Events in Miyagi Prefecture (Ishinomaki, Shiogama, Sendai, Matsushima)

This is an autumn market where wholesalers in Oroshimachi, Sendai's wholesale district, open their stores and sell food and daily necessities at special prices. It's an event with a local feel, where residents come to shop.

This is the one day a year when Ishinomaki's fish market, boasting one of Japan's largest catches, is open to the public. There are tuna filleting shows and fresh fish auctions, allowing you to experience the morning of Ishinomaki, a port town, as it is.

The morning is crucial, so go early. The market floor can be wet, so wear comfortable shoes.

This is a night illumination of the autumn leaf garden at Tenshukaku Shizen Koen in Akiu Onsen. The autumn leaves reflected in the pond are a highlight.

Rairaikyo in Akiu also has illuminations, so you can visit both on a night stay in Akiu Onsen.

This is an autumn leaf illumination along a walking path of approximately 220m, following the strangely shaped rocks of "Rairaikyo" in Akiu Onsen. The canyon's rock faces and colored trees are reflected in the water, and there's a footbath at the end of the path.

For those extending their trip to Akiu Onsen, Sendai's inner parlor, this is a night destination. The period varies by year (late October to mid-November in 2026), so please check the official website.

This is a night illumination at Entsuin Temple in Matsushima, famous for the reflection of autumn leaves in the Shinji Pond. The entire garden is lit up, and the scene of the water surface and autumn leaves overlapping is a classic of Matsushima's autumn.

The beauty is beyond words, so we highly recommend it to international visitors. It's also a great night destination for those staying in Matsushima, or those extending their trip from Shiogama or Higashimatsushima. Please check the official website for lighting times before visiting.

This is a once-a-year market festival where Shiogama's fish market, known for its tuna landings, is open to the public. There are tuna filleting shows and tekka-don (tuna bowl) unique to the market.

On the same weekend, there's also a food event "Shiogama no Daigo-mi" at Marine Gate Shiogama, where you can enjoy eating around the port town. Since the event runs from morning to early afternoon, go early.

This is an autumn chrysanthemum exhibition where carefully cultivated chrysanthemum pots fill the grounds of Shiogama Shrine. You can take your time to look around while visiting the shrine.

There is also a venue at Marine Gate Shiogama (shorter period).

This is a special autumn night visit to Zuiganji Temple, a National Treasure associated with Date Masamune, with light productions by the creative team NAKED. You can walk through the temple grounds, which show a completely different expression at night than during the day.

Entsuin Temple, right next door, also lights up its autumn leaves during the same period, so you can visit both in one evening. It's an experience that needs no words, making it easy to recommend to international visitors.

This is an autumn festival at Jomon Village, located near the National Historic Site, Satohama Shell Mounds. There are Jomon experiences such as fire-starting, and events related to Okumatsushima oysters.

For families with children. Please check the city's announcements for the dates.

This is Sendai's Christmas Market, featuring wooden stalls imported from Germany. You can enjoy a relaxed winter evening with hot wine and sausages.

The "SENDAI Pageant of Starlight" on Jozenji-dori is also held during the same period, so you can enjoy the winter nights in the city center together. The venue is Nishikicho Park (it has moved from the former Kotodai Park).

This is a winter tradition in Sendai. Hundreds of thousands of light bulbs illuminate the zelkova trees along Jozenji-dori, turning the entire street into a tunnel of light throughout December.

Just walk through; no admission fee or reservation required. It's cold, so wear a thick coat.

The period and lighting hours vary by year. Please check the official website before you go.

This is an event to pray for good health throughout the year by burning New Year's decorations. It is the largest of its kind in Miyagi Prefecture, attracting about 100,000 visitors.

The highlight isHadaka Mairi (Naked Pilgrimage)Pilgrims wrapped in loincloths walk towards the fire, exhaling white breaths. Nights in Sendai in January can drop below freezing.

Since it is a shrine with a National Treasure main hall, it is also worth visiting during the day.

This is a winter tradition in Matsushima, an oyster-themed festival. There are tastings of steamed, grilled, and fried oysters, free samples, and even a warm foot bath.

You can enjoy the bounty of the Sanriku sea right there, so it's a prime target if you're staying in Matsushima in winter. The date is usually the first Sunday of February, but please check the Matsushima Tourism Association's announcements for the confirmed date as it approaches.

A 1-ton portable shrine is carried downthe 202 steps of the main approach to Shiogama Shrine.This is a festival. There are 16 bearers.

Whether viewed from above or below, the sight of the portable shrine descending the stairs is the highlight itself. It is said to have begun in the Edo period as a prayer for fire prevention and is counted as one of the three major festivals of the Shiogama Shrine parishioners (Hote Matsuri, Hana Matsuri, Minato Matsuri).

It is within walking distance from the accommodation on Shiogama Kaigan-dori.

During cherry blossom season, the portable shrine of Shiogama Shrine parades through the city. It is called "Hana Matsuri" (Flower Festival) because it is held in conjunction with the cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms within the grounds of Shiogama Shrine are a famous spot in themselves, and the late-blooming Shiogama cherry blossoms are a national natural monument. Even if you don't coincide with the festival, the shrine grounds are worth walking through during this season.

A festival in Sendai in early summer. Saturday's eve festival featuresSuzume Odori, and Sunday's main festival features a historical procession of Date Masamune and a parade of floats.

Suzume Odori is a dance where participants leap and jump with fans. There are also times when you can join in spontaneously. It's lively enough just to watch.

This festival is associated with the "San Juan Bautista" ship, which Date Masamune used to send the Keicho Embassy to Europe. Held at the San Juan Museum and Park, which houses the replica ship, it features local drum and fife corps, marching bands, traditional performing arts such as Watanoha Shishifuryu, food and merchandise stalls, and commemorative photos on board the ship.

Admission is often free on the day of the festival, allowing you to experience history and festivities at the same time by the sea in Ishinomaki. The schedule will be announced on the official website closer to the event.

One of Japan's three great boat festivals. Two portable shrines from Shiwa Hiko Shrine and Shiogama Shrine board imperial boats and tour Matsushima Bay, accompanied by about 100 escort boats.

Fireworks for the eve festivalare launched from Shiogama Port. Since the fireworks open over the sea, they are reflected on the water's surface.

The 2026 event finished in July. The next one will be around Marine Day in 2027. Once the dates are announced,we will update the page for nearby events.of the page.

This is the biggest festival in Ishinomaki. It began out of gratitude to the pioneers who opened the mouth of the Kitakami River and has continued for over 100 times.

During the day, there are parades and Sonobei boat races in the city center, and at night, fireworks light up the Kitakami River. After the earthquake, it also became a festival for "repose of souls" and "reconstruction," making it a day of great significance for local people.

The fireworks are reflected on the river surface, so they can be seen well even from the opposite bank. Traffic regulations will be in place around the venue, so accommodation within walking distance is a strong advantage.

As the eve festival of the Sendai Tanabata Festival, approximately 16,000 fireworks are launched from the Hirose River riverbed.

The launch site is right next to the city center, so you might unexpectedly see them while walking around town. It's a high-density fireworks display, with everything launched in about an hour.

If you stay for the Tanabata Festival starting the next day, you can see a different side of Sendai for two consecutive days.

It is one of Japan's three major Tanabata festivals and one of the three great festivals of Tohoku. It is held for three days every year from August 6th to 8th, and the dates do not change.

The highlight is the shopping streets filled withstreamers. Several-meter-long streamers made of washi paper and kusudama balls hang throughout the arcades. It's a festival where you walk along with the flow of people, looking up, not a festival where you watch a stage.

You can enjoy it even if you don't understand the language, but it gets extremely crowded. It's hard to move around after sunset, so the morning is the best time to go.

This is an Obon event where lanterns are floated on Matsushima Bay to send off ancestors. Lights and fireworks illuminate the sea of one of Japan's three most scenic spots.

The 15th is the eve of the festival, with fair stalls, Bon Odori, and taiko drums. The 16th is the main day of the Daiseigakie, where lanterns are floated after sutra chanting. Both nights feature memorial fireworks for about 15 minutes.

These are not fireworks for tourism, but rather farewell fires. The custom is to watch them quietly.

This is a fireworks festival for memorial and reconstruction on the Naruse River, continuing since the Taisho era. The highlight is the summer night scene where lanterns float on the river and approximately 1,000 fireworks light up the sky.

One of the summer highlights for accommodations in Higashimatsushima. It is a fixed-date event held on August 16th during Obon. Details of the event will be announced on the official website of Higashimatsushima City closer to the date.

This is a music festival where the entire city becomes a stage. Performances begin simultaneously in dozens of locations throughout the city, from under the zelkova trees on Jozenji-dori to parks and building eaves.

It's not just professional performers. Student bands and amateur bands also play on the same street corners. No tickets are required. Just walk around and stop where you like the sound.

Although it's called a jazz festival, it actually features a mix of rock, gospel, and wind band music.

This is an autumn evening festival where the 202 steps of the main approach to Shiogama Shrine and its precincts are illuminated with bamboo lights and LED candles. You can relax and enjoy the moon, light, and sound while gagaku music plays.

Even if you don't understand the language, you can enjoy the lights and sounds, so it's recommended for international guests. There will also be stalls and workshops in the temple town before sunset (from 3 PM). Please consider it as a night destination from your accommodation in Shiogama.