Universal Studios Japan (USJ) holiday program is all about keeping cool this summer. Under the theme ‘Discover U!!!’, the park shifts its core seasonal events into the cooler evening hours to combat the intense summer heat.

When night falls, the park turns into an evening matsuri, complete with live DJs, street choreography, and characters like Hello Kitty in limited-edition, glowing neon yukatas. Anime enthusiasts can also catch the ‘One Piece Premier Show 2026’ at the WaterWorld arena — a thrilling live-action battle with real pyrotechnics, special effects, and water blasts.

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements (C) & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights (C) J.K. Rowling. / MINIONS TM & (C) 2025 Universal Studios. / (C) Nintendo / TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment / 書・紫舟 / 原作／青山剛昌｢名探偵コナン｣(小学館｢週刊少年サンデー｣連載中) / (C) 2026 青山剛昌／名探偵コナン製作委員会 / (C) SCRAP All Rights Reserved. / Universal elements and all related indicia TM & (C) 2025 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Nijigen no Mori is turning up the volume on its summer season with a park-wide, high-energy splash festival designed to beat the heat. Visitors are invited to dive into interactive water-soaked challenges throughout the park.

Over at the Naruto and Boruto section, its signature Hokage Rock becomes the backdrop for a cooling ninja action game, with winners blessed with a blast of roughly 50 liters of water. The Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park will push its activities to the maximum difficulty level, by deploying massive giant water cannons, staff spray downs, and mist zones. Participants at Dragon Quest Island can embark on an ice-magic training quest: collect stamps and cast an ice spell to unlock a refreshing finale.

Former Toei Kyoto Studio Park, Uzumasa Kyoto Village, brings Edo Period festivities to punters this summer, with two evening Bon Dance specials.

For the first part ‘Dance with Kyoto,’ until August 14, the park comes alive with a host of characters from Toei Studio shows, from franchises such as Purekure and Kamen Rider. The second part, ‘Dance with Yokai,’ turns spookier, with yokai from Japanese folklore dancing alongside yukata-clan guests. There are also Japanese summer specials, such as food stalls and drink vans, to foster that festival spirit.

Mie’s sunny Shima Spain Village brings the energy and fervor of a classic Spanish carnival to the Ise-Shima coastline.

During the summer period, visitors can enjoy the Spanish riviera vibe from day through night, with attractions including a night parade, España Carnival ‘Buen Viaje,’ followed by sparkling fireworks. Also on offer are seasonal menus including giant paella, and a new, immersive VR attraction ‘The Sunset of Mars,’ which lets guests tour the surface of the red planet.

August is the time of Bon Odori — Japan’s inimitable summer dance. Shitennoji, one of Osaka’s largest Buddhist temples, puts on its annual event with a whole lot of meaning to honor the ancestral spirits that are said to be around at this time of the year. Thousands of residents and tourists join together to dance in unison around a towering wooden watchtower draped in glowing paper lanterns, light candles to respect the dead, and participate in ancestral memorial services.

It’s incredibly welcoming — anyone can join in, and when the dancing begins, punters can hop directly into the rotating dance rings.

Kasuga Taisha Grand Shrine glows for two nights in August, when its corridors are lit with the flickering of around 3,000 lanterns. Tiptoe around its halls, taking in the calm atmosphere, in a ritual that has been observed for more than 800 years. It was originally intended to pray for rain, and held on July 28 annually, but in recent years the festival has been held in August.

Outside the inner hall, from which 1,000 stone lanterns are hung, are a further 2,000 more. It’s said that if someone finds three special lanterns then they’ll be very prosperous.

Five huge bonfires are ignited across the mountains surrounding Kyoto to bid farewell to ancestral spirits, as the climax of Japan’s Obon holiday. The fires are made in turn in the shape of Japanese kanji characters, starting with the famous Daimonji (large) on Mount Nyorai.

In conjunction with the flames, the entire ancient capital dims its street lights, creating a sombering visual landscape that runs through the city. The city glows with the amber flames of the famed fires, best viewed from the banks of Kamo River. Check out the Kyoto Kamogawa Nouryou-Yuka (below) for early reservations.

The Gojo Wakamiya Pottery Festival dates back over a century to the Taisho era. The festival grew out of pottery merchants offering discounted ceramics to pilgrims traveling to Higashiyama's temples for Obon.

The festival was revived in 2023, and sees the street along Gojozaka and the grounds of Wakamiya Hachimangu transform into western Japan's largest open-air pottery market. Renowned kilns and independent artisans set up stalls selling Kiyomizu-yaki pottery at bargain prices. The energetic market atmosphere complete with street snacks and entertainment makes for a fun day out.

The only games in the entirety of August see two of the finest teams in Japanese baseball face off at the legendary Hanshin Koshien Stadium: hometown Hanshin Tigers versus Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants. Fans of the game — or even those just curious — can enjoy the energetic spectacle, which includes a Lucky Seven Jet Balloon Performance.

Held at the legendary Koshien Stadium, in Kansai which is known for the warmth and humor of its residents, the matches are well worth attending to experience warm, rowdy Japanese spirits.

One of the most influential motorsports events of the year takes place at Suzuka Circuit at the end of August. Featuring 14 cars from three different manufacturers, each competing at Honda’s home track. For the GT500 class, the only new machine, Honda HRC Prelude-GT, hopes to pick up on poor performance that was seen in the other rounds of the GT this year.

Watchers and players alike are hyped up, with audience members enjoying food, drinks and even a pool in the Suzuka Circuit park. There are also cool-down events planned to abate some of the summer sun.

Popular anime Ghost in the Shell celebrates its 37th anniversary with this exhibition, coming to Kansai for the very first time.

Shown in Tokyo until April 5, the exhibition saw visitors entering the world of Ghost in the Shell through various means, including VR, projections and interactive exhibits. The most popular exhibits from the exhibition's previous iteration will be included in the Kansai leg, alongside brand new works.

Step into the Ghibli world at this Osaka exhibition. Enjoy sneak peeks behind-the-scenes into the seminal Japanese animation studio. Exhibits cover architectural design, prop creation and the philosophy used to bring studio head, Miyazaki's, ideas to life.

As an anniversary exhibition for the opening of Kansai’s Ghibli Park, the Osaka show focuses on a ‘hands on’ approach, encouraging visitors to look, touch and enjoy. An exhibition for the whole family, with photo spots, interactive exhibits and even a comprehensive exhibition shop.

Osaka’s teamLab Botanical Garden is known for its flowery installations, and this summer it’s bringing the sun to the night. Its seasonal installation sees 20,000 real sunflowers blooming in its gardens, each blooming underneath a spotlight.

Be quick — the exhibition has no fixed date as it will finish when the sunflowers die, so early booking is advised. The rest of the gardens feature permanent installations that complement and enhance the ecosystem of the 240,000-sqm space of Nagai Botanical Garden.

Lake Biwa’s Great Fireworks Festival reaches its 40th anniversary in 2026, and it plans to celebrate in style. One of the larger fireworks festivals of the season sees a pyrotechnic display of roughly 10,000 fireworks launched over the blue waters of Lake Biwa.

The lake reflects the fireworks back, casting reflections that paint the entire lake in brilliant hues, and double the colorful display.

Book a stay near the Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festivalon Booking.com

Japanese summer only gets hotter every year, which makes going out during the daytime hours swelteringly sweaty, requiring several outfit changes at least. This makes nighttime even more attractive. From May through October, dozens of restaurants along the Kamo River build temporary elevated wooden platforms out over the water, for guests to dine upon in the evening.

Restaurants galore, from kaiseki through Italian, take part, opening up their riverside space for all diners for a summer evening as cool — or as romantic — as they get.