Guides

Know before you go

Short, practical guides to the festivals themselves: what they mean, what happens, and how to take part respectfully.

• Aki matsuri: fall Japanese festivals in North America

  What fall matsuri are like, how they differ from Obon and sakura season, and how to find September and October events.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Festival etiquette, accessibility, and what to bring

  Practical advice for first-time visitors: respect, photos, food lines, accessibility questions, weather, and how to confirm details before going.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Hanami and sakura festivals: how cherry blossom season works

  What hanami means, how North American sakura festivals are scheduled, and how to plan around bloom windows, crowds, and organizer updates.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Mochitsuki and Oshogatsu: Japanese New Year events

  How mochi pounding and Oshogatsu celebrations show up in North America, what to expect, and when dates usually appear.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Obon vs. Bon Odori: what is the difference?

  A clear guide to Obon, Bon Odori, temple festivals, and why North American event names use these words in different ways.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Taiko at festivals: a first-timer's primer

  What taiko is, why it appears at so many Japanese cultural festivals, and how to enjoy a performance respectfully.

  Updated July 4, 2026

• Bon Odori for beginners: how to join the dance circle

  What to expect at your first Bon Odori: the common dances, what to wear, how to follow along, and why everyone is welcome in the circle.

  Updated July 2, 2026

• Taking your kids to their first matsuri

  A family guide to Japanese festivals: when to arrive, parking and transit, food kids will eat, strollers and seating, quiet corners, and weather.

  Updated July 2, 2026

• The Japanese festival year in North America

  How the festival calendar runs in the US and Canada: mochitsuki and Oshogatsu, sakura season, Obon, fall festivals, and how event dates get announced.

  Updated July 2, 2026

• Matsuri food, explained: what to eat at a Japanese festival

  A guide to festival food at Japanese events in North America: takoyaki, yakisoba, dango, imagawayaki, shave ice, rough costs, and how to handle cash and lines.

  Updated July 2, 2026

• What is Obon? A first-timer's guide to the season of remembrance

  What Obon is, how temple Obon festivals in the US and Canada actually run, when the season falls, and how first-timers can join respectfully.

  Updated July 2, 2026

• Wearing a yukata to a summer festival

  What a yukata is, how it differs from a kimono, where to get one, how to wear it (left over right), footwear, and notes for kids and non-Japanese attendees.

  Updated July 2, 2026