Festivals in northern Japan (Tōhoku)
Dates are computed from each festival’s rule, so future years work too
5 · Iwate, Aomori, Akita, Yamagata, Miyagi
- 1–4 August 2027Iwate
Morioka Sansa Odori
盛岡さんさ踊り
A dance festival known for the sheer number of drums, rooted in a legend about a demon's handprint.
- 2–7 August 2027Aomori
Aomori Nebuta Matsuri
青森ねぶた祭
Vast illuminated floats of warriors and deities, moved through the city by drums, flutes and dancers.
- 3–6 August 2027Akita
Akita Kantō Matsuri
秋田竿燈まつり
Long poles hung with lantern "rice sacks", balanced on a forehead, a hip, a shoulder.
- 5–7 August 2027Yamagata
Yamagata Hanagasa Matsuri
山形花笠まつり
Safflower-decked straw hats spun in formation down the main avenue.
- 6–8 August 2027Miyagi
Sendai Tanabata Matsuri
仙台七夕まつり
Washi streamers filling the covered arcades, keeping Tanabata on the old calendar.