Tokyo Disneyland knows how to attract summer-weary punters, with its Summer Cool Off event. Enjoying rides, meeting your favorite characters and watching parades is made that bit cooler with areas to get soaked with water and escape the summer heat.

In addition to ‘soaking spots’ in collaboration with Baymax from the Big Hero Six franchise, guests are treated to an exclusive collaboration song from popular Japanese band, Mrs. Green Apple, called “Carrying Happiness (Tokyo Disney Resort Version).”

Celebrate in style as Tokyo DisneySea reaches its 25th year of operation. The entire park will be dressed in blue for the occasion, with everything from special blue-themed food menus to glittering blue illuminations and character costumes.

Visitors will receive exclusive leaflets for each area, revealing a special adventure. Cast members will carry exclusive flags, and buying a special bottle in the Ponte Vecchio will grant access to a secret installation.

For summer this year, the characters at Sanrio Puroland are committed to spreading that cool summer spirit. This year’s theme is ‘Future Cool Breeze,’ which brings the park into the future, with cooling attractions themed around Y3K. Special events and happenings include cyber visuals, a futuristic photo booth and new, futuristic costumes for characters including Kuromi and Hello Kitty.

There will also be an ice-related VR game to cool customers off in the summer heat, along with merchandise and limited edition menu items.

The Tokyo suburb of Hachioji welcomes over 700,000 spectators over the course of its annual festival weekend.

The weekend is split into two parts, with 19 meticulously carved historical wooden festival floats (dashi) parading through downtown Hachioji a feature of both. The evening parade involves engaging in dramatic battles called ‘buttsuke,’ as they cross paths under magnificent lanterns.

The Bonbori Festival marks the end of summer and the start of fall. In a tradition dating back to the old Japanese calendar, the event brings 400 people connected to the region to paint lanterns that are displayed around the Kamakura shrine.

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is one of the most well-known Shinto shrines in the seaside area, and its summer festival one of the best-attended, with guests staying late into the night. There are food stalls, activities for local children and the chance to observe an old tradition.

Fukagawa Hachiman Festival hosts what may perhaps prove one of the most enduring traditions from the Edo Period: water splashing. During one of Tokyo’s Three Great Festivals of Edo, 50 mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded around the streets and subjected to gallons of water thrown at them by excited onlookers.

2026 is the 400th edition of the event, hosted by Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in the popular district of Monzen Naka-cho. The festival is held annually, but this edition happens once every three years — the ‘hon-matsuri,’ or the ‘real festival.’ This means that 2026 ups the ante, and the two-tonne golden mikoshi is brought out to display.

Koenji’s Awa-Odori Festival is one of the most lively summer traditions of the capital. Over 10,000 traditional Awa-odori dancers and musicians playing flutes and chanting rhythms will fill the shopping streets surrounding Koenji Station for the weekend, essentially turning the neighborhood into a huge street party.

Street food, impromptu performances and band events pop up throughout the weekend. Koenji’s many eating and drinking establishments join in the fun, putting out tables and chairs on the streets in a show of neighborly community spirit.

Experience the peak of elite Japanese motorcycle racing as the fastest superbikes in the world race around Motegi's stop-and-go road circuit. This race marks the fifth round of the All Japan Road Race Championships, pitting top-tier factory riders on 1000cc superbikes at nail-biting speeds.

Beyond the edge-of-your-seat track action, the venue acts as an outdoor festival center with motorcycle demo areas, child-friendly racing simulations, and theme park style attractions.

Celebrate 60 years of an iconic Japanese hero by stepping directly into the action. Walk through dynamic sets featuring spectacular video, sound, and theatrical performances that bring the sci-fi world of Ultraman to life.

Make decisions alongside the cast that will guide the interactive story to one of four unique endings. With video appearances by legendary heroes from the original Ultraman all the way to the newest generation, the exhibition will thrill Ultraman fans of all ages.

One of Australia’s most famous contemporary art exports, Ron Mueck, is hosting his second-ever show in Japan, co-organized with the Mori Art Museum. The sculptor is known for his large-scale works that distort the viewers’ sense of perspective.

This show is Mueck’s first in Japan since 2008, and focuses on his large-scale art, much of which is being shown in Japan for the first time. Enjoy the surreal and mundane through Mueck’s eyes.

Want to experience the thrilling energy of a Japanese summer festival without sweating through your yukata? MATSURI JAPAN 2026 has you covered! Held just a one-minute walk from Takanawa Gateway Station inside a gloriously air-conditioned hall, this massive weekend event brings together the sights, sounds, and tastes of festivals from all over the country. Watch powerful traditional dances and booming taiko drum performances, then treat your tastebuds to upgraded yatai (food stall) classics, regional craft beers, and local delicacies. It’s the perfect way to soak up vibrant summer festival vibes while completely beating the Tokyo heat!

The ever-popular Warner Bros. Studio Tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone movie in style.

Visitors are treated to a Sorting Hat activity in the Great Hall, as well as extra displays including exclusive BTS demonstrations at how the invisibility cloak was made. There will also be special menus in the restaurant and limited edition merchandise. Until August 31, guests can also enjoy a collaboration with Tom & Jerry characters.

The Edogawa Fireworks Festival is one of Tokyo's biggest. Headed by legendary firework marker, Souke Hanabi Kagiya, last year the festival celebrated its 50-year anniversary with a bang, creating a record-breaking Mount Fuji scene in the night sky.

The festival takes place along the border between Tokyo and Chiba and features over 14,000 fireworks fired to music. The grand opening sees 1,000 glowing golden shells launched in the span of five seconds, followed by firework shapes depicting Japanese scenes such as Mount Fuji across the night sky.

Established in 1954 by local merchants to beat the humid summer slump, this neighborhood Star Festival has become one of the most famous in the country. While most areas celebrate the festival during July, places such as Sendai celebrate it in August.

During the festival, the 750-meter-long pedestrian shopping arcade is covered with thousands of colorful bamboo streamers and handmade haribote (papier-mâché) character figures. These figures are created by local residents and shopkeepers, and can range from traditional folklore deities to modern pop-culture icons. Because the street is fully covered, it’s a great all-weather destination for families, couples and solo travelers alike to escape the beating summer heat.

Bringing the spectacular, high-energy festival traditions of Kochi Prefecture straight to Tokyo’s capital, this summer event plays host to over 100 dance teams from across the globe. In a mix of old and new, the event draws teams who perform to traditional Japanese instruments alongside others who enlist pop beats and dance tunes.

This year’s edition welcomes three teams from abroad including Ulis from Vietnam. The buzzing energy is infectious, making it a great day out for anyone who fancies experiencing rowdy Japanese festival culture.

Experience the vibrant energy of Rio de Janeiro right in the heart of Tokyo’s traditional Asakusa district! The Asakusa Samba Carnival is a spectacular late-summer staple that draws around half a million spectators. Watch as roughly 5,000 passionate dancers, powerful bateria percussion groups, and massive, beautifully decorated floats (allegorias) parade through the streets in colorful costumes to infectious samba rhythms. More than just a parade, it's a fierce competition between samba leagues from across Japan vying for the top spot. Be sure to grab a standing spot along Umamichi-dori or Kaminarimon-dori early to feel the beat!