Featured Events in Japan in July, 2025 (July Updated)

Just because the weather is hot doesn’t mean you can’t partake in cultural traditions. In fact, now’s the perfect time of year to try out a yukata, a beautiful traditional garment designed for hot weather! In Umeda, wearing a yukata is a huge celebration throughout July, transforming the city into a magical summer festival. But it’s not just about creating the perfect photo opportunity; Umeda offers great discounts and pop-up events for those dressed up.

Hedri Museum is pleased to present "Father and Son," a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Chen Fei. The site-specific curated space will feature 15 new paintings, a seven-metre-tall mural, an installation piece and related materials created by Chen Fei between 2022 and 2025.

The Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum will be holding the second half of the exhibition "Koji Kinutani: Towards Peace" as a proposal for peace through the power of art and the arts. Currently, conflicts continue in many countries and regions, resulting in many casualties and refugees. In addition, environmental destruction has caused natural disasters in various places, making the road to peace a difficult one. The recognition that peace is the common wish of all humanity is shared by both East and West. Koji Kinutani has continued to create works that teach the folly of war while also feeling a reverence for nature, giving dreams and hope to many people. This exhibition will focus on works that strongly express the message of "Peace," and is held in the hope that a day of peace will come to people all over the world who are suffering from the ravages of war and disasters.

An unprecedented game of Go. The story of Hikaru's Go, where many encounters lead to his growth. Please take a look at the precious original drawings.

Kan’eiji Temple was a major center of Buddhism and culture during the Edo period (1603–1868). It was established in 1625 to protect Japan’s military government, the shogunate, and its headquarters at Edo Castle from disaster and misfortune.This exhibition commemorates the temple’s 400th anniversary by exploring its history, cultural treasures, and connections with the Tokyo National Museum, which occupies land formerly owned by the temple. The exhibition is organized into six sections:Chapter 1: Protecting the City of EdoChapter 2: Jigen Daishi, Leader of Edo BuddhismChapter 3: Illustrated Biographies of the Two Great MonksChapter 4: The Shogunate’s Official TempleChapter 5: Exploring Ties to the Museum through Excavated ArtifactsChapter 6: Cultural Connections with the Present Day

This exhibition presents animal-themed objects made of various metals using a range of metalworking techniques. In this special “zoo,” you can feel more familiar with and deepen your understanding of metalwork objects that are around us. Metalwork objects are generally hard and heavy, and may carry a “cold” impression, but they can also express supple textures and possess a light-hearted feel. Through this exhibition featuring animal-themed objects which their creators must have seen with their warm gaze, we hope that you can draw more attention to the potentials and creativity of metalworking. You might also be able to cool off surrounded by these metal-made animals despite the summer heat.

The Water Concert Hall hosts concerts, comedy, pro wrestling and more, while the pond banks are lined with antique markets (daily), monkey catching (Saturday and Sunday only) and markets (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only). It is also a good idea to take a break from the cool breeze on the water while admiring the lotus flowers on the pond banks.

Pickhive Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President and COO: Yoshinori Osako), a member of the Kitamura Holdings Group, will be setting up a photo booth at the Roppongi Museum, the venue of the horror experiential exhibition "1999 Exhibition: Memories of That Non-Existent Day," from Friday, July 11, 2025 to Saturday, September 27, 2025, where visitors can take photos in original frames while feeling the unique atmosphere of the eve of 1999, where anxiety and expectation intersect, and following the prophesied "end of the world" with the guidance of the "Apocalypse Girl."

The festival is centered around the Kobe International Flute Competition, the flute world cup held every four years in Kobe, and will feature about 100 performances of music from classical to various genres throughout the city. World-class artists, local musicians, junior and high school students, etc. participate in the event, and the whole city is colored by music. The Japan Flute Conference and large flute ensembles are also held during the festival.

Two other exhibitions organized by the Japan Graphic Design Association, the JAGDA Award's "Kamekura Yusaku Award" winner Hayashi Jiki's solo exhibition and the "JAGDA Newcomer Award" 2025 winning works exhibition, will be held at ggg in Ginza, Tokyo. One of the protagonists of the exhibition, Hayashi Jiki, the winner of the 27th "Kamekura Yusaku Award", will exhibit his works on the first floor of ggg. Among them is the series of recruitment posters he designs for the Joshibi University of Art every year. This project, which has been continuously created since 20 years ago, takes the letter "J" in "JOSHIBI" as the origin and develops a variety of geometric composition styles, which are abstract yet iconic. Hayashi Jiki adheres to a minimalist and rigorous graphic language, constantly breaks through the boundaries of design in the annual update, maintains visual freshness, and demonstrates his deep understanding of the artistry and universality of graphic design.

As part of their involvement in the World Expo Osaka 2025, Louis Vuitton has created this unique, immersive experience with the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. Celebrating 170 years, the exhibit takes visitors on an amazing journey through multiple rooms inspired by savoir-faire, creation, and innovation. It’s a new and creative way to experience one of fashion’s biggest brands, making it a must-see whilst you’re in Osaka.

"Taka Festival SUMMER BOOST meets Tenjin Summer Festival 2025" will be held at the Communication Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall for about a month from July 17 (Thursday) to August 17 (Sunday), 2025! This year, the dream collaboration between the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and "Tenjin Summer Festival" will be realized, and the whole city will be enveloped in the atmosphere of the festival.

Mifuneyama Rakuen was created in 1845 (late Edo period) on a site of 500,000 square meters. On the boundary of the site, there is a sacred camphor tree that is over 3,000 years old and is one of the largest trees in Japan, and in the center of the garden, there is a 300-year-old camphor tree. As you can see from this, it is a part of a forest that has been cherished since ancient times, and it is a garden created while making use of the trees of the forest. The boundary between the garden and the natural forest is vague, and while wandering around, you may suddenly enter the forest or come across an animal trail. In the forest, there is a shrine that is probably an iwakura (a type of nature worship (animism) that has existed in Japan since ancient times) made of megaliths piled up in a supernatural way. It is also said that the famous monk Gyoki, who later created the Great Buddha of Nara, entered Mifuneyama about 1,300 years ago and carved 500 arhats, and a Buddha that is said to have been carved by Gyoki himself remains on the rock wall of a cave in the forest. The megaliths, caves, and forests that were formed over a long, long time have people in each era finding meaning in them, and these have accumulated for over a thousand years to create this place. And the ongoing interactions between nature and humans have created this comfortable and beautiful cultural heritage, where the boundaries between gardens and forests are unclear. When I lost my way and wandered in a place where the boundaries between gardens and forests are unclear, I felt that my existence was on the long-standing boundaryless continuity of the interactions between nature and humans. That is why I wanted to create an exhibition that would allow visitors to get lost in this vast garden and forest. Our existence is on the continuity of life and death that has been repeated forever for an overwhelming length of time, billions of years. However, it is difficult to perceive this in everyday life. Humans cannot physically recognize a time that is longer than the time they have lived. In other words, from the world of today, we can recognize that the world of yesterday is the same world that continues, but for example, the Edo period feels like a different world that is not continuous. In other words, there is a boundary in our perception of the long continuity of time. While exploring the forest, I learned that the existence of things with shapes and textures created over a long period of time, such as megaliths and caves, makes me realize that a long time has continued to this day. I thought that these things can transcend the boundaries of our perception of the continuity of time. TeamLab is currently working on a project called "Digitized Nature." This project aims to turn nature into art in its natural form through immaterial digital technology. By using things that have existed for a long time, transcending my own time, and creating a series of works, I thought that I could create a place where I could feel that my existence is on the long, long continuity of life, transcending the boundaries of our perception of the continuity of time. I would like to use things that have existed for a long time as they are to express "life on the continuity of long time," and to accumulate meaning in this place even in the present day.

The first exhibition of animation director Maeda Masahiro (affiliated with khara Inc.), "Miscellaneous: Maeda Masahiro," will be held at PARCO GALLERY on the 14th floor of Shinsaibashi PARCO. This exhibition is being held to commemorate the publication of the art book "Mashiro Maeda Miscellaneous Art Book" (Kobunsha), which will be released on February 28, 2025. The exhibition will introduce carefully selected drawings from the vast amount of work he has been involved in, which will be included in the art book.

The fireworks display at Seibuen Amusement Park is characterized by its close proximity to surprises. The dazzling fireworks cover the entire field of vision, and the shocking sound effects and vibrations are like shaking the whole body, making people tremble all over. With the touching music, the body will dance involuntarily, and the whole venue will instantly boil with the frenzy of the festival. This shocking performance that combines music and fireworks will definitely become the most beautiful memory of this summer.

More than 200,000 tourists visit Hokuryu-cho's "Sunflower Village" every year. From mid-July to late August, about 2 million sunflowers bloom across the vast 23-hectare site (about the size of five Tokyo Domes), a feast for the eyes. The entire rolling hills are dyed a vivid yellow, which is breathtaking, and the yellow of the sunflowers shines brightly against the blue sky, especially on sunny days. There is also an observation deck overlooking the sunflower fields within the venue, and the view from the two-story observation deck near the parking lot is outstanding. A mini observation deck a little further away is accessible to wheelchair users. The Mie Waterwheel in one corner is also one of the popular spots for commemorative photos. The sight of water splashing everywhere is refreshing on a hot summer day, and the pleasant sound of water echoes. The "Sunflower Soft Ice Cream" mixed with sunflower seeds is also a must-try dessert. During the Sunflower Festival, you can enjoy the "World Sunflower Corner" with about 30 varieties of sunflowers planted by local junior high school students, the giant "Sunflower Maze", rental bicycles and the Ferris wheel "Sunflower", and there are also fireworks displays and special events on weekends.

Buddhist gods are often depicted according to specific rules, such as having a certain number of faces or arms, holding objects, or posing in particular ways. These rules were communicated through visual representations, rather than written descriptions. This exhibition explores how these images of Buddhist gods were interpreted, creatively represented, and passed down to later generations.

The World Heritage Nijo Castle will host the "NAKED encounters Nijo Castle 2025 Evening Cool" lighting event, allowing visitors to enjoy the atmosphere of a summer festival at night. This project is part of the "NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO 2025" art project, which aims to bring visitors a new experience of Kyoto through real and virtual means. This summer, we will debut a variety of exciting content, including interactive art inspired by Kyoto's summer traditions - riverside seats and bamboo boats, with the illuminated National Treasure Ninomaru Palace and Important Cultural Property Karamon as the background.

About 100,000 sunflowers bloom on a vast farmland of about 24,000 square meters, and many people come to visit every year. During this period, photography competitions and sales of fresh vegetables and cut sunflowers from nearby fields are held.

The "You Too Can Become a Doctor" exhibition is an intellectual experience event that allows children to have fun and become engrossed in "interesting," "thinking," and "learning." This summer, the "You Too Can Become a Doctor" exhibition will be held for a limited time only at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, located at the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station. From basement level to the 5th floor terrace, every floor of the building is dotted with opportunities to learn by coming into contact with "questions." Search for the "Hatena Cards" in the venue as you travel around each area, explore the entire facility, and collect lots of "questions"!

Portable shrines, processions, and intangible folk cultural properties, the Akasaka-yakko and Kodomo-yakko, parade through the town of Kutchan at the annual festival of Kutchan Shrine.

Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls are teaming up for the "Yes We Are Tour," coming to Redmond at the Marymoor Live - Presented By Toyota on July 29, 2025. The venue is located at 6046 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE, WA, 98052. Don't miss this opportunity to see these iconic artists live in concert. Get your tickets now for a night of unforgettable music and performances.

The "Kecak Festival" will be held for 5 days from July 30 (Wednesday/Yoya) to August 3 (Sunday) at HIROBA Shinjuku Mitsui Building 55. The Kecak Festival was launched in Shinjuku New City Center in 1976 as a "festival to create the future". It has now become a "Shinjuku summer tradition" and has grown to be highly praised by many customers in Japan and overseas.

Experience the iconic music of the Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge on the "Yes We Are Tour" at Marymoor Live in Redmond. The event will take place on July 30, 2025, at 6046 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE. Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness these talented artists perform live at this exclusive venue presented by Toyota. Get ready for a night filled with unforgettable melodies and powerful performances in a beautiful setting. Secure your tickets now to be a part of this not-to-be-missed musical experience.

The Bon Odori of Honganji Temple is one of the traditional events held every summer at Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. As the largest Bon Odori event in Kyoto, it attracts many local residents and tourists to participate. The event is usually held in the Nishi Honganji Temple. Participants can dance around the stage in yukata to the accompaniment of traditional Japanese music, enjoying the coolness and joy of summer. In addition to the Bon Odori, there are various stalls at the event site, providing Japanese snacks and drinks, adding to the festive atmosphere. This event is not only an opportunity to enjoy summer fun, but also a good platform to experience Japan's traditional culture and community spirit.

As part of the development of a bright, healthy and vibrant community in the community, the Bon Festival has been held since the opening of Sun City in 1978. Surrounded by 6-meter-high oars, you can enjoy an old-fashioned atmosphere while performing traditional Bon dances cherished in the area such as Tokyo Ondo and Otsuka Ondo. There will also be a children's mini fair where you can enjoy shooting and ring throwing, as well as several shops in the Alpa specialty shop area, and a food and beverage corner where you can enjoy drinks and food.

It is called "Summer Night Festival", "Summer Festival", "Gojinji" and so on by many people, but the official name is "Usa Jingu Gojin Sachi Festival". In ancient times, it was also called "Ohara House", and as the main shrine of Hachiman, it was a festival to prevent disasters and prevent the well-being of the people of the country by eliminating the plague of the people. The history of this festival is long, and according to the basic historical source of Usa Jingu, "Hachiman Usa Shrine Oracle Collection", it began before the Kaseigen Heian period ~ 3 (1106 ~ 08). The divine light procession is led by the tall and red Sarutahiko God like a tengu, and the young team of "butterflies", "birds", "chess (horses)" in bright costumes line up. Following closely are a row of sheriffs wearing kami and robes, Michigyo dancers playing drums, flutes and halberds, and monks and priests behind three mikoshi behind them. The scene unfolds like a picture scroll of a period.

Please show your "Reserved Name+Reserved Phone Number+Trip.comOrder Page(not a screenshot)" to pick up your ticket(s). Ticket pick-up address:AJINOMOTO STADIUM Main Gate No.5 Ticket pick-up time: on the day of the show.July5th /July6th15:30-18:30(JST). Latecomers will not be able to pick up ticket(s) and enter the show. ENHYPEN is a global boy group formed through Mnet's large-scale project "I-LAND," which aired from June 2020 for approximately three months. The group consists of seven members: Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. They debuted in November 2020 with "BORDER: DAY ONE" and made their Japanese debut in July 2021 with the single "BORDER: Hakanai." In January 2023, as a "4th generation" K-POP act, they held a solo dome concert at Kyocera Dome Osaka as part of their "MANIFESTO" world tour, setting the fastest record for a dome concert within approximately two years of debut. Later, during their September 2023 "FATE" world tour, they became the fastest K-POP boy group to hold a solo concert at Tokyo Dome. Their fifth mini-album "ORANGE BLOOD," released in November 2023, achieved double million sales, and their latest album "ROMANCE: UNTOLD" also reached double million sales in initial shipments, continually breaking their own records. ENHYPEN will hold their first stadium concert in Japan this summer, titled "ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR 'WALK THE LINE' IN JAPAN -SUMMER EDITION-." The concerts will take place on July 5-6 at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo and August 2-3 at Yanmar Stadium Nagai (Nagai Stadium) in Osaka. This marks the first time a "4th generation" K-POP group has held stadium concerts in two cities—an unprecedented feat. Additionally, ENHYPEN achieved this milestone in approximately 4 years and 7 months since debut, the fastest among non-Japanese artists.

From July to November 2025, YOASOBI will start its first domestic tour with 40 performances in 14 counties across the country. This is the first Hall tour in the country for YOASOBI.

Please show your "Reserved Name+Reserved Phone Number+Trip.comOrder Page(not a screenshot)" to pick up your ticket(s). Ticket pick-up address:Kyocera Dome Osaka 7 GATE Ticket pick-up time: on the day of the show.July12th17:00-20:00/July13th15:30-18:30(JST). You must enter the venue immediately after picking up your ticket. If you need to purchase merchandise, please do so before picking up your ticket.Latecomers will not be able to pick up ticket(s) and enter the show. The details of BTS member JIN's first-ever fan concert tour, "#RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in JAPAN," have been officially announced. This tour is themed around "Kim Seokjin's journey to meet ARMY (BTS fandom name)," embodying JIN's heartfelt desire to "reach fans all over the world." JIN eagerly shared, "I can't wait to see ARMY—let’s all enjoy the stage together with full energy!" The concert will feature all tracks from his second solo album Echo, released on May 16th, as well as beloved songs from his debut solo album Happy, released last November. Backed by live band performances, JIN will showcase his unique and vibrant stage presence—stay tuned!