The rainy season is finally over! The sun is out, the cicadas are singing, the temperatures and humidity have regulated to their normal blazing levels. Good timing, because the first weekend of August (Aug 2-4) brings in a full swing of free outdoor festivals in Tokyo.
Missed last week's fireworks along the Sumida River? Don't worry, Saturday (Aug 3) brings not only one but three fireworks festivals. If you have to choose one, go out east to the Edogawa Fireworks Festival which blasts 13,000 rockets. For a quieter festival, head west to the suburbs for the Ome Noryo Fireworks Festival or enjoy the 'Niagara Falls' fireworks at Itabashi.
Also, make sure you join in the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple Noryo Bon Odori Takai (Jul 31-Aug 3) – it's one of Tokyo's largest festivals and ends this Saturday (Aug 3). In the daytime, head to the Hachioji Festival (Aug 2-4) to enjoy old-fashioned festival food and traditional floats. Otherwise, check out the Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri (Aug 3-7), which is a modern twist on the traditional star festival with large papier-mâché decorations made by the locals. To appease the little ones, bring your kids to Kichijoji for the Gessoji Monzen-Ichi & Bon Odori (Aug 3-4); this smaller scale festival is perfect for a smaller audience.
Photo: 江戸川区
Edogawa Fireworks Festival (Aug 3)
The Edogawa Fireworks Festival deploys over 13,000 rockets, with different themes every few minutes. This is Tokyo’s most eastern hanabi, but don’t be late: the show starts in style with 1,000 sparkling rockets shot up at once within the first five seconds, marking a breathtaking start into a colourful performance.
Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple Noryo Bon Odori Taikai (Jul 31-Aug 3)
Summer in Tokyo is defined by festivals and one of the most spectacular is the Bon-Odori (bon dance), which takes place in a number of neighbourhoods across the city. Originally a way to honour the spirits of the dead, Bon-Odori is now a fun, engaging family-friendly affair. There are many similar celebrations across the city but Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple’s Noryo Bon Odori Taikai is one of the biggest. Don a yukata (casual kimono), join in the dancing crowds circling the yagura stage and mimic the dance moves of the locals next to you. The festival is also famous for its delectable food selection – so go early and dance up an appetite for a feast.
Hachioji Festival (Aug 3-4)
Around 20 floats and portable shrines are carried around the north side of Hachioji at this summer festival, one of the best of its kind in the Kanto region and held annually over the first weekend of August. When rival floats pass, their bands attempt to throw each other off their groove in a musical face-off known as buttsuke – a distinctive Hachioji tradition. Also look out for taiko drummers, ice sculptures, dragon dancers and more in the course of the three-day fest, which attracts over 800,000 spectators every year.
Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri (Aug 3-4)
Asagaya has been holding its own distinctive Tanabata festival for over 60 years now, but the event has moved with the times: in recent years, the papier-mâché decorations dangling from the ceiling of the Pearl Center shopping arcade have included iconic characters like Jack Sparrow and Buzz Lightyear. The decorations are there to see all day long, but many people wait until dusk to go and enjoy them, accompanied by food and drinks sold at stalls along the length of the street.
Gessoji Monzen-Ichi & Bon Odori (Aug 3-4)
The Gessoji summer festival is a small Kichijoji classic, taking place on the temple grounds and along the Sun Road shopping arcade on the north side of the station. It features everything from Bon Odori performances to a watermelon-cutting competition, as well as the obligatory stalls hawking matsuri food and drinks. The dancing festivities start at 6pm, but consider heading over earlier to take in the atmosphere and warm up properly.
For more things to do in Tokyo this weekend, click here.