| When | Where | Description |
| January 1st | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Japanese New Years (shogatsu) |
| January 8th (second Sunday in January) | Kyoto | Toshiya Festival Japan's oldest archery competition |
| January 9th (second Monday in January) | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Coming of Age Day (seijin no hi) |
| January 13th - 15th | Tokyo | Tokyo Auto Salon |
| January 28th (4th Saturday in January) | Nara | Wakakusa Yamayaki |
| February 3rd | Japan Wide | Beginning of Spring (Setsubun) |
| February 3rd - 12th | Otaru City, Hokkaido | Otaru Snow Light Path Festival |
| February 6th - 12th | Sapporo | Sapporo Snow Festival |
| February 8th - 13th | Asahikawa | Asahikawa Winter Festival |
| February 11th | Japan Wide (national holiday) | National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi) |
| February 14th | Japan Wide | Japanese Valentines Day |
| March 1st - 14th | Nara | Omizutori |
| March 3rd | Japan Wide | Girl's Festival (hina matsuri) |
| March 14th | Japan Wide | White Day |
| March 15th - April 30th | Japan Wide (exact date varies by region) | Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) |
| March 15th | Komaki, Aichi | Hounen Matsuri |
| March 20th | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Spring Equinox Day (shunbun no hi) |
| April 1st (varies by year) | Kawasaki | Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) |
| April 14th - 15th | Takayama | Takayama Festival |
| April 22nd | Japan Wide | Earth Day in Japan |
| April 29th | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Part of Golden Week. Showa Day (Showa no hi). Birthday of the Showa Emperor. Celebrated since 2007. |
| May 1st - 24th | Kyoto | Kamogawa Odori (Geiko/Maiko Spring Dance Performance of the Pontocho Geisha District) |
| May 2nd - 3rd | Tokyo | Spring Grand Festival at Meiji Shrine |
| May 3rd | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Part of Golden Week. Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi) |
| May 4th | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Part of Golden Week. Greenery Day (midori no hi) |
| May 5th | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Part of Golden Week. Children's Day (kodomo no hi) |
| May 6th - 20th | Tokyo | May Grand Sumo Tournament |
| May 8th - July 30th | Most of Japan (not Hokkaido). Varies by location and year. | Rainy season (tsuyu) |
| May 13th | Japan Wide | Mother's Day |
| May 15th | Kyoto | Aoi Matsuri |
| May 18th to 20th | Tokyo | Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo's biggest and wildest festival) |
| May 20th (3rd Sunday of May) | Kyoto | Mifune Matsuri |
| June 6th - 10th | Sapporo | Yosakoi Soran Festival |
| June 9th-16th (even numbered years) | Tokyo | Sanno Festival |
| July 1st - August 30th | Yamanashi & Shizuoka Prefectures | Mount Fuji Climbing Season |
| July 1st - 31st | Kyoto | Gion Festival |
| July 7th | Multiple Regions of Japan | Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival) |
| July 8th - 22nd | Nagoya | Nagoya Sumo Tournament |
| July 13th-15th | Multiple Regions of Japan | Obon (Japanese Festival of the Dead) |
| July 15th | Fukuoka | Hakata Gion Yamakasa |
| July 16th (third Monday of July) | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Ocean Day (umi no hi) |
| July 24th - 25th | Osaka | Tenjin Matsuri |
| July 27th - 29th | Yuzawa-machi, Niigata | Fuji Rock Festival |
| July 28th (Last Saturday in July) | Tokyo | Sumida River Fireworks |
| August 1st - 4th | Morioka | Morioka Sansa Odori |
| August 2nd -3rd | Nagaoka, Niigata | Nagaoka Grand Fireworks Festival |
| August 2nd - 7th | Aomori City | Nebuta Matsuri |
| August 3rd - 6th | Akita City | Kanto Matsuri |
| August 6th - 8th | Sendai | Tanabata Matsuri |
| August 7th | Multiple Regions of Japan | Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival) |
| August 12th - 14th | Takamatsu city, Kagawa | Sanuki Takamatsu Festival |
| August 12th-15th | Tokushima Prefecture | Tokushima Awa Odori |
| August 13th-15th | Multiple Regions of Japan | Obon (Japanese Festival of the Dead) |
| August 16th | Kyoto | Daimonji |
| August 17th - 19th | Sado Island | Sado Earth Celebration |
| August 18th - 19th (3rd weekend in August) | Tokyo | Fukagawa Hachiman Festival |
| August 18th - 19th | Chiba & Osaka | Summer Sonic |
| August 24th - 26th | Nagoya | Domannaka Matsuri |
| Tentative: August 25th (Last Saturday in August) | Tokyo | Asakusa Samba Carnival |
| August 25th-26th (last weekend in August) | Tokyo | Koenji Awaodori Dance Festival |
| August 25th-26th | Tokyo | Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super Yosakoi |
| August 26th - 27th | Fuji Five Lakes (Fujigoko) | Hi Matsuri |
| September 1st | Japan Wide | Disaster Prevention Day
This isn't a holiday. Schools and workplaces around the country hold earthquake drills. |
| September 16th | Kamakura | Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Matsuri |
| September 17th (third Monday of September) | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi) |
| September 20th - 23rd (last 2 days open the the public) | Tokyo | Tokyo Game Show |
| September 22nd (date varies by year) | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Autum Equinox Day (shubun no hi) |
| September 29th-30th & October 6th-7th
(last weekend of September and first weekend of October) | Tokyo | Fukuro Matsuri in Ikebukuro |
| October 7th - 9th | Nagasaki | Nagasaki Kunchi Festival |
| October 8th (second Monday of October) | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi) |
| October 9th - 10th | Takayama | Takayama Autumn Matsuri |
| October 15th - December 15th | Japan Wide (date varies by year and location) | Autumn leaves |
| October 22nd | Kyoto | Jidai Matsuri |
| October 22nd | Kyoto | Kurama Fire Festival |
| October 31st | Japan Wide | Halloween in Japan |
| November 3rd | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Culture Day (bunka no hi) |
| November 15th | Japan Wide | Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan) |
| November 23rd | Japan Wide (national holiday) | Labour Day (kinro kansha no hi) |
| December 2nd - 3rd | Chichibu | Chichibu Night Festival |
| December 15th | Japan Wide (varies by year and location) | Snowboard / ski season opens |
| December 23rd | Japan Wide (national holiday) | The Emperor's birthday (tenno no tanjobi) |
| December 25th | Japan Wide | Christmas in Japan |
| December 31th | Japan Wide | Japanese New Years Eve |
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