (Numazu Minato Hanabi Taikai)
Over 10,000 shells explode above Suruga Bay with the dark silhouette of Mount Fuji looming behind in one of Japan's most scenic harbour fireworks settings.
Nishio Fireworks Festival (Nishio Hanabi Taikai)
Nishio's beloved summer fireworks send 10,000 shells skyward over the Yahagi River delta with the fragrant backdrop of Japan's matcha heartland.
Okaya Fireworks Festival (Okaya Hanabi Taikai)
Okaya launches over 10,000 fireworks on the southeastern shore of Lake Suwa in late July, pairing a dazzling pyrotechnic show with the serenity of alpine lake scenery.
Nagahama Fireworks Festival (Nagahama Hanabi Taikai)
Staged on the shores of Lake Hamana, this festival fires colourful shells over Japan's largest lagoon, framed by the silhouette of Enshunada Sea at dusk.
Takato Castle Ruins Park Cherry Blossoms (Takato Jōshi Kōen)
Over 1,500 deep-pink Takato Kohigan cherry trees blanket this hilltop castle ruin, ranked among Japan's top three hanami sites.
Ueda Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Ueda Jō Sakura Matsuri)
Hundreds of Somei Yoshino trees frame the stone walls of Ueda Castle in a lively spring festival featuring samurai processions and food stalls.
Asahi Park Cherry Blossom Viewing, Matsumoto
Matsumoto's beloved riverside Asahi Park offers classic hanami under rows of Somei Yoshino cherries with the snow-capped Northern Alps as backdrop.
Tsuruma Park Cherry Blossom Hanami, Nagoya
Nagoya's oldest Western-style public park hosts over 900 cherry trees and a renowned hanami season beloved by locals since the Meiji era.
Okazaki Park Cherry Blossom Festival (Okazaki Sakura Matsuri)
Some 800 cherry trees surround Okazaki Castle birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu in a vibrant spring festival with boat rides on the Oto River.
Shibata Kajo Park Cherry Blossom Festival (Shibata Oshiro Matsuri)
Niigata's Shibata Kajo Park dazzles with 4,000 cherry trees around the moats of a former castle, ranked among Japan's top 100 cherry blossom spots.
Takayama Higashiyama Sakura Walking Trail
A 3.5 km temple-and-shrine trail on Takayama's eastern hills bursts into bloom with cherry and plum trees framing ancient wooden architecture.
Omachi Keisetsu Cherry Blossom Promenade, Nagano
A lesser-known avenue of cherry trees lines the Keisetsu promenade in mountain town Omachi, with the Hakuba range reflected in the Nakatsuna reservoir.
Yamazaki River Cherry Blossom Tunnel, Nagoya
Nearly 600 cherry trees arch over the Yamazaki River forming a celebrated 2 km blossom tunnel through the residential heart of Nagoya.
Shimizu Sengen Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Shizuoka
Over 700 cherry trees surround the ancient Sengen Shrine in Shimizu with Mt Fuji often visible on clear days above the blossom canopy.
Gifu Castle & Kinkazan Cherry Blossom Viewing
Gifu Castle crowns Mt Kinka above a sea of 1,600 cherry trees in Kōen-dōri park, illuminated nightly for one of Japan's most dramatic castle hanami.
Matsukawa River Cherry Blossom Boat Cruise, Toyama
Drift beneath 460 cherry trees on a 30-minute wooden boat cruise along Toyama's Matsukawa River with the Tateyama mountain range as backdrop.
Korankei Autumn Foliage Festival (Korankei Momiji Matsuri)
Japan's most celebrated gorge illuminated by 4,000 maple trees blazing crimson over the Tomoe River.
Obara Shikizakura Autumn Cherry Blossom Viewing
Witness the rare double bloom of pink cherry blossoms and golden autumn leaves side by side in rural Obara.
Kamikochi Autumn Foliage Season
Hike through the Japanese Alps as larch, birch, and maple trees turn gold around the crystalline Azusa River.
Jigokudani Monkey Park Autumn Visit
Trek through blazing autumn forest to watch wild Japanese macaques bathing in steaming natural hot springs.
Narai-juku Nakasendō Post-Town Autumn Walk
Stroll Japan's longest surviving Edo-period post town as crimson maples frame 1-kilometre of intact merchant streetscape.
Kenroku-en Garden Autumn Foliage Season
Wander one of Japan's top three landscape gardens as maples, ginkgos, and zelkovas ignite in seasonal colour.
Tsumago-ji Autumn Forest Hike, Kiso Valley
Hike an ancient cedar-lined Nakasendō forest trail as autumn turns the Kiso mountain slopes gold and crimson.
Ogimachi Village Autumn Foliage, Shirakawa-go
Gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses of this UNESCO village glow against mountain slopes blazing with autumn colour.
Hakusan National Park Autumn Trekking
Trek sacred Mount Hakusan as alpine meadows and beech forests turn gold around one of Japan's three holy peaks.
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Autumn Traverse
Cross the rooftop of the Japanese Alps by cable car and trolley bus as valleys ignite in sweeping autumn colour.
Kiyotsu Gorge Autumn Foliage & Tunnel of Light
Descend into a dramatic river gorge as crimson forest walls enclose the award-winning Tunnel of Light art installation.
Tsumago-juku Autumn Lantern Festival (Tsumago Chōchin Matsuri)
Hundreds of paper lanterns illuminate Tsumago's Edo-era streetscape on autumn evenings, casting a warm glow over maple-lined lanes.
Takayama Matsuri (Spring: Sanno Festival)
Eleven ornate yatai floats parade through Takayama's Edo-era streets in one of Japan's most celebrated spring festivals.
Takayama Matsuri (Autumn: Hachiman Festival)
Twelve majestic yatai floats roll through autumn-coloured Takayama streets at the Hachiman Shrine's grand October festival.
Shirakawa-go Doburoku Matsuri
Villagers offer home-brewed unfiltered sake (doburoku) to the gods and share it with visitors at this ancient harvest festival in a UNESCO World Heritage village.
Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri
Thousands of loincloth-clad men jostle to touch the sacred 'god-man' in one of Japan's most dramatic and ancient winter purification festivals.
Tsushima Tenno Matsuri
Giant lantern-lit floats drift silently across the Tenno River at dusk in one of Japan's most hauntingly beautiful water festivals.
Honda Matsuri (Shinshiro)
Dazzling mikoshi processions and rare Ageuma horse-jumping rituals honour the deity of Ontake Shrine in this energetic mountain-city festival.
Onbashira Matsuri (Suwa Grand Shrine)
Men ride massive felled fir logs down steep mountain slopes to renew Japan's oldest shrine in this breathtaking sexennial ritual.
Niigata Matsuri (Niigata Grand Festival)
Niigata's biggest urban festival combines a spirited mikoshi sea procession, massive street odori dancing, and a grand riverside fireworks finale.
Takaoka Hyakumangoku Matsuri
A river of dancers in feudal-era costume celebrates the founding of Takaoka Domain in one of Hokuriku's most colourful summer processions.
Katsuyama Sagicho Matsuri
Women from local neighbourhoods pour barrels of amazake over float-riding men in this wildly fun, centuries-old winter purification rite.
Iida Daigyōretsu Puppet Procession Festival
Dozens of traditional ningyo joruri puppet troupes parade and perform through the apple-orchard town of Iida in Japan's foremost puppet festival.
Toyohashi Gion Summer Festival Fireworks (Toyohashi Gion Hanabi Taikai)
One of Aichi's biggest summer fireworks displays lighting up the Toyogawa River during the historic Gion Festival.
Nagoya Port Festival Fireworks (Nagoya Minato Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
A spectacular harbour fireworks display at Nagoya Port, reflecting off the water with Ferris wheel silhouettes as backdrop.
Chita Peninsula Fireworks Festival (Chita Hanto Hanabi Taikai)
A seaside fireworks spectacular on the Chita Peninsula coast where shells burst directly over Mikawa Bay.
Anjo Tanabata Festival Fireworks (Anjo Tanabata Matsuri Hanabi)
Grand fireworks crown one of Japan's three great Tanabata festivals, held in Toyota-area city of Anjo each August.
Shizuoka Abe River Fireworks Festival (Shizuoka Abekawa Hanabi Taikai)
Over 10,000 fireworks burst above the Abe River in Shizuoka city, one of the prefecture's biggest annual summer spectacles.
Atami Sea Fireworks Festival (Atami Kaijo Hanabi Taikai)
Atami's amphitheatre bay amplifies every fireworks burst into an echoing, encircling explosion of colour above the Pacific.
Takaoka Fireworks Festival (Takaoka Hanabi Taikai)
Historic castle-town Takaoka hosts a major summer hanabi display over the Shogawa River, drawing crowds from across Toyama Prefecture.
Katakai Festival Fireworks (Katakai Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
Home of the world's largest fireworks shell, Katakai's festival in Niigata launches the legendary 'Yonshakudama' four-shaku ball.
Fukui Asuwa River Fireworks Festival (Fukui Asuwagawa Hanabi Taikai)
Fukui's premier summer fireworks show launches vivid aerial bursts over the tranquil Asuwa River in the city's cultural heartland.
Ogaki Summer Festival Fireworks (Ogaki Natsu Matsuri Hanabi Taikai)
Ogaki, the 'city of water', hosts a dazzling fireworks display above its castle moat canals, blending history and pyrotechnic artistry.
Iida Fireworks Festival (Iida Hanabi Taikai)
Set against the Southern Alps, Iida's fireworks festival illuminates the Ina Valley sky with mountain silhouettes as a dramatic natural frame.
Mikawa Bay Fireworks Viewing Boat Experience
Charter a traditional wooden boat on Mikawa Bay for an unobstructed 360-degree view of multiple Aichi coastal fireworks displays.
Matsumoto Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Matsumoto-jo Sakura Matsuri)
Japan's finest black castle ringed by blooming cherry trees, reflected in the moat beneath the Japanese Alps.
Takada Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Takada Jōshi Kōen Yozakura)
One of Japan's top three night cherry blossom sites, where 4,000 trees glow over a moonlit moat.
Kenroku-en Garden Cherry Blossom Viewing
Stroll among over 200 cherry trees in one of Japan's three great classical gardens, free-entry during peak bloom.
Inuyama Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Inuyama-jo Sakura Matsuri)
Japan's oldest surviving castle towers over the Kiso River, crowned with cherry blossoms each spring.
Gero Onsen Cherry Blossom & Hot Spring Hanami
Soak in one of Japan's three great hot springs while cherry blossoms drift across riverside ryokan gardens.
Tsurumai Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Nagoya
Nagoya's beloved Meiji-era park erupts in cherry blossom colour, drawing huge hanami picnic crowds each spring.
Hida Furukawa Shiroyama Park Cherry Blossom Viewing
Cherry blossoms crown the hillside ruins above Furukawa's white-walled canal town, offering a serene alternative to Takayama.
Nihondaira Cherry Blossom Viewing, Shizuoka
Cherry blossoms frame iconic views of snow-capped Mount Fuji from Shizuoka's most celebrated plateau.
Fuji Kawaguchiko Cherry Blossom Festival (Fuji Kawaguchiko Sakura Matsuri)
The world's most photographed cherry blossom scene: blossoms on Lake Kawaguchi's shore with Mount Fuji as backdrop.
Komatsu Rojosan Park Cherry Blossom Festival
Thousands of cherry trees cascade down the hillsides of Rojosan Park in Komatsu, Ishikawa's beloved spring destination.
Nagoya Castle Hanami Guided Picnic Experience
Join a guided hanami picnic inside Nagoya Castle's historic grounds, with local bento, sake, and cultural storytelling.
Toyama Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (Toyama-jo Sakura Matsuri)
Over 200 cherry trees surround Toyama Castle's white keep and moat, hosting one of Toyama Prefecture's most festive hanami events.
Matsumoto Agatanomori Park Autumn Foliage
Ginkgo and maple trees blaze gold and crimson around Matsumoto's beloved city woodland park.
Yoro Park Autumn Foliage & Yoro Waterfall
A sacred waterfall and forested hillside in Gifu erupt in autumn colour, set within tranquil Yoro Quasi-National Park.
Kenroku-en Surroundings Autumn Walk, Kanazawa
Explore Kanazawa's historic Higashi Chaya district and samurai neighbourhoods draped in vibrant autumn foliage on a guided walking tour.
Jōnen Alps Autumn Trekking, Azumino
Trek above 2,800 m in the Northern Japan Alps to witness spectacular early autumn colour sweeping down from the rocky ridgelines.
Shōsenkyo Gorge Autumn Foliage, Kōfu
Japan's most scenic gorge blazes with crimson maples above dramatic granite boulders and emerald river waters.
Higashiyama Teramachi Autumn Temple Trail, Takayama
Wander a lantern-lined temple and shrine circuit on Takayama's eastern hillside as maples turn crimson against ancient wooden architecture.
Mt. Norikura Autumn Colour Drive & Hike
Japan's highest drivable road ascends Mt. Norikura through rolling alpine meadows ablaze with early-autumn scarlet and gold.
Ena Gorge Autumn Foliage, Ena
A dramatic river gorge in eastern Gifu glows with layered red and orange maples reflected in the still waters of Ena Reservoir.
Mt. Ontake Autumn Foliage & Ropeway, Ōtaki
Ride the Ontake ropeway above a sea of autumn colour on the sacred volcano's forested lower slopes in the Kiso Valley.
Okuhida Onsengo Autumn Foliage Festival
The valley behind Takayama blazes with autumn colour as Japan's largest concentration of open-air hot springs steams beneath the maple canopy.
Togakushi Shrine Autumn Foliage Walk, Nagano
Ancient cryptomeria cedars and blazing maples line the sacred approach to Togakushi's mountain shrines in the highlands above Nagano city.
Tenryū Gorge Autumn Foliage Boat Ride, Shizuoka
Drift through the steep walls of Tenryū Gorge on a traditional flat-bottomed boat as late-season maples cling to the rocky cliffs above.
Nabana no Sato Winter Illumination
One of Japan's largest illumination events, featuring a dazzling 200-metre tunnel of LED lights and sweeping themed light fields.
Fuji Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks Festival (Kawaguchiko Fuyu Hanabi)
Winter fireworks burst over Lake Kawaguchi with snow-capped Mt. Fuji as the backdrop on select Saturday evenings.
Matsumoto Castle Winter Night Illumination
Japan's oldest wooden castle glows midnight-black against winter skies, its moat mirroring floodlights and occasional snow.
Yuzawa Snow Country Onsen Winter Experience
Soak in steaming outdoor onsen surrounded by the deep Echigo snowfields that inspired Kawabata's Nobel Prize-winning novel.
Toyama Yukiakari no Michi (Snow Lantern Path)
Hundreds of handmade snow lanterns and ice candles line the streets of Toyama's old town, casting a warm amber glow on winter nights.
Hakuba Valley Snow Festival
Snow sculptures, torchlit ski descents, and fireworks celebrate winter at the foot of the Northern Alps in the 1998 Winter Olympic village.
Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival (Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Matsuri)
Villagers defend a massive wooden shrine from torch-wielding attackers in one of Japan's most primal and spectacular fire festivals.
Nagoya Christmas Illumination at Oasis 21 & Hisaya Odori Park
Nagoya's futuristic glass spaceship plaza and its grand boulevard park sparkle with millions of LEDs through the Christmas season.
Kenroku-en Yukitsuri Snow-Protection Rope Viewing, Kanazawa
Marvel at Kenroku-en's pine trees dressed in elegant rope-and-pole yukitsuri snow supports — a centuries-old winter garden art form.
Shiga Kogen Snow Monster (Juhyo) Snowshoe Tour
Snowshoe through a surreal forest of juhyo — snow-encrusted fir trees that tower like alien ice sculptures on Japan's largest highland plateau.
Gifu City Nobunaga Summit Winter Illumination & Gifu Castle Night View
Gifu Castle blazes with floodlights atop Mt. Kinka while the city below shimmers with winter illuminations celebrating Oda Nobunaga's legacy.