Events around Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori

This is a night illumination event at Entsuin Temple in Matsushima, famous for the reflection of autumn leaves in the Shinji Pond. The entire garden is lit up, and the scenery where the water surface and autumn leaves overlap is a classic autumn sight in Matsushima.

Its beauty is beyond words, so we highly recommend it to international guests. It's a great evening excursion from accommodations in Matsushima, or for those staying in Shiogama or Higashimatsushima. Please check the official website for illumination times before visiting.

This is an annual market festival where Shiogama's fish market, known for its tuna landings, is opened to the public. There will be a tuna filleting show and unique market-style Tekkadon (tuna bowl).

On the same weekend, there's also a food event called "Shiogama no Daigomi" at Marine Gate Shiogama in the port, where you can enjoy eating around the port town. This event runs from morning until early afternoon, so arrive early.

This is an autumn chrysanthemum exhibition where pots of carefully cultivated chrysanthemums 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 in the port (the period is shorter).

This is a special autumn night visit to the National Treasure Zuiganji Temple, associated with Date Masamune, where you can explore the temple grounds at night with light art by the creative team NAKED. You can experience the temple grounds with a completely different atmosphere than during the day.

The neighboring Entsuin Temple also illuminates its autumn leaves during the same period, so you can visit both in one evening. This is an experience that transcends language, making it easy to recommend to international guests.

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

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

This is Sendai's Christmas market, with 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 around the same time, so you can enjoy the winter night in the city center. The venue is Nishikicho Park (it has moved from the former Kotodai Park).

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

No admission fee or reservation is required; just walk through. It's cold, so wear a thick coat.

The period and illumination times vary each year. Please check the official website before you go.

This is an event to pray for good health and fortune for 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 is theHadaka 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's a shrine with a National Treasure main hall, it's also worth visiting during the day.

This is Matsushima's winter tradition, an oyster-themed festival. You can compare steamed, grilled, and fried oysters, enjoy free tastings, and even warm up at the footbath.

Since you can taste the bounty of the Sanriku sea on the spot, 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 announcement for the confirmed date as the event approaches.

A 1-ton portable shrine is carried downthe 202 steps of the main approachof Shiogama Shrine. 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 (Hotematsuri, Hanamatsuri, Minatomatsuri).

It's 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's called "Hanamatsuri" (Flower Festival) because it coincides with the cherry blossoms.

Shiogama Shrine itself is famous for its cherry blossoms within the grounds, and the late-blooming Shiogama cherry blossoms are a national natural monument. Even if you don't make it for the festival, the shrine grounds are worth a walk during this season.

This is a festival in Sendai in early summer. The Eve Festival on Saturday features theSuzume Odori (Sparrow Dance), and the Main Festival on Sunday features the Date Masamune historical procession and float parade.

The Suzume Odori involves dancing with fans in a hopping motion. There are also times when you can join in. Even just watching is lively enough.

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

The Eve Festival fireworksare launched from Shiogama Port. Since the fireworks open up over the sea, they are reflected on the water's surface.

The 2026 event concluded in July. The next one will be around Marine Day in 2027. Once the dates are announced, we will update them on theNearby Eventspage.

As the eve festival for the Sendai Tanabata Festival, approximately 16,000 fireworks are launched from the Hirose Riverbed.

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

If you stay for both the fireworks and the Tanabata Festival starting the next day, you'll see two different sides of Sendai on consecutive days.

This is one of Japan's three great Tanabata festivals and is counted among 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 thefukinagashi (streamers)that fill the shopping streets. Several-meter-long decorations made of Japanese paper and kusudama (decorative balls) hang throughout the arcades. It's a festival where you walk with the flow of people, looking up, and not a festival where you watch stages.

You can enjoy it even if you don't understand the language, but it gets incredibly 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 overlap on the sea of one of Japan's three most scenic views.

The 15th is the Eve Festival, with fair stalls, Bon Odori dancing, and taiko drums. The 16th is the main event of the Daiseigakie (Great Segaki Service), where lanterns are floated after sutra chanting. On both nights, memorial fireworks are launched for about 15 minutes.

These are not fireworks for tourism, but rather fireworks as送り火 (okuribi, send-off fires). It is customary 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 floating on the river surface overlap with about 1,000 fireworks.

It's one of the summer highlights for accommodations in Higashimatsushima. It's a fixed-date event held on August 16th during Obon. Details of the event will be announced on the official Higashimatsushima City website as the date approaches.

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

It's not just professionals performing. Student bands and adult bands also stand on the same street corners. No ticket is required. Just walk around and stop where you like the sound.

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

This is an autumn night festival where the 202-step approach and precincts of Shiogama Shrine are illuminated with bamboo lanterns and LED candles. You can spend a relaxing time surrounded by the moon, light, and sound, with gagaku music playing.

Even if you don't understand the language, you can enjoy the lights and sounds, so it's recommended for international visitors. Stalls and workshops are also available in the monzenmachi (town in front of the gate) before sunset (from 3 PM). Please consider it as a night destination from your accommodation in Shiogama.