Edogawa Goldfish Festival
A grand goldfish festival takes place in Edogawa every July, and it’s an amazing opportunity to experience Japan’s iconic meme for dashed hopes for yourself, as well as marvel at exotic goldfish varieties and pick up some choice swag.
Search term: Edogawa goldfish festival, kingyo matsuri Edogawa
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Floating Lantern Festivals
This toro nagashi floating lantern festival takes place on Shinobazu Pond in Ueno every July, but it’s not the only floating lantern festival in town! Do a search for one that’s happening while you’re in Tokyo.
Search terms: toro nagashi, floating lantern festival
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Mitama Matsuri
The Mitama Matsuri festival at the Yasukuni Shrine is one of the grandest festivals of summer. Traditional dancing, music, and lots of festival food is a great way to spend a warm summer evening
Search term: mitama matsuri yasukuni
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Fireworks Festivals
Sitting by the riverside and watching astounding fireworks displays on a warm evening is one of the delights of Japanese summer. If you play your cards right, you can even watch them from a ferry!
Search term: Tokyo fireworks July
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Lotus Season
Mid-July through mid-August is when these gorgeous flowers sacred to Buddhism lift their heads above a sea of green. The best time of day to see them is early in the morning, because lotus flowers bloom at first light, then close up in the heat of the day. Here are the best places to see lotus flowers, including rare varieties found nowhere else and a garden grown from 2,000-year-old seeds.
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Lotus Festival at Sankei-en Garden
Who knew there were so many things you can do with a lotus leaf? In addition to ogling the vast pond of gorgeous lotus flowers, from mid-July to early August, Sankei-en volunteers offer any number of fun activities that demonstrate the remarkable structure of this ancient and sacred plant. Early opening hours assure you can see lots and lots of blooms before the flowers close up again under the midday sun.
Search terms: sankeien lotus festival
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And here are the other places I take my friends when they come to town
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 