Festival · Ishikawa · ChubuSummer Grand Festival
Kanazawa · 30 Jul – 2 Aug 2026
Festival · Ishikawa · ChubuKanazawa · 30 Jul – 2 Aug 2026



04:4818:47Tokyo
Reference rates · 2026/07/30
Kishu Odori Bundara-bushi, one of Wakayama's largest summer events, returns on 1 August, with thousands of dancers around Wakayama Castle.
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1 Aug 2026Ishikawa · ChubuThis Utsunomiya summer festival brings residents together for parades, traditional performances, and displays of local culture.
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2 Aug 2026Nagano · ChubuThe Summer Grand Festival honours Onominato Shrine's deities with Kanazawa's largest mikoshi procession, traditional dances, and rituals from the 1600s.
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