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

• 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

• 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