Tokyo City Guide - Special Events

As any visitor to Tokyo will soon discover, festivals play an enormous part in Japanese life. Known as matsuri, the majority of these celebrations have Shinto origins, and range from frenetic street dancing to enjoying a glass of sake under the new cherry blossoms. As a rule, the more significant the festival, the more popular it is, which can make transport and accommodation scarce and more expensive. Those planning to visit Tokyo during New Year (28 December to 4 January) and Golden Week (29 April to 5 May) would be strongly advised to make arrangements well in advance. Tourists are also warned that during these times most shops, restaurants and attractions will close.

O-Shogatsu (New Year), 1-3 Jan, families visit temples and shrines to offer prayers for the coming year, at temples and Shinto shrines across the city
Special Opening of the Imperial Palace Grounds, early Jan, crowds flock to the public appearance of the Emperor and Empress, Imperial Palace Grounds
Dezomeshiki (New Year's Parade of Firemen), early Jan, Tokyo's firemen perform traditional acrobatic stunts and display the latest equipment, Odaiba
Setsubun, 3 or 4 Feb, people travel to temples to take part in a bean throwing ceremony, to drive away imaginary demons, at popular Tokyo temples include Kanda Myojin Shrine, Hie Shrine and Sensoji Temple
Hana Matsuri (The Birth of Buddha), 8 Apr, also known as the flower festival, worshippers pour amacha (hydranger leaf tea) over temple statues of Buddah as an offering, in the Sensji Temple and throughout the city
Golden Week, late Apr-early May, a major holiday incorporating several national holidays, during which many offices close and huge numbers of locals take a holiday (a crowded time to travel), throughout the city
Cherry Blossom Viewing, Apr, representing the birth of spring, families gather under the newly arrived blossoms to drink sake and picnic, Ueno Park and Chidorigafuchi Park
Kanda Matsuri (Kanda Festival), a weekend in mid May (odd-numbered years only), a major 3-day festival honouring the Kanda Myojin Shrine's deities. Worshipers parade ornate golden mikoshi (portable shrines) and traditional floats through the streets
Sanja Matsuri (Sanja Festival), third weekend in May, Tokyo's biggest and most famous festival features enormous parades of portable shrines carried by men and women in traditional costume, Asakusa
Sanno Matsuri (Sanno Festival), mid-Jun (even-numbered years only), historic street festival featuring parades of unusual portable shrines and a procession of 500 people in traditional court dress, Hie Shrine
Sumida Hanabi (Sumida Fireworks Festival), late Jul or early Aug, Tokyo's biggest and most spectacular fireworks display erupts over the Sumida River, Asakusa's Sumida Park
Asakusa Samba Carnival, late Aug, the Japanese version of the Rio festival, a riot of colour and sound organised in Asakusa by Brazilian-Japanese returnees
Bon-odori dances, Aug, dancing takes place beneath colourful lanterns to commemorate the spirits of the ancestors, various venues
Tokyo International Film Festival, Oct, Japan's annual film extravaganza (website: www.tiff-jp.net/en/)
Tokyo Motor Show, late Oct-early Nov, passenger cars and motorcycles featured on odd-numbered years, commercial vehicles featured on even-numbered years (website: www.tokyo-motorshow.com/eng/), Makuhari Messe, Chiba
Shichi-go-san (Seven, Five, Three Festival), 15 Nov (or closest weekend), boys aged five and girls aged three and seven are dressed in their most elaborate kimonos and taken to Shinto shrines to pray for their future, Meiji Shrine, Asakusa Shrine, Hie Shrine and others across the city
Tori-no-Ichi (Rake Fair), mid-Nov, extraordinarily decorated bamboo rakes, believed to bring good fortune, are sold at a great shrine fair, Otori Shrine, Asakusa
Hagoita-Ichi (Battledore Fair), Dec, lavishly decorated battledore paddles of all sizes are sold at a large and popular temple fair in the hope of an auspicious start to the New Year, Sensoji Temple, Asakusa
Omisoka (New Year's Eve), 31 Dec, Buddhist temple bells ring out 108 times and people flock to temples and shrines to see in the New Year, Meiji Shrine and temples and shrines across the city