(Photos by Sheila Cliffe)
Nothing speaks of the enjoyment of Japanese summer like seeing crowds of happy people all out in the streets wearing colorful, floral yukata. If we are to be truthful here, the summer is, in reality, brutally hot. And there is not a lot that can be done to cool you down when stomping on the melting asphalt under the burning solar rays.
Urban Tokyo is a veritable furnace, and other major urban centers are equally roasting with temperatures hitting record highs in 2025. In spite of the climate, the Japanese summer is not complete without everyone pouring into the streets to enjoy wearing yukata and dancing to live or recorded music at bon dances. People also play games at festivals and gather in crowded spaces after dark to watch stunning fireworks light up the night sky.
When we were all in lockdown a few years ago, one of the things that was so sad was that the heat arrived without all the celebrations of the season. It actually felt like summer never happened.
Inclusive Celebrations
There are no activities in my own culture that compare with the Japanese events that mark this hot season. The celebrations of Japanese summer are very inclusive and everyone, from anywhere, and of any age can enjoy these activities. They are also held, for the most part, in public spaces. Everyone can enjoy themselves together. Alcohol can be drunk, street food consumed, and children play games for goldfish, balls, or balloons.
July and August are the peak season for wearing yukata, but with increasing heat, people are also continuing to wear them into September.
On July 7, Tanabata, the star festival, is celebrated, when Altair and Vega romantically meet across the Milky Way. Bamboos are decorated with papers upon which wishes are inscribed. Wind chimes can be heard, and of course, people start to wear yukata.
Then comes Obon, when ancestors are welcomed back to their families, and celebrated with dancing in the street and taiko drums. All over Japan, whether celebrated in early July or in August, depending on the location, people come out to dance in a circle to the sound of the drums.
Dancing Without Judgment
Often there is a yagura, a scaffolding tower in the center, and dancers who know the dances dance there, and everyone else watches them, or the person in front. There is no show, no competition, and the circle is a great equalizer. Nobody is concerned if you know the moves or not — it is the participation that is important. There are some dances that are performed everywhere, but many come from specific locations and are revived every year.
One of my favourites is a slow dance, Soma Ondo, which comes from Soma in Fukushima. Soma suffered badly after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, and I remember this when I take part in this dance.
Tokyo Festivals
Ebisu in Tokyo is the home of Yebisu beer, who sponsor the Bon Odori event near the station. Although this festival has ended, there is still time to catch bon dancing wherever you are in Japan.
All kinds of summer festivals also take place on shopping streets. Over the weekend of August 2–3, yukata walking in Ginza took place. There was plenty of dancing, performances, and even special markets. There were games for children in department stores and on the streets. The local police and fire service took the opportunity to demonstrate skills in the street.
People rode a car demonstrating the effectiveness of safety belts, while the fire service raised a man in a crane to stupendous heights, to the surprise of those watching. Many stores and bars also put on yukata events. Gigabar, a music bar in Aoyama, held a yukata party. They also recently played live music at Haneda Airport dressed in yukata.
Regional Highlights
The Tohoku region is famous for amazing summer festivals, the most famous of which is Nebuta, where huge painted washi sculptures with lights inside are paraded through the streets after dark in Aomori.
Sendai's Tanabata is famous for the beautiful decorations, and Akita's famous Kanto festival has bamboo structures with lamps dangling from them that light up the streets. Yamagata has Hanagasa Festival, where distinctive hats are wielded by dancers who perform in the streets.
There are still lots of events coming up, where you can enjoy the Japanese summer. Get in the mood by wearing a yukata. There are Obon festivals, fireworks, water splashing festivals, morning glory festivals, and the end of the summer festivals. Check out your local news to find the ones near you and get in the groove with your favourite yukata.
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Author: Sheila Cliffe
