Things to Do in Tokyo in July 2026

July marks the end of Tokyo’s rainy season and the start of midsummer’s thick heat. This month’s events roundup runs from river fireworks, lanterns drifting across moats, poolside parties and seaside festivals. Water is doing a lot of the work cooling down the city this summer. Spectacle or something quieter, here are our top picks for things to do in Tokyo this July.

Ocean Peoples Festival

July 4 – 5

Ocean Peoples is a pool and beach festival built around the theme “Save The Beach, Save The Ocean”—equal parts music event and coastal lifestyle celebration. The lineup spans Japanese hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and alternative, with talented artists including Rickie-G, Novel Core, Los Retros, OZworld, JP The Wavy and GADORO. Performances take place just steps from the beach, so expect to be dancing and cooling off in the water rather than at a typical seated venue. A beach market running alongside the stages features fashion brands, accessories, lifestyle shops and food trucks.

When: 11am – 9pm
Where: Sunset Beach Park Inage
Address: 7-2 Takahama, Mihama Ward, Chiba-ku
Price: 1 day ticket ¥9,800 | 2 day ticket ¥16,000
Website: Oceanpeoples.com

Iriya Asagao Festival

July 6 – 8

Wander through Japan’s largest morning glory market at the Iriya Asagao Matsuri, held annually around Shingenji Temple, known locally as Iriya Kishimojin. Roughly 120 specialist growers set up before dawn, since the blooms close up once the day heats up, so an early start is the only way to see them at their best. More than 90 food stalls line the streets alongside the flower vendors, selling festival staples from yakitori to shaved ice. The tradition dates to the late Edo period, when cultivating morning glories became popular among gardeners and samurai; it lapsed in the early 20th century before locals revived it in 1948, and now draws around 400,000 visitors over the three days.

When: July 6 – 8, 5am – 9pm
Where: Kototoi-dori road and Iriya Kishimojin Temple
Address: 1-12-16 Shitaya, Taito-ku
Price: Free
Website: asagao-maturi.com

Taiwan Festival

July 9 – 12

Taiwan Festival TOKYO 2026 takes over Ueno Park’s fountain plaza for four days, with this year’s theme—囍 (double happiness)—built around Taiwanese wedding traditions, from festive foods to customs and performances tied to marriage and good fortune.

Food carries the event, as it tends to at anything modeled on Taiwan’s night market culture: xiao long bao (soup dumplings), fried chicken, noodles, bubble tea and fruit desserts, served in a setting built to feel like a stroll through Taipei rather than a row of festival booths. Beyond the food, expect traditional performances and cultural presentations on Taiwanese customs.

When: July 9 – 12 | 10am – 9pm
Where: Ueno Park Fountain Square
Address: 5-20 Uenokoen, Taito-ku
Price: Free
Website: taiwanfes.org

Mizudome-no-mai

July 12

Witness a 700-year-old ritual believed to stop the rain at Mizudome-no-mai, held at Gonshoji Temple in Ota Ward. The festival opens with a procession in which two men, encased in straw-wrapped barrels representing dragon gods, are hauled toward the temple while bystanders drench them with buckets of water and they blow on conch shells. At the temple, dancers in lion masks perform on stage to flute music and chanting, offering a prayer for the rain to cease.

When: July 12, 1pm – 3pm
Where: Gonsho-ji Temple
Address: 3-7-27 Omori-higashi, Ota-ku
Price: Free
Website: mizudome.com

Enoshima Tenno Festival

July 12

The Enoshima Tenno Festival is one of Kanagawa Prefecture’s most cherished summer traditions, rooted in prayers for protection, good health and safety at sea. The centerpiece is the mikoshi (portable shrine), carried through the streets by residents to the sound of drums, bells and chanting before being brought to the coast and dunked into the sea. The ritual reflects the island’s deep ties to fishing and ocean worship. On the mainland, this mikoshi meets the one from Koyurugi Shrine, and the two parade together before the Yasaka mikoshi returns to Enoshima around 6pm. Participants in happi (festival coats) fill the streets alongside food stalls and crowds.

When: 9:30am – 6pm  
Where: Enoshima Shrine Hetsumiya
Address: 2-3-8 Enoshima, Fujisawa-ku
Price: Free 
Website: enoshimajinja.or.jp

Fun Aloha Festival

July 17 – 20

The Fun Aloha Festival takes over Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse’s event plaza, bringing island culture to the waterfront for four days. Expect hula performances, ukulele sets and Hawaiian music across rotating live stages, along with booths selling tropical food, island-inspired fashion and handmade crafts. Admission is free, with food, drinks and shopping available throughout the venue.

When: Friday 3pm – 9pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am – 9pm
Monday  11am – 6pm
Where: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
Address: 1-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Price: Free entrance. Food, drinks and merchandise are available for purchase.
Website: fun-aloha.com

Brasil & Latino Festival 2026

July 18 – 19

Samba, capoeira and caipirinhas take over Yoyogi Park as Festival Brasil & Latino. 2026 marks 19 years of the event and 25 years of the Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (CCBJ). Free and open both days from 11am to 8pm, the festival brings two days of Brazilian and Latin culture, with live music spanning samba, forró, bossa nova and more.

For more details, read: Brasil & Latino Festival on Metropolis

When: 11am – 8pm
Where: Yoyogi Park
Address: 2-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku
Price: Free
Website: festivalbrasil.jp

Chidorigafuchi Moat Lantern Floating Festival

July 22 – 23

Two thousand lanterns drift across Chidorigafuchi Moat each summer, released as an expression of remembrance, gratitude and hope for peace. The event dates back to 1958, when it began as a postwar gathering meant to offer comfort and healing. Walk along the moat after sunset and watch the lights shimmer against the trees and palace grounds. Lanterns can be reserved in advance for those who want to write and float their own message, with boats allocated by lottery. It’s a moment of stillness—thousands of small lights drifting through one of the busiest cities on Earth. Check ahead, as rain or stormy weather can cancel the event.

When: 7pm – 8pm
Where: Chidorigafuchi Park
Address: 1-2 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku
Price: Free
Website: visit-chiyoda.tokyo/en/floating.lantern

Sumidagawa Firework Festival

July 25

Twenty thousand fireworks launch from two sites along the Sumida River, filling the sky above Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree with large, colorful bursts. Crowds stake out riverbank spots early, while others watch from nearby streets, parks and restaurants. Spectators in yukata line up alongside stalls selling yakisoba and takoyaki, giving the evening a classic summer-night feel. Restaurants with a clear view of the sky book out well in advance, so reserve early if that’s your plan. Expect heavy crowds throughout the area surrounding the river.

When: 7pm – 8:30pm
Where: Sumida Park
Address: 1-1 Mukojima, Sumida-ku
Price: Free
Website: sumidagawa-hanabi.com

Running All Month in Tokyo: July 2026

Mori Art Museum Exhibition Ron Mueck

April 29 – September 22

Australian sculptor Ron Mueck’s solo exhibition brings together 11 sculptures spanning his career, six of which are making their Japanese debut—including Mass (2016–2017), a monumental installation of 100 oversized human skulls, and Angel (1997), an early breakthrough work. Photographs and films by Gautier Deblonde documenting Mueck’s studio process round out the show. A pre-booked timed ticket is required, so plan ahead, particularly for weekends and public holidays.

For more details, read: Ron Mueck at Mori Art Museum on Metropolis

When: April 29 – September 23
Where: Mori Art Museum
Address: 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Price: Weekdays: Adults ¥2,300 | Students ¥1,400 | Seniors ¥2,000 | Children Free
Weekends & Holidays: Adults ¥2,500 | Students ¥1,500 | Seniors ¥2,200 | Children Free
Website: mori.art.museum/en/exhibitions