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Tohoku Kizuna Festival 2025

A Collective Six Part Festival

Venue
Jozenji-dori Avenue
When
Early Jun 2025

Tohoku is home to six prefectures in northern Japan–Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, and Fukushima. Each prefectural capital distinctly their own, traditional festivals are highly anticipated events throughout the year. Generally, these festivals are held around the same time in early August–except for one rare opportunity in June.

The Tohoku Kizuna Festival was initially created to remember the lives lost in the Great East Japan Earthquake. Now, it’s an opportunity to collectively celebrate the pride of Tohoku. All six traditional festivals collaborate for the experience of a lifetime–Aomori Nebuta Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, (Iwate) Morioka Sansa Odori Festival, Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, (Miyagi) Sendai Tanabata Festival, and Fukushima Waraji Festival.

In a parade with approximately 1000 dancers, enjoy the gems of Tohoku! With each northern Japan prefecture present, the parade features intricate floats, floating bamboo structures, elegant dances, and songs passed from generations back.

In 2024, the festival was held in Sendai, Miyagi. The parade was held at Jozenji-dori Avenue and Nishikicho Park.

The Tohoku Kizuna Festival is on a rotating yearly basis. It was announced that the festival will be temporarily suspended in 2025, and instead will be exhibited at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. In 2026, the Tohoku Kizuna Festival will be held in Morioka City, Iwate.

The original Tohoku festivals

Listed below are the festivals included in the Tohoku Kizuna Festival and the original dates that they are held.

Aomori Nebuta Festival

Nebuta Aomori Festival 2025

Nebuta Aomori Festival 2025

Aug 2nd - Aug 7th

Nebuta festival is the biggest Tanabata festival that makes up the three great festivals of Tohoku Region.

4 Free Entry

Marvelous, illuminated floats depicting legendary warlords and other human figures.

Akita Kanto Festival

Akita Kanto Festival 2025

Akita Kanto Festival 2025

Aug 3rd - Aug 6th

The Kanto Matsuri is also known as the pole lantern festival. It is a Tanabata related celebration in Akita City held annually from..

1 Free Entry

Balancing 12-meter long bamboo structures, kantō bearers test and compete with their unique skills.

Iwate Morioka Sansa Odori Festival

Morioka's Sansa Odori 2025

Morioka's Sansa Odori 2025

Aug 1st - Aug 4th

The Morioka Sansa Odori is held every year August 1st-4th. In addition to being the world's largest taiko drum gathering, ..

1 Free Entry

In an effort to thank the legend of Mitsuishi, locals dance in a parade involving more than 5,000 taiko drums and 6,000 flutes.

Miyagi Sendai Tanabata Festival

Sendai Tanabata 2025

Sendai Tanabata 2025

Aug 6th - Aug 8th

Sendai Tanabata Festival held August 6th-8th always delights visitors. The largest Tanabata event in Japan continues to grow in..

3 Free Entry

The origin of two Tohoku festivals, 3000 bamboo branches decorate the streets and welcome the god for a plentiful harvest.

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

Hanagasa Matsuri 2025

Hanagasa Matsuri 2025

Aug 5th - Aug 7th

Hanagasa Matsuri is a dance festival which originiated in Obanazawa but is now celebrated across Yamagata every summer.

2 Free Entry

A Flower Hat Folk Song Parade with over 10,000 dancers parading and enlivening the city.

Fukushima Waraji Festival

Waraji Festival 2025

Waraji Festival 2025

Early Aug

Named after the traditional 'waraij' straw sandals, Fukushima's annual festival to mark the summer kicks off in early..

1 Free Entry

A straw sandal weighing two tons is carried throughout the streets to pray for good health — this festival is usually held on the first Saturday and Sunday in August.

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Haley Skye 4 months ago
Ohhhh I'm glad you wrote about this! I was so sad that I didn't hear about it this year until it was over. Definitely gotta catch a future one.

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