Japan’s Top Summer Festivals for 2026: Tohoku’s Big Four Lead the Way
Lanterns, taiko drums, whirling dancers, and bonfires on mountain slopes. Summer festival season is almost here, and this year’s ranking tells you exactly where to be.
More by AAJ Editorial Team
Two New Resorts Open on the Naruto Coast This Summer
Glamping under the stars and a lifestyle hotel by the sea–Tokushima’s most dramatic shoreline finally has places to stay that match the location.
Lucie Rie Retrospective Opens in Tokyo
The first retrospective of the twentieth-century master to be held in Japan in roughly a decade, it brings together precious works from collections across the country.
Giant Samurai Appear on a Dam in Ashikaga
A monumental piece of “reverse graffiti” art has transformed Matsudagawa Dam into a massive canvas, summoning four ancient warriors out of years of accumulated grime.
Tokyo Tokyo Delicious Museum: Sample the Best of Culinary Tokyo at One Food Festival
Reservation difficulties and long lines make it hard to experience the best of Tokyo’s legendary dining scene. This free, open-air food festival running May 15-17, solves that problem—bringing together more than 40 top restaurants, regional cuisines and international vendors in one waterfront location. Come hungry!
Nara Prison Museum Opens Its Doors
A landmark new cultural attraction opens in Nara this spring, as Hoshino Resorts launched its first-ever museum on April 27, 2026. Founded in 1914 and widely regarded as Japan's most innovative luxury hospitality group, Hoshino Resorts has built its reputation on reimagining overlooked or underutilized spaces—from historic hot spring towns to remote natural landscapes—and transforming them into distinctive, design-led destinations. The Nara Prison Museum brings new life to the former Nara Prison—a designated Important Cultural Property — transforming one of Japan's most architecturally striking Meiji-era (1868—1912) buildings into a thought-provoking destination for visitors from around the world.
A Major New Tokyo Museum Opens: MoN Takanawa—The Museum of Narratives
Opened in March 2026, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives is a striking new multi-level museum consisting of six floors above ground and three below. It is part of Takanawa Gateway City, one of Tokyo's largest new urban developments, directly connected to Takanawa Gateway Station.
A Great Wetland Wilderness: Exploring Kushiroshitsugen National Park
This sprawling land of reeds, winding rivers, and open sky is Japan’s largest wetland and a sanctuary for rare wildlife. Ancient marshlands and local communities exist in careful balance, shaped by water, conservation, and time.
