Tristyn (こころ) Perrin is a Japanese American student who was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas in the United States. She attends the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she is a Donaghey Scholar majoring in Applied Communications and Graphic Design. She enjoys writing and being able to connect with others through conversation. She has a passion for art and taking pictures. She likes to play soccer and hang out with her friends during her free time as well as explore nature.
With Tokyo being the biggest city in Japan, and one of the biggest in the world, you can imagine that there are a lot of different things to do here. In Tokyo, August is one of the most exciting times to visit because of the multitude of festivals being held. You can enjoy long and vibrant firework shows to long-held traditional ceremonies. In order to make things easier for you, we complied a list of the best 10 things to do in Tokyo in August! We hope you enjoy!
- 1. Koenji Awa-Odori Festival
- 2. Firework Festivals
- 3. Summer Comiket
- 4. Forest Beer Garden
- 5. Asakusa Toro Nagashi
- 6. Visit a Garden
- 7. Asagaya Tanabata Festival
- 8. Fukagawa Festival
- 9. Yakatabune Boat Cruise – Tokyo Bay
- 10. Nakano Station Bon Odori Festival
- Japan Wonder Travel Tours in Tokyo
- Other articles you might be interested in
1. Koenji Awa-Odori Festival
*The full details of this event are yet to be confirmed
In the last week of August, thousands and thousands of people line up to watch well over 10,000 dancers and musicians parade the streets. The Koenji Awa-odori dance is one of Tokyo’s most popular summer festivals, so it is highly recommended that you partake. Here, you can enjoy upbeat performances, traditional music, and a multitude of dance routines over the span of two days.
Nine routes are planned for the dancers, so be sure to grab a a map (typically handed out on the street) and to get your snacks ahead of time to get a good spot and view to enjoy the festival.
| Website | Koenji Awa Odori |
| Location | Koenji Station |
| Dates | Usually the 2nd to last or last weekend of August |
| Time | 17:00-20:00 |
2. Firework Festivals
Nothing screams “summer in Japan” quite like a fireworks festival! The level of quality of fireworks in Japan is very impressive; the coordination, size, duration, and variety are top notch. Even the lesser known events are still remarkable by many standards!
In August, there are a few options to choose from, but one of the best in august is the Edogawa Fireworks festival! This event draws a large crowd, but not one quite as intense as the Sumida river event, which warrants quite a bit of endurance to navigate crowds, cell phone signal loss, etc. You’ll have an easier time finding a good spot to enjoy the epic hour long display!
Be sure to bring a tarp or something to sit on, some refreshments, and some good friends to enjoy this great set of Japanese fireworks!
| Website | Edogawa Fireworks Festival |
| Location | Alongside the Edogawa river near Shinozaki Park |
| Dates | August 24, 2024 |
| Time | 19:15-20:20 |
3. Summer Comiket
Join one of Japan’s biggest annual pop culture events August 11 – August 12. Held at Tokyo Big Sight, manga fans and authors come together to exchange and sell self-published comic books (usually refers to fan-made comics). The term Doujinshi is known as the independent creation and publication of manga. Some people participate in cosplay, dressing up as their favorite characters. There is a special ticket you can buy that gives you exclusive access to changing rooms where you can get ready for the event. Tickets range from ¥1,000 to ¥5,000, depending on what you’re there for.
| Website | Summer Comiket |
| Location | Tokyo Big Sight |
| Dates | August 11 – 12 |
| Time | 10:30 – 16:00 |
4. Forest Beer Garden
Situated within the expansive outdoor lawn of the children’s play area at Meiji Shrine’s Outer Gardens, the Forest Beer Garden sets itself apart from other local boozy events with its lush greenery and serene waterfall all summer long. The popular two-hour all-you-can-eat package, priced at ¥5,880, offers a variety of dishes including barbecue beef, pork, lamb, vegetables, yakisoba noodles, grilled onigiri, and ice pops. Guests can also enjoy an all-you-can-drink selection featuring seven types of beer, including Kirin and Heineken, as well as whisky, sours, wine, and soft drinks. Despite being one of Tokyo’s largest beer gardens with a capacity of around 1,000 people, it tends to get very busy on weekends, so it is advisable to make reservations in advance through the website.
| Website | Forest Beer Garden |
| Location | Meji Shrine |
| Dates | Until August 31, 2024 |
| Time | Mon-Fri 14:00 – 22:30 Sat-Sun 12:00-22:30pm |
5. Asakusa Toro Nagashi
In the middle of August, many gather around the river in Asakusa to light candle-lit lanterns and send them off into the water. During the night, it is a beautiful sight to see over 2,500 lit lanterns float down the river. Even though this event is usually in honor of those that have had relatives pass, people are still able to come and watch the lanterns be released.
| Website | 365 Asakusa |
| Location | Sumida Park |
| Dates | August 10, 2024 |
| Time | 18:45 – 20:00 pm |
6. Visit a Garden
With Tokyo being a massive city, you might think that there is very little nature. Think again! Tokyo has a variety of different gardens that you can walk through and feel as though you are escaping from the loud bustle of the city. There are two gardens in particular that we recommend, Koishikawa Korakuen Garden and Rikugien Garden. Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the oldest and best Japanese gardens around. There, you can enjoy beautiful walking trails and lush greenery. Rikugien is right up there with Koishikawa Korakuen when it comes to beauty. You can stroll around the expansive garden, which can take up to an hour to cover. There are also some tea houses that are open to the public. Both gardens have an admission of 300 yen, and are open to the public from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
7. Asagaya Tanabata Festival
Also known as the “star festival,” many people celebrate the holiday that is based on the astrological event that occurs every summer when the two stars, Vega and Altair, finally meet in the sky. Tanabata represents two lovers who only get to meet once a year. While some celebrate this holiday in July, many others celebrate it early August. At the Pearl Center shopping center, you can enjoy a parade of giant papier-mache figures that float down the shopping arcade. These giant figures usually depict cute characters from Disney or Studio Ghibli and also teddy bears and so on. At this festival, you can also enjoy a variety of foods and drinks while participating in Japanese old fashioned festival activities like goldfish scooping.
| Website | Asagaya |
| Location | Pearl Center Shopping Street and the area around JR Asagaya Station’s south exit |
| Dates | Early August (yet to be confirmed) |
8. Fukagawa Festival
In the midst of a hot summer day, attending the Fukagawa Festival is a perfect way to spend your time. This water throwing festival, or mizu-kake matsuri, occurs in the middle of August at the Tomioka Hachimangu shrine. People carry over 50 mikoshi, or portable shrines, through the street while people throw water on the mikoshi. The act of throwing water symbolizes purification. This event happens over a 5 day period where you can also hear traditional Japanese instruments be played and watch dance performances.
| Website | Tomioka Hachimangū Shrine |
| Location | Tomioka Hachimangū Shrine |
| Dates | Mid August (yet to be confirmed) |
9. Yakatabune Boat Cruise – Tokyo Bay
Going down to the Tokyo Bay area in the summertime to enjoy a traditional Japanese Yakatabune dinner cruise is a popular thing to do. A Yakatabune is known as a pleasure boat where they were traditionally used to host dinner parties for the wealthy. Today, this experience is open to the general public. During your cruise, you will get to enjoy the nighttime views of Tokyo city from the water. In the summertime, you might even get to watch the firework shows from certain festivals if you get the timing right. You will be served delicious Japanese food and free drinks. You can even join in on some karaoke if you would like!
Book your Boat Cruise here
10. Nakano Station Bon Odori Festival
The Nakano Station Bon Odori Festival, celebrating its 12th anniversary, initially embraced the theme of “Live Songs and Dances of Nakano.” It has since grown into a vibrant Bon Odori festival where participants can enjoy folk dances from across Japan. This includes traditional tunes such as “Nakano Ondo,” “Tokyo Ondo,” “Tanko Bushi,” “Dodarebachi,” and “Kagoshima Ohara,” all performed live by the Nakano Ward Folk Song Federation.
Last year’s event, which saw appearances by DJ KOO and DJ Celly (also known as Bon Jovi), drew an impressive crowd of approximately 60,000 people and received significant media coverage.
There is also free dance practice sessions offered on their website!
| Website | Nakabon |
| Location | Nakano Central Park |
| Time | 10:00 – 21:00 |
| Dates | August 3 – 4, 2024 |
If you are planning on visiting Tokyo, Japan this summer, make sure you check some of these activities off of your to do list! August in Tokyo is filled with lots of excitement and fun. From fireworks to festivals, there are a lot opportunities to make unforgettable memories. Which activity are you most excited for?
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