Gujō Odori Festival
Now–September 7
| Open | Dates and times vary throughout the period. Check their website below for more information. |
| Admission | Free |
| Description | This festival starts on July 13 and runs through August, finishing on September 7. The dancing usually takes place between 8 pm–10:30 pm. However, between August 13 and 16 the dancing lasts until 4 am. If you love dancing this is definitely the festival for you. |
| Link | http://www.gujohachiman.com/kanko/odori_schedule_e.html |
| Access | By train: Take the JR Tōkkaidō Line bound for Ōgaki and get off at Gifu Station. From there, take the JR Takayama Line bound for Tajimi and get off at Mino-ōta Station. Alternatively, you can catch a Limited Express train straight from Nagoya to Mino-ōta Station. Catch the Nagaragawa Railway for Mino-Shirotori and get off at Gujō Hachiman Station.
By Bus: Meitetsu Bus Center offers direct buses to Gujō Hachiman from Nagoya Station (on their website, look under Takayama). Please note the times of the last bus and train. For this event, there are no additional public transportation options overnight. |
| Address | Dance locations vary throughout the festival period. Check the link for more details. |
Map:
Nagoya Castle Golden Shachihoko Seafood Market Beer and BBQ 2019
Now–September 30
| Open | Weekdays 5:30 pm–10 pm
Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays: 11 am–10 pm |
| Admission | Adults ¥5,000 |
| Description | Round up your friends for an all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink package at Nagoya Castle! Named after the mythical shachihoko (a creature said to be part tiger and part carp), the two and a half hour package includes oysters, clams, pork, beef, and a range of other delicious foods. Reservations are required in advance, but don’t let that stop you from trying out this beer garden. |
| Link | https://fdbank.jp/nagoya-jyo-beer-bbq/ |
| Access | From Kanayama, take the Meijō Line to Shiyakusho Station. It’s a short 10-minute walk from the station. |
| Address | 〒 460-0001 1-chome, Sannomaru 1-2 chome, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture |
Map:
Osu Summer Festival
August 3 and 4
| Open | 12 pm~ (Saturday), 10 am~ (Sunday) |
| Admission | Free of charge |
| Description | Bon-dancing, cosplay, music, floats, and much more. If you like your entertainment to be eclectic then this is the festival for you. |
| Link | http://summer.nagoya-osu.com/summer_festa/ |
| Access | Take the subway to Ōsu Kannon Station on the Tsurumai Line. Take exit 2 and walk straight from the entrance. You’ll see Ōsu Kannon (temple) on the left. |
| Address | 2-chōme-21-4-7 Ōsu, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 〒460-0011 |
Map:
Okazaki Castle Firework Festival
August 3
| Open | 6:50 pm–9 pm |
| Admission | Free |
| Description | This is one of the biggest fireworks festivals in all of Aichi. 70% of the 20, 000 fireworks used in this show are produced locally. The show lasts for 2 hours but be sure to get there early as all the good spots will be taken! |
| Link | https://japancheapo.com/events/okazaki-fireworks-festival/ |
| Access | From Nagoya Station, take the Meitetsu Line for around 30 minutes to Higashi-Okazaki station. From there change to the Inuyama bound Meitetsu Line and head to Okazaki Koen-mae Station, which is only about a one-minute ride. The castle is about 20 minutes from the station. |
| Address | 561-1 Kōseichō, Okazaki-shi, Aichi-ken 〒444-0052 |
M ap:
Otaiko Hibiki Festival
August 17
| Open | 11 am–9 pm |
| Admission | Free |
| Description | A celebration of Taiko drumming, this year celebrating its 30th anniversary. If percussion is your thing, or you just like watching people hit stuff, this could be just what you need to see out the summer vacation. |
| Link | http://www.otaikohibike.com/ |
| Access | Head to JR Takefu by train or by bus. After arriving there are shuttle buses, regular buses, and taxis between the venue and the station. Check the schedule on the website for more information. Be aware that the shuttle bus requires registration, which can be done via a Japanese-language form on the official website. |
Map:
Hirokoji Summer Festival
August 17–18
| Open | 5 pm–9 pm |
| Admission | Free |
| Description | Hirokoji Summer Festival is a great way to experience a traditional Japanese atmosphere as well as a unique kind of Japanese dance! This festival brings acts from many different areas of Japan who partake in events such as drumming and dancing, and any foodies won’t be disappointed as you can try lots of different foods from all over Japan. |
| Link | https://www.nagoya-info.jp/event/center/63.html |
| Access | From Nagoya Station take the Higashiyama Line to Fushimi Station. The parade takes place on a road near the station. |
| Address | Hirokoji Street, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. |
Map:
Nippon Domannaka Festival
August 23–26
| Open | 8:30 am–6 pm |
| Admission | Free |
| Description | The Nippon Domannaka Festival is the largest team dance festival in Chubu and encourages everyone to participate. With around 23,000 performers, all with costumes reflecting their local traditions, this is not a festival you want to miss. |
| Link | https://www.domatsuri.com/english/index.html |
| Access | From Nagoya, take the Sakura-dōri Line to Hisaya-ōdōri Station. The park is a short two-minute walk from the station. |
| Address | Hisaya-ōdōri Park Main Stage, Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya 〒461-0001 |
Map:
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