Your source for sweets and gourmet information!
Editor and writer in charge of outing information media in Kyoto, Kobe and Osaka area for more than 10 years.
I will introduce you to the most popular stores, talked-about gourmet foods, and sightseeing spots in Japan.
Praying with one’s feet in the river water and dancing in a circle!
At first glance, Kansai’s summer events and rites may seem strange.
Traditional events are filled with wisdom and ingenuity to keep you cool and comfortable during the hot summer.
Please enjoy your trip to Kansai with events and rites that can only be experienced in summer!
１．[Kyoto] Various places in Kyoto City / Gion Festival
２．[Kyoto] Matsuo-taisha Shrine / Wind-bell Prayer: Sound of Good Luck and Disaster Elimination
３．[Osaka] Mizunase Jingu Shrine / Wind of Invitation
４．[Kyoto] Shops along the Kamo River in Kyoto City / Kawayuka(Riverside Terrace)
５．[Osaka] Minoh Waterfall / Summer Festa Minoh Park
６．[Osaka] Umeda area / Umeda Yukata Matsuri (Yukata Festival)
７．[Nishinomiya, Hyogo] Nishinomiya Shrine / Summer Ebisu
８．[Kyoto] Shimogamo-jinja Shrine / Mitarashi Festival
９．[Kyoto] Various places in Kyoto City / Kyoto Gozan Okuribi (Bonfire on Five Mountains)
１．[Kyoto] Various places in Kyoto City / Gion Festival
Period: Tuesday, July 1, 2026 – Thursday, July 31, 2026
If you are traveling to Kyoto in the summer, a visit to the Kyoto Gion Festival is a must! You will be overwhelmed by the gorgeous floats!
For more information, check out the article below!
２．[Kyoto] Matsunoo taisha Shrine / Wind-bell Prayer: Sound of Good Luck and Disaster Elimination
Period: Usually from June 1 to September 1
About 800 wind chimes will be displayed on the ceiling of the Matsunoo Taisha Shrine awarding office and throughout the shrine grounds. It is said that the tones of the wind chimes comfort the gods and purify sins and impurities. At Matsunoo Taisha Shrine, you can write your wish on a strip of paper. Let your wish be delivered to the god.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
3, Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto [MAP]
Access
Right by Hankyu Kyoto Line Matsuo-taisha Station
Opening hours
5:00-18:00, Garden and Shinzouukan 9:00-16:00 （Sundays and holidays: ~16:30)
Closed
No regular holidays
Admission
Free, Garden and Sshinzoukan 500yen
３．[Osaka] Mizunase Jingu Shrine / Wind of Invitation
Period: Usually July – early September
A wind-bell prayer will also be held at the Mizunase Jingu Shrine. Passing through the wind chimes, visitors can listen to the cool sound of the light chirping of the wind chimes.
During the period, the shrine will also be decorated with kazaguruma, toys that rotate with the wind, and illuminated with lanterns.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
3-10-24, Hirose, Shimamoto, Mishima District, Osaka [MAP]
Access
12-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line Minase Station
Website
Open hours
24-hour Open (charms and red seals are available from 9:00~17:00).
Closed
No regular holidays
Admission
Free of charge (light-up is charged)
４．[Kyoto] Shops along the Kamo River in Kyoto City / "Kawayuka" riverside terrace
Period: May 1 – October 15, 2026 (period varies by store)
“Kawayuka” riverside terrace is one of the traditional summer cultures of Kyoto. It is a place to enjoy the cool air while dining on delicious food at outdoor terrace seats that jut out into the Kamo River. Visitors can enjoy a variety of gourmet foods at 87 restaurants ranging from Japanese cuisine to Italian and French cuisine.
Among them, “B STORE 1st” opens from 8:00 a.m. as riverside terrace morning. Why not start your day with “Kawayuka” riverside terrace?
▼Check this article▼
7 Best Breakfasts in Kyoto | Near JR Kyoto Station and Popular Tourist Attractions
Top 8 Kawadoko River Dining Restaurants in Kyoto (Kamogawa, Kibune & Takao)
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
140-25, Saito-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto [MAP]
Access
Right by Hankyu Kyoto Line Kyoto-kawaramachi Station
Website
５．[Osaka] Minoh Waterfall / Summer Festa Minoh Park
Period: Usually mid-July to early September
Minoh Waterfalls and other famous spots in Minoh Park are illuminated in this popular event!
Also, until November 3, 2026, “Kawayuka (riverside terrace)” will be held at riverside restaurants in Minoh Park, where you can enjoy kaiseki cuisine while enjoying the sounds of nature. Enjoy a quaint moment (reservations required).
▼Check this article▼
8 recommended gourmet restaurants in Minoh Waterfall! Cafes & Shops to stop by for sightseeing
Note on how to get to Minoh Waterfall! Points that international travelers should know before going there
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
1-18, Minokoen, Mino-shi, Osaka [MAP]
Access
[To the entrance of Minoh Park]
5-minute walk from Hankyu Minoh Line Minoh Station
[To Minoh Waterfall]
40-minute walk from Hankyu Minoh Line Minoh Station
６．[Osaka] Umeda area / Umeda Yukata Matsuri (Yukata Festival)
Main Content Dates: The dates for 2026 have not yet been announced.
Umeda Yukata Matsuri (Yukata Festival) is a large-scale event held in the Umeda area of Osaka, where you can enjoy Japanese summer culture all at once!
Umeda Yukata Matsuri (Yukata Festival) will feature a traditional “Bon Odori Dance”, “Uchimizu” (sprinkling water on the streets to cool off), and “fairs” like typical of summer festivals. The entire town will be decorated in summer!
LOCATION INFORMATION
Access
Right by Hankyu Osaka-umeda Station and Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station
７．[Nishinomiya, Hyogo] Nishinomiya Shrine / Summer Ebisu
Period: July 7, 2026; July 9 – July 10, 2026; July 20,2026
Natsu Ebisu is an event that takes place mainly on July 10, and July 20, miko (shrine maidens) perform “Yutate Kagura,” in which they sprinkle visitors with bamboo branches submerged in boiling water, praying for the reprieve from the heat and for good health.
At the “Ebisu Mandoro (Lantern Festival)” starting at 6:00 p.m., the precincts of the shrine are transformed into a fantastic world of light with lit andon (lanterns) and candles.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
1-17, Shake-cho, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo [MAP]
Access
5-minute walk from Hanshin Main Line Nishinomiya Station
Opening hours
April - August 5:00 - 19:00 March and September 5:00 - 18:30 October - February 5:00 - 18:00
Closed
No regular holidays
Admission
Free
８．[Kyoto] Shimogamo-jinja Shrine / Mitarashi Festival
Period: July 18 – July 30, 2026
The Mitarashi Festival is a summer event in Kyoto, also known as “Ashitsuke Shinji(Ritual of Foot-soaking)”, in which people take a knee-deep dip in the Mitarashi Pond on the grounds of Shimogamo Shrine to purify themselves of any impurities and pray for good health. Walking through the cool water is a great way to feel cool, and is a fun event for the whole family to participate in.
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
59, Shimogamo Izumikawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto [MAP]
Access
Take the Kyoto Municipal Subway from Hankyu Kyoto Line Karasuma Station and alight at Karasuma Oike Station and 7-minute walk.
Opening hours
9:00~20:00
Closed
No regular holidays
Admission
Adult 5007en
９．[Kyoto] Various places in Kyoto City / Kyoto Gozan Okuribi (Bonfire on Five Mountains)
©Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Federation
Date: August 16, 2026
This is a traditional summer event in Kyoto to return the spirits of ancestors who were welcomed during Obon to the underworld. A fire is lit on a pyre in the middle of the mountain, and the Chinese characters “Dai”, left “Dai”, “Myou”, and “Hou”, as well as the shape of a boat, float on the pyre. The lights are lit one after the other starting at 20:00, and each can be viewed for about 30 minutes.
See the website below for the lighting time and viewing locations.
Summer events & activities are held mainly at night.
Even if you have visited Japan many times, you may discover something new by participating in these limited-time events!
